Core Concepts Part 1: Tools of Geography

Vocabulary: page C4 Geography: the study of human and nonhuman features of Earth. Cardinal Directions: north, south, east, and west Sphere: round-shaped body (Globe) Latitude: the distance north or south of the Equator. It is measured in degrees. Degrees (˚): are units that measure angles [Minutes (‘) measure smaller units] Hemisphere: each half of the earth Longitude: the distance in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Absolute location: a place’s exact position on Earth in terms of longitude and latitude. Relative location: the location of a place relative to another place. Place: refers to the mix of human and nonhuman features at a given location. (hilly, dry, wet, hot, cold, humid, flat, etc.) Region: an area with at least one unifying physical or human feature. (Remember: We are in the South (region) and we say y’all and drink sweet tea!) Movement: how people, goods, and ideas get from one place to another. Human-environment interaction: how people affect their environment, or their natural surroundings, and how their environment affects them. Vocabulary: page C6

Vocabulary: page C8 Scale: the area a given space on the map corresponds to in the real world. Aerial photographs: photographic images of Earth’s surface taken from the air. Satellite images: pictures of Earth’s surface taken from a satellite in orbit. Geographic information systems (GIS): computer-based systems that store and use information linked to geographic locations. Distortion: loss of accuracy in the size or position of objects on a map. Projections: ways to map Earth on a flat surface.

Ways to show Earth’s surface: Aerial Photographs Satellite Images

Vocabulary: Page C10

Vocabulary: page C12 1. Physical Map: shows physical or natural features. (elevation, river flows, etc.) Elevation: height above sea level Political map: show political units, like states, countries, capitals, and cities. Special-purpose maps: show the location or distribution of human or physical features.