1. Chapter1- Studying Geography
Section 1- Themes and Essential Elements
What is Geography?
Study of everything on Earth, from rocks and rainfall to people and places
Study of physical, biological, and cultural features of Earth’s surface
Look at how the natural environment influences people, how they affect Earth, and how the world is changing
Perspective- the way a person looks at something
Use a spatial perspective- looking at where things are and how they are arranged

2. Two main branches: Human and Physical Geography
Human Geography- characteristics of people
How we live, work, way of life

3. Physical Geography
Focuses on Earth’s natural environments
These include earth’s landforms: water features, atmosphere, animals, plants, soils and the processes that affect them

4. Who uses Geography?
Everyone, every time we decide where to go and how to get there
Subfields of Geography
Cartography- study of maps and mapmaking
Meteorology- study of weather, forecasting the weather
USGS ( US Geological Survey)
Produces detailed maps of the whole country

5. How do we study Geography?
Region- is an area with one or more common features that make it different from surrounding areas
Cities, states, countries, and continents
Defined by their physical and human features
Physical features: kinds of climate, river systems, soils, and vegetation
Human features: languages, religions and trade networks

6. 3 Types of Regions
Formal Region- has one or more common features
Based on any feature: population, crops, rainfall, etc
EX. Rocky Mountains, Browerville, United States
Functional Region- places that are linked together as a unit
Organized around a central location
EX. A city transit system, subway system, Airport
Perceptual Region- reflect human feelings and attitudes
EX. Back home, Midwest, The South, Up North

7. Five Themes of Geography
Location- exact or relative spot
Place- physical and human features of a location

8. Human environment interaction- ways people and environment interrelate with and affect each other
Movement- how people and things change locations and the effects of these changes

9. Region- organizes Earth into geographic areas with one or more shared characteristics

10. Six Essential Elements
The world in spatial terms- use of maps
Places and regions- physical and human features
Physical systems- Earths features
Human Systems- people and their activities
Environment and Society- human actions
The uses of Geography- helps us understand the relationship among people, places, and environments over time

11. Section 2- Skill building: Using the Geographer’s Tools
The Globe
scale model of the earth
Grid- circle lines going east and west and north and south
Latitude- lines drawn east and west
Measures distance north and south of the equator
Called parallels
Range from 0 (for places on the equator) to 90 N and 90 S for North and South Poles

13. Longitude- lines drawn North and South
Called meridians
Measure distance east and west of the prime meridian- imaginary line from the North Pole through Greenwich, England to the South Pole
Range from 0 (which are on the prime meridian) to 180 (which is in the mid pacific)
Lines west of the prime meridian are labeled W and east of it labeled E
The intersection of lat/long lines help us find locations

15. Hemispheres, Continents, and Oceans
Hemispheres- equator divides the globe into halves, north and south
Prime meridian divides into western and eastern hemispheres
Continents:
Earths land surfaces are divided into 7 continents: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America
Asia being the largest, Australia being the smallest

16. Map Projections Ways of presenting the round earth on a flat map
Always some distortion, because the earth is round
Cylindrical, conic, and flat-plane
Cylindrical Projection- as if a cylinder was wrapped around the globe
Cylinder only touches globe at the equator

17. Flat-Plane Projection- only touch the globe at one point
Conic Projection- cone placed over the globe
Most accurate around the lines of latitude where it touches

19. Understanding Map Elements
Distance Scales- help determine real distance
Directional Indicators
Compass rose- shows N, S, E, W
Legends- or map key
Identifies the symbols on a map
Ex. Cities, roads, rivers, etc
Inset Maps- focus on a smaller part of a larger map
Special Purpose Maps
Many different kinds of maps
Climate or Precipitation maps
Population and Economic maps
Elevation and Topographic maps
Climate Graphs and Population Pyramids
Contour Map

20. Climate Map

21. Population Graph
Population Pyramid
Topographic Map