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 Geographers view the world by looking at the use of space on the earth and the interactions that take place there.  They study the patterns and connections between the people and the land they live on.

 The most common tool that geographers use is a map. Different types of maps display different types of information.  They also use photographs, construct scale models, and use digital imaging to create models of the earth.

 Another tool that is used are the five themes of geography: location, place, region, movement, and human- environment interaction.  These organize information and help describe the use of space on earth.

 Location answers the question: “where is it?”  There are two ways to answer that: absolute location and relative location.  Absolute location is the exact place on earth where a geographical feature is found.  Relative location describes a place in comparison to other places around it.

 Absolute location is determined by a grid of imaginary lines called latitude and longitude.  The equator is the latitude line that divides the earth into the northern and southern hemispheres.  The prime meridian is the longitude line that divides the earth into eastern and western hemispheres.

 Latitude lines are labeled from 0 to 90 degrees north and south, starting at the equator and ending at each pole.  Each line of latitude is parallel to the others, so they are also called parallels.

 Longitude lines are labeled from 0 to 180 degrees, and they start at the prime meridian. The prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England, so it is sometimes called the Greenwich meridian.  Longitude marks how far east or west the location is from the prime meridian

 Latitude and longitude create a grid system on the earth, and absolute location is determined by the latitude and longitude of the location.  Relative location describes how a location relates to the locations around it. It can describe the characteristics of the location as well.

 Place refers to the physical and cultural features of a location. Physical features refer to things like climate, landforms, and vegetation.  People have an influence on locations, through buildings, highways, dams, and ports.

 Regions are areas that have similar characteristics. Usually they have more than just one similarity.  Regions have three categories: formal, functional, and perceptual.

 A formal region is defined by a limited number of related features. Generally the areas in a region are next to each other on a map.  Functional regions are connected by a set of interactions. Cities and suburbs are a functional region.  Perceptual regions deal with how people view the region. Different people have different opinions about the connection.

 Geographers study how people, goods, and ideas move from place to place. There are three types of distances to cross: linear, time, and psychological.  Linear refers to how far something must travel. It is affected by physical features on the earth.

 Time distance refers to how long it takes to move something. The faster something can travel, the farther it can spread.  Psychological distance deals with people’s ideas about distance. Your perception of distance can affect the choices you make.

 How people use the land and resources is an important idea for geographers. Resources can affect population growth and movement.  People can alter the surface of the earth to meet their needs, and they can cause problems when they alter the surface.

 Describe where you live using the 5 themes of geography, relative to the school.