Geography is the study of Earths physical features

Geography is the study of Earth’s physical features

An important tool used to study geography is a Map!

Cardinal Directions Compass Rose Prime Meridian Map reading is an important skill, with a vocabulary all its own! Longitude The Equator Latitude Lines of Parallel

Cardinal Directions are North, East, South and West.

Cardinal Directions are shown on a map as a compass rose.

Latitude is shown on a map as a horizontal line.

Lines of Latitude are parallel lines. They go around, but never touch or intersect each other.

The Equator is a line of latitude which is the midway point between the northern and southern hemispheres

Longitude is a vertical line seen on a globe or map. The long lines goes top to bottom.

Prime Meridian is zero degrees longitude

It may look like this

Something New For You! Each half of the Earth is called a Hemisphere

We live in the Western Hemisphere We live here ->

The Western Hemisphere begins at 0 degrees longitude, (the PRIME MERIDIAN). It includes North and South America.

North and South America make up half the world, a hemisphere. It is known as the Western Hemisphere.

North America is a continent made of 7 small countries of Central America and 3 large countries, which are Canada, Mexico and the United States. Western Hemisphere

America is a country located on the continent of North America

Canada is another country found on the continent of North America. It is north of the United States.

Mexico is another country located on the continent of North America It is south of the United States.

REVIEW: The continent of North America Is made of 3 large countries And 7 smaller countries of Central America Canada America Mexico

Mexico is a country of North American continent And it is the northern most country in the region of Latin America.

Latin America Is also in the Western Hemisphere Latin America Is made up of 3 regions: 1. Middle America 2. Caribbean Islands 3. South America the Caribbean Islands Middle America South America

The most northern region of Latin America is Middle America is made up of Mexico and seven nations south of it. Latin America

Middle America is made up of Mexico and seven nations south of it. Let’s use this slide and use our geography skills to map out Middle America by answering questions 32 A – F.

Middle America forms a crooked, narrow isthmus in southern most part of Central America. An isthmus is a thin piece of land surrounded by water on two sides. It usually connects two larger land masses. The Isthmus of Panama connects North America to South America.

North America The Isthmus of Panama connects North America to South America ß South America A continent which is in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere

NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA ARE TWO OF THE WORLD’S 7 CONTINENTS A continent is one of seven major land masses on the earth. There are seven continents - Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.