1. Investigating the World The nature and role of geography

2. Why study geography? The study of geography will help you to: Make sense of our changing world See that you are part of a wider global community Appreciate that people can have different points of view Be informed about important social and environmental issues Get knowledge and skills that can help you gain employment Better appreciate the wonder of the world around you Become active and informed citizens Use your free time well

3. Key Terms Geography The study of interactions between people and their environment Ecosystem A community of plants and animals and their non-living environment Environment Our total surroundings, including the living and non-living features of the earth’s surface as well as those features that are altered or created by people Physical Environments Our natural surroundings, including soil, water, air, sunlight and all living things Human environments The elements of the environments created by people. These include the social, cultural, economic and political systems developed by humans Built environments The earth’s human-altered landscapes. These include all those features that are normally associated with settlements, industries and farms

4. Physical and human geography AtmosphereHydrosphere LithosphereBiosphere Physical Geography Human Geography Urban, industrial and rural land-uses The development of countries Population Economic changes Issues e.g. human rights, social justice

5. Elements of physical environments Solar Energy (The Sun) Atmosphere: the combination of gases that surround the planet. Hydrosphere: the earth’s store of water and how it circulates. Lithosphere: the earth’s solid outer shell. Biosphere: the surface zone of the earth in which all life exists.

7. Elements of human environments SocialEconomic CulturalPolitical Elements of human environments Examples of built environments AgricultureSettlementsIndustries