Geography Handbook Part 1 Five Themes of Geography

Geography Handbook Part 1: Five Themes of Geography

Location 1. What question does location answer? Ø Where Am I? 2. What is absolute location? Ø Your exaction location (latitude and longitude). 3. What is relative location? Ø Your location in relation to another place. 4. Use the “North America Political Map” on page A 26 and answer the following questions. a. Absolute location of Pittsburgh (PA): Ø 40 N, 80 W b. Absolute location of New Orleans (LA): Ø 30 N, 90 W c. Relative location the United States: Ø South of Canada, North of Mexico, East of the Pacific Ocean, West of the Atlantic Ocean d. Relative location of Houston (TX): Ø South of Dallas, West of New Orleans, Along the Gulf of Mexico

Regions 5. Regions allow geographers to do what? Ø Divide the World. 6. A region can be as large as…. . Ø Continent. a. And as small as… Ø Neighborhood. 7. What ties a region together? Ø Shared (common) characteristics. a. Give 3 examples of how a region might be tied together: Ø Political Divisions, Climate, Language or Religion. 8. Name 3 different regions. Ø Continents, Countries, States, Counties, Time Zones, Climate Zones, ….

Place 9. What question does place answer? Ø What is PLACE like? (Describe things you see and feel while there). 10. When describing a place, you are referring to its ___ and ___ characteristics. Ø Physical and Human a. Physical characteristics are: Ø Natural features of the land. Give 3 Examples of physical characteristics: Ø Landscape, plants, animals and weather b. Human characteristics explain what? Ø What the people (humans) are like. Give 3 examples of human characteristics: Ø Language, art, architecture, clothing, language, religion (things that are very specific to humans)

Movement 11. Movement is… Ø The shifting (movement) of people, goods and ideas/information from one place to another. a. What are two reason people are constantly moving? Ø Better places to live and to trade goods (improve life). b. Movement allows what to be shared? Ø Ideas (not just things). c. What affect has technology had on movement? Ø It has quickened the movement of ideas and goods. 12. What do we call the movement of people and goods (Not in the book)? Ø Transportation 13. What do we call the movement of ideas and information (Not in the book)? Ø Communication

Human Environment Interaction 14. This theme refers to… Ø The ways people interact with their environment. a. Give 3 examples of Human-Environment Interaction: Ø Building a dam (or any structure), cutting down trees, sitting in the sun, irrigating the land Ø Humans interact by finding ways to use, modify or change the environment (land/climate) around them.

Geography Handbook Part 2: Map Basics

Types of Maps 1. What do political maps show? Ø Political Units (Countries, States, towns, etc…) 2. What do thematic maps show? Ø Specific themes/concepts/ideas (Economic Activity, battles, etc…) 3. What do physical maps show? Ø Natural land features (mountains, rivers, lakes, etc…)

Reading a Map a. Lines: Ø Boundaries, roads, movement, rivers, etc… b. Symbols: Ø Represent items on the map (see the key/legend). c. Labels: Ø Words or phrases that explain things on the map. d. Compass Rose: Ø Displays N/S/E/W. e. Scale: Ø Gives you the distance on a map compared to actual distance. f. Colors: Ø Another way of displaying specific information's (often from the key/legend). g. Legend (or Key): Ø Lists and explains symbols, lines, colors, etc… on the map. h. Lines of Longitude: Ø Imaginary lines measuring distance: East-West. i. Lines of Latitude: Ø Imaginary lines measuring distance: North-South.

Longitude Lines 5. Longitude lines are known as… Ø Meridians 6. Longitude lines run from ___ to ___. Ø North to South 7. Longitude lines show distances ___ and ___ of the prime meridian. Ø East and West a. The distance is measured in… Ø degrees 8. What is the prime meridian? Ø Longitude line that measures 0º

Latitude Lines 9. Latitude lines are known as… Ø Parallels 10. Latitude lines run from ___ to ___. Ø East to West 11. Latitude lines show distances ___ and ___ of the equator. Ø North and South a. The distance is measured in… Ø degrees 12. What is the equator? Ø Latitude line that measures 0º

Hemispheres Projections 13. Hemisphere means… 14. Projections are simply ways to ___ a map. Ø Half the Globe a. The world can be divided two different ways, what are they? Ø Northern and Southern Hemispheres Ø Eastern and Western Hemispheres Along what two lines are these divisions made? Ø Northern/Southe rn Hemispheres (Equator) Ø Eastern and Western Hemispheres (Prime Meridian) Ø Displaying the curved surfaces on a map Ø *Remember the world is not flat like a map.

Geography Handbook Part 3: Physical Geography

Introduction Land 1. Physical geography is all… 2. Give 5 examples of land (and land features). Hint: not necessarily in your book. Ø All Natural features of/on the earth (things naturall found, not man made or man altered). Ø Cliff, Butte, oasis, marsh, steppe, prairie (*See pages A 12 -A 13) 3. Why might different types of land be important in history, especially in ancient history? Ø Each type of landform is full of many advantages and disadvantages.

Resources 4. Give 5 examples of resources. Hint: not necessarily in your book Ø Air, soil, water, sunlight, minerals, fossil fuels, forests, animal life, etc… a. b. c. 5. Define natural resources (use a dictionary): Ø Materials (naturally) found in nature. Define renewable resources (use a dictionary): Ø Resources that can be replaced as they are used (forests, water…) Define non-renewable resources (use a dictionary): Ø Resources that CANNOT be replaced as they are used (fossil fuels) Why might resources be important in history, especially in ancient history? Ø People had to settle in regions that provided the resources needed to sustain their life, OR they had to find ways to acquire these resources (trade, conquest).

Climate 6. Define climate (use a dictionary): Ø Pattern of weather in one place over many years (not just one year). 7. Give 3 examples of climate. Hint: not necessarily in your book Ø Polar (Extremely Cold Regions), Tropical (Extremely Hot Regions), Temperate (Mixture of Warm/Cold…not really the extremes) Ø Examples of weather within climate: Rain, Snow, Hail, Humid, Dry, etc… 8. Why might climate be important in history, especially in ancient history? Ø The climate in a particular area will tell the people what types of clothes they can/should wear, the types of homes they can/should build, the types of crops/plants they can/should grow, and the types of resources that might be found there.

Vegetation Assessment 9. Give 5 different examples of vegetation. Hint: not necessarily in your book 11. Define diverse (use a dictionary): Ø Trees, Flowers, Crops, Grass, Vines, Shrubs, etc… 10. Why might the types and amount of vegetation be important in history, especially in ancient history? Ø Vegetation can offer resources used in everyday life (shelter, food, medicine, fire, protection, etc…) Ø differing from one another, composed of distinct or unlike parts. 12. What do you think are the advantages of living in an area with a diverse physical geography? Ø Better chance of survival (more options). *Any disadvantages? ?