What is Geography?

Geography…… helps describe and explain the connections or links between the people and the land.

Geographers look especially at: Landscape Climate Vegetation/Wildlife Natural resources Settlement of the land

The Study of Geography helps people to understand how the environment shapes the things people do and the way they live. allows people to understand how humans affect the environment through their use of the land and its resources.

Information Used By Geographers Photographs and Sketches Ground level, aerial oblique, vertical aerial and satellite photographs provide accurate pictures of the landscape.

Satellite Image

Photograph at ground level

Parliament Hill, Ottawa Aerial Photograph Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Maps Small and large scale maps and a variety of special purpose maps show selected landscape features.

Political Map of Continents

Political Map of Canada

Landform/Physical/Relief Map of Canada

Special Purpose Map of Trans Canada Highway Routes

Graphs and Charts Bar, line and circle graphs provide additional information from which the generalizations may be drawn.

Climograph

Natural Resources of Canada Circle Graph Natural Resources of Canada

Drawings Drawings are useful to show how things are related, to simplify, or to summarize large amounts of information.

By Frederick Arthur Verner (1836-1928). National Archives of Canada Ojibwa Indians Shooting the Rapids. By Frederick Arthur Verner (1836-1928). National Archives of Canada

Documents Written and printed materials can explain how things are done or how things look, helping build a more complete understanding of a physical landscape.

This unique exploration document, originally intended for presentation to the king of France, was compiled by Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635), founder of New France. One of the great cartographic treasures of America, it provides the first thorough delineation of the New England and Canadian coast from Cape Sable to Cape Cod. It shows Port Royal; Frenchman's Bay; the St. John, St. Croix, Penobscot, and Kennebec Rivers; and many offshore islands--including Mount Desert, which Champlain himself named. The place names and coast line correspond closely to Champlain's narrative in his Voyages, published in 1613

Geography of Your Community Maps and Documents Where is your community? Can you locate it on a map? Where is it in relation to other important features and communities? What are some reasons why people first settled in your community?

Documents, Drawings What is the area or site of your community like? Describe the surrounding landforms What bodies of water are nearby? What is the natural vegetation like? What kinds of vegetation and produce are planted by the people? Do you know what kind of soil and rocks are found here? How does the community location affect the way good are transported?

Documents, Maps How has the community changed since it was first established? What transportation and communication links are available? What main buildings are there? What has determined the location of these buildings? How is the land used?

Graphs, Charts Describe the climate in your community: What amounts of rain and snow fall each year? How does the temperature change from one season to the next? When do the local farmers begin to work on their land? What months are best for growing crops? What special weather conditions, such as high winds or thunderstorms, occur?

Graphs, Charts, Documents 1.