The Concepts of Geography 1 Location Location be

The Concepts of Geography

#1 - Location � Location: be able to give coordinates or a description of WHERE IT IS. � Absolute location: latitude and longitude, military grid, street address � Relative location: in relation to other places (beside the rink, 20 km from Debert, etc)

Location – [city]

Flooding in Manitoba

#2 - Region � Region: be able to give names to various areas. What characteristics do some areas have in common?

Mountain Region

Desert Region

Economic Regions

Regions (cont’d) � REGIONS are defined as areas with similar characteristics. We name them as a way to help us in our study of the patterns we are studying. � Physical characteristics ◦ Soil regions ◦ Europe � Human characteristics ◦ Religions � Multicharacter ◦ Canada ◦ Middle East regions

Activity: WORLD MAP. • Label clearly continents and major oceans. Use map conventions (PRINT, use pencil or black/blue ink) • Shade and label the following regions: • North America • Central America and the Caribbean • South America • Western Europe • Eastern Europe and CIS • Middle East • North Africa • Sub-saharan Africa • South Asia • East Asia • South east Asia • Australia and the South Pacific

#3 – Spatial Pattern � Two examples � 1] Wealthy people live away from industry � 2] Air pollution – � i] prevailing wind patterns push pollution in one direction � ii] distance decay pattern – the intensity of what is being measured decreases the farther you move away from the source.

Spatial Pattern – [acid rain effects]

Spatial Pattern [wealthy]

#4 – Spatial Interaction Look for the ways things that are in one place might flow to another place. [i. e. Chemical spills, volcanoes, and earthquakes in one area of the world can have profound impacts on an area much further away] � Health concerns such as AIDS are no longer isolated events dependent upon a specific region. With increased interaction of the earth’s inhabitants, it is a global crisis � Spatial interaction also enables us to provide help more swiftly and to a much wider range of earth’s citizens. � ACTIVITY: Listen to the podcast on the spread of Japanese stillgrass in Pennsylvania. Answer the following questions: � � How did Japanese stillgrass first come to Pennsylvania? � Describe how Japanese stillgrass has spread throughout Pennsylvania? � What are the implications of the continued spread of Japanese stillgrass? � What other methods might invasive species use to spread from one place to another?

� How can this picture be viewed as an example of spatial interaction?

Spatial Interaction

Spatial Interaction � ACTIVITY: Listen to the podcast on the spread of Japanese stillgrass in Pennsylvania. Answer the following questions: �How did Japanese stillgrass first come to Pennsylvania? �Describe how Japanese stillgrass has spread throughout Pennsylvania? �What are the implications of the continued spread of Japanese stillgrass? � What other methods might invasive species use to spread from one place to another?

#5 Human/Environment Interaction � How human activities affect the land, air and water and how they affect the way we live. � ACTIVITY �List ways the environment affects the way you live. �List ways you affect the environment around you. � THE LORAX � ACTIVITY: �Read the handout � Watch the video. � Complete the questions. Work individually for about 10 minutes and then partner up.

Environmental impact on Humans [Tornado]

Human impact on the environment [oil spill]

Human impact on the environment [open pit mine]

#6 - Culture � The customs or world view of any group of people. � Although environment can influence culture, two groups with different cultures might react to the same environment in different ways. They might have different social structures, different clothing, housing, etc. They might have different goals. � Culture includes but is not limited to religion, food, clothing, beliefs about right and wrong, manners, gender roles, etc. � EXAMPLE: FOOD

Farming in Canada Farming in Indonesia

House in California Zulu Hut in Africa What is the cultural difference in resource use between the two pictures?

DEFINITIONS from the text Please know the meanings of these terms and be able to use them in the appropriate context. � Millenium � Scale distribution � Sustainable development � Prevailing wind � Distance decay � Integrative discipline pattern � Geographic method � Culture � Location � Human/environment � Region interactions � Geography � Spatial

CONCLUSION � Well, surely you already believed that it was worth it to study global geography? � READ page 17 to see what you should gain from this course.