Geography

Why Study geography? It’s where we are! - Geography can be as simple as directions to a specific location, place or vacation spot. How do you know where you are going, how to dress? -Climate is an important part of geography, without knowing your location, you can’t expect to know the weather. Do you know where you live? -Believe it or not, 20% of 9 th graders cannot locate their state on a United States map.

Define Geography Geography- the study of where people, places and things are located and how they interact with each other.

UsE OF TECHNOLOGY Scientific approaches regarding geography are used daily. -Satellite images -Sonar to measure depths in the oceans -GIS- geographic information systems : used to manipulate, measure, analyze and display data. Layers information taken from photographs, videos, tax assessors, etc.

5 Themes of geography Answers these questions: -What is the location of a place? -What is the character of a place? -How are places similar to and different from other places? -How do people, goods and ideas move between places? -How to people interact with the natural environment of a place?

Theme one: Location Two types: Absolute: the location’s position on a globe (using longitude and latitude) - ex: Haysville , Relative: its relation compared to other places - ex: Haysville is south of Wichita

Theme Two: Place Every place has features that distinguish themselves from other places. Includes physical characteristics and human characteristics.

Theme three: Region A group of places with at least one common characteristic -Formal regions: an area in which certain characteristics are found throughout the area (Corn belt) -Functional regions: a central place and surrounding places affected by it. (Dallas-Ft. Worth) - Perceptual regions: people’s feeling and attitudes about a certain place. (Location of midwest?)

Theme four: Movement Because places have different characteristics; people, places and ideas will move about them. (Example: New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina)

Theme five: Human-Environment Interaction The way people and environment affect each other. Ex: Southwest before pools, cars and air conditioning vs. the present time