 The earth spins on an axis, an axis is an imaginary line that goes straight through the earth.  The earth’s rotation, also known as spinning around its axis, takes 24 hrs to complete.  The earth’s orbit, an oval shaped path, completes one revolution, or journey in one calendar year.

 The sun effects the environment, our surroundings, by the earth moving in its orbit. The earth’s axis is on a tilt. This causes parts of the earth to face the sun longer than other parts. When this happens, the hours of the day are longer. As the orbit continues the seasons change.

 Latitude lines are imaginary horizontal parallel east west circles drawn on a map.  The equator is the middle latitude line, 0 degrees, of the earth  The Tropic of Cancer, 32.5 degrees north of the equator, and the Tropic of Capricorn, 32.5 degrees south of equator.

 Climate changes in different latitudes.  The equator receives the most direct sunlight during the year making it the hottest climate on earth.  The area between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn are known as the tropics or low latitudes. They receive direct sunlight during their summer months.

 The northern middle latitude is from the Tropic of Cancer to the 66 degree north latitude line. This is also known as the northern temperate zone.  The southern middle latitude is from the Tropic of Capricorn to the 66 degree south latitude line. This is also known as the southern temperate zone.  Temperate zones receive direct sunlight at only some times of the year making seasons.

 The Arctic circle is located at 66 degree north latitude line and the north high latitude lines go to the north pole.  The Antarctic circle is located at 66 degree south latitude line and the south high latitude lines go to the south pole.  These areas are called polar zones which receive no direct sunlight during the year.

Five Themes of Geography

Location Geographers use Latitude and Longitude to describe where the place is that is being studied. Geography- is the study of the earth surface and the processes that shape it, the connections between places and the relationships between people and their environment.

 Latitude lines are imaginary horizontal parallel circles (equidistant lines), drawn on a map.  The circles are divided into units of degrees.  The center circle on the Globe is named the Equator which is the zero degree line.

 Longitude lines are imaginary vertical lines drawn on a map.  The lines are divided into units of degrees.  A degree is a unit of measure to determine absolute location.  Longitude lines go to the north and south poles.

 Longitude lines are also called meridians.  The Prime Meridian goes through Greenwich, England at 0 degrees.

Place Geographers study the location’s physical and human features. For example, they may describe a place by its climate or terrain.

Human- Environment Interaction  This theme informs the people of their surroundings and the effect they have on the Earth.

Movement  The theme of movement helps geographers gather ideas of how people get from place to place.

Regions  A region is used by geographers to unify characteristics. Climate, lakes, and history are some examples of these characteristics.

 The five themes, location, place, human- environment interaction, movement, and regions all help us understand the geography of our Earth.

Using the Tools of Geography

 Mapmakers used the size and shapes of oceans and continents to put on a globe, which is a round sphere that is the shape of the Earth  The size, or scale of these oceans and continents have been reduced to fit on the globe  Globes are not detailed enough. Therefore, flat maps are used. However, they will have distortion, or change in its accuracy because globes are round and flat maps are not.

 Gerhardus Mercator created the flat map and used projection, a method for making a flat map of the earth.  Arthur Robison’s projection is the worlds best map. His projection has the most accurate size of continents and oceans.

 On a map in one corner, there is compass rose and model of a compass.  The compass rose tells the cardinal directions which tells north, south, east, west.  The key defines the symbols on the map.  A grid is on the map too. Some maps have a grid of latitude and longitude lines. Others just use letters and numbers.