Unit 1: Intro to Geography

Geography The study of the distribution and interaction of physical and human (cultural) features on the earth’s surface. Looking at the world with a “spatial perspective”

Question that Geography addresses… What is where, why there & why care? Where are phenomena located? Why is it there? (How are the phenomena & places connected?) What patterns/distributions exist? How are humans impacted?

L3: Brain Drain Complete the following What is WHERE, WHY THERE, WHY CARE chart in your notes: What IS? Where is it? Why There? Why Care? DSOA Disney World Fast Food Restaurants Oil Lower Developed Countries

Two Types of Geography Subfields Physical Geography-study of the spatial distribution & patterns of the “4 Spheres” (Lithosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, & Biosphere)…physical features Subfields Geomorphology Climatology Hydrography Biogeography Geology

Two Types of Geography Subfields Human Geography-study of the spatial distribution & patterns human activity on the earth. Subfields Historical Geography Demography & Population Geo. Political Geography Cultural Geography Urban Geography Agricultural Geography

Impact of Physical Geo on Human Geo Environmental Geography-where Physical & Human Geo come together Climate/Weather Soil Ecosystems Abiotic elements-non-living Biotic elements-living

Impact of Human Geo on Physical Geo Anthropogenic changes-human induced changes to physical environment Sustainability-use of natural resources w/o diminishing ability to use in the future

L2: Brain Drain Give me the GIST in 5 minutes… You have 20 words to summarize what we just discussed. Use the space below. ______ ________ ________ _______

A Brief History of Geography What drove people to Geographic study & inquiry?

A Brief History of Geography Erathosthenes (3rd cen. BC) circumference of earth/term geography Ptolemy (2nd cen. BC) Guide to Geography, global grid system Age of Exploration (1400s-1600s) new info. new theories

A Brief History of Geography George Perkins Marsh (1860s) Man & Nature warns against destruction of environment Carl Sauer (1920s) cultural landscapes/interactions between humans & environment Quantitative Revolution (1960s) measurements, models, statistics

A Brief History of Geography WD Pattison’s Four Traditions of Geo Earth-science (Physical Geography) Man-Land (human + natural environment) Spatial (patterns, both physical & human) Area-studies (regional geography)

A Brief History of Geography High Tech Advances of the 20th century Remote Sensing - images from above earth’s surface GPS - integrated satelitte network for location with lat./long. coordinates GIS – software analyzies spatial data in layers

L3: Brain Drain Lets watch the following clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poMGRbfgp38&noredirect=1 Write 2 paragraphs discussing the positives and negatives of using GPS and GIS systems globally.

Study of Geography Approaches Regional-regions & characteristics Systematic-world’s integrated system (or How the world works)

Study of Geography Types of Data Qualitative-observations Quantitative-statistics, mathematical models, etc.

Study of Geography Methods of analyzing geographic info. Idiographic-characteristics unique to a place Nomothetic-universal concepts or rules

L2:Brain Drain Think-Pair-Share Regional vs. Systematic With your elbow partner discuss the differences between the following: Regional vs. Systematic Qualitative vs. Quantitative Idiographic vs. Nomothetic

Maps & Globes Map Globe

Maps Cartography-the art & science of map making

Maps Two basic types Reference-locating phenomena Thematic-shows specific information, highlights a variable

Maps Which is reference? Which is thematic?

Types of Thematic Maps Isoline-lines connect point of equal value

Types of Thematic Maps Choropleth-levels within predefined regions

Types of Thematic Maps Proportional Symbol-intensity & frequency shown by size of symbol

Types of Thematic Maps Dot-1 dot = occurrence of phenomena

Types of Thematic Maps Cartogram-area scaled to represent information

L2:Brain Drain Lets spend the next 15 minutes comparing the different types of thematic maps and their uses using your handout.

Map Projections Projection-method of transferring the spherical image of the earth onto a flat map. Distortion always occurs.

Map Projections Cylindrical-shows entire earth, distorts size, accurate shape & direction. Good for navigation. Mercator

Map Projections Pseudocylindrical-shows entire earth, some distortion of shape & direction. Size accurate. Robinson, Mollweide Lets Watch the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVX-PrBRtTY&list=PLSfHj8toBl18JT16G688S9ABoEgp-7uPY

Map Projections Conical-distorts scale & distance. Used for large east-west land masses.

Map Projections Planar (Azimuthal)- distorts as you move from the center. Used for polar areas and air routes.

L2:Brain Drain Lets spend the next 15 minutes comparing the different types of map projections and their advantages and disadvantages.

Map Scale Map scale-degree to which a map ‘zooms in” on an area Ratio of map distance to earth distance Shown as a ratio or a bar Larger the fraction, the larger the scale Small scale = large area w/small detail Large scale = small area w/large detail

Map Scale Which is small scale & which is large scale?

Map Characteristics Simplification- eliminating unimportant details & exaggerating important details, depending on purpose of map.

Map Characteristics Aggregation- level of detail for dividing a thematic map into geographic units. Coarse division- larger units, less detail Fine division-smaller units, more detail

L3: Brain Drain Create your own Map Projection: Design your projection. Draw the world neatly on it. Color the water and land in realistic colors neatly. Name your projection Answer the following questions: How would your projection best be used? To locate places on the surface of the earth, and/or To show patterns of distribution, and/or To discover relationships between different phenomena by analyzing map information. and/or Something else? What is the subjective message you are sending with this type of map?

Five Themes of Geography Topics that geographers focus on. “Lenses” through which they view a place or questions they ask about places. Location Place Human-Environment Interaction Movement Region

Location Position on earth’s surface. Where’s it at? Absolute location- exact spot (Lat./Long.) Relative location- location in relation to something else

Place Characteristics. What is the place like? Physical-anything produced by “mother nature” Human-anything produced by humans

Human-Environment Interaction Interactions & relationships between humans & physical environment. How do people utilize, change, or adapt to the physical environment?

Movement How are people, goods, and information moved from place to place?

Region An organization of places with similar spatial characteristics. How is a place like or linked to other places? Three types Formal Functional Perceptual

Types of Regions Formal-defined by uniform physical or cultural characteristic Functional-has a focul point. Is organized space surrounding the focul point Perceptual (Vernacular)-a region people percieve in their minds. Can be fuzzy

Interaction between places

Interaction between places Absolute distance-exact measure in standard units Relative distance-other measures of distance between places. The cost of overcoming absolute distance

Interaction between places Connectivity-degree of economic, social, cultural, or political connection between places

Interaction between places Topological Space-amount of “space” between places regardless of absolute distance. Depends on connectivity. More connectivity, less topological space. Less connectivity, more topological space.

Interaction between places Time-space convergence-idea that distance is shrinking due to improved technology & increased interaction. Internet brings time-space compression

L2:Brain Drain Gallery Review Grab a marker and get into your Defining Geo Scales Group You will have 30 seconds to draw a picture of each of the terms posted. Everyone in the group must draw an image that represents the concept. Wait for me to tell you when to go, and wait for me to tell you when to switch to the next poster.

Test Day Directions You have 10 MINUTES to complete: Staple the 4 assignments to the rubric and put on desk in front of class. Turn in your VOCAB in the labeled bin in front of class. *need to be in a baggie Get out a PEN and PENCIL Turn off your cell phone Put your backpacks and stuff against a wall in the room.