Elements of Geography Mrs Minks World Geography and

Elements of Geography Mrs. Minks World Geography and Cultures

Spatial relationships Links people and places have to each other because of their locations Reference point for geographers Location stated in terms of latitude (north or south) and longitude (east or west) Dallas, Texas is at latitude 32 N and longitude 96 W. Most people use relative location – New Orleans is near mouth of Mississippi River.

Places and Regions Place: particular space with physical and human meaning Geographers group places into regions Region defined by physical and human characteristics Three types of regions: Formal Functional perceptual

Physical and Human Systems Physical Geography Earth’s physical features Climate, land, water, plants, animal life Human Geography Cultural geography Study of human activities and their relationship to the cultural and physical environments Focuses on political, economic, social, and cultural factors

Physical and Human Systems Ecosystem Community of plants and animals that depend on one another and their surroundings for survival Movement People, goods, ideas

Environment & Society Human Environment Interaction Relationship between people and their physical environment How do people use their environment? How and why do they change it? What consequences arise from these changes?

Geography Research Methods Direct Observation Mapping Interviewing Analyzing statistics

Homework Five themes of geography activity – see handout. Due Thursday, August 14 th.

Exit Ticket: Critical Thinking How can discussion with an area’s inhabitants evolve into a greater understanding of a region’s people?