Geographic skills you need to study Geography! Methods of Geographic Inquiry Geographic skills you need to study Geography!

Geography’s Basic Tools Let us begin with:

A Map is a simplified representation of the real earth A Map is a simplified representation of the real earth. It is a scaled down version of the real world. This scaled down version is in proportion to the real world. A map is usually on a 2D surface (flat) trying to represent a 3D image..

Map Projections Definition: When the features of a globe are transferred (projected) onto flat surfaces. Since the globe is in 3D and a flat surface is in 2D. All maps are created by projecting the 3D globe onto a 2D surface. Therefore all 2D maps have some “Distortion”.

1. Lambert Azimuthal - tries to preserve AREA There are many types of “Map projections” that try to deal with distortion. A 2D map can never eliminate ALL of the distortion. So each map projection tries to preserve some of the following: 1. Lambert Azimuthal - tries to preserve AREA 2. Mercator projection - tries to preserve DIRECTION 3. Robinson - tries to preserve SHAPE 4. Sinusoidal - tries to preserve DISTANCE

Canada – Lambert Conformal Conic (Area) Thank you Introduce self Intro ESRI Canada - Subsidiary of ESRI International ESRI is a software company specializing in Geographic Information System software In addition to duties as ESRI’s Schools and Libraries program manager, I am also a part time instructor at Sir Sandford Fleming college in Lindsay, Ontario where I teach computer programming I was pleased to be invited to give this address to you today, and I do so as much a fellow educator as a facilitator of technology in the school system. I’m thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm for introducing technology into all levels of education that today's session demonstrates

Mercator Projection (Direction) Thank you Introduce self Intro ESRI Canada - Subsidiary of ESRI International ESRI is a software company specializing in Geographic Information System software In addition to duties as ESRI’s Schools and Libraries program manager, I am also a part time instructor at Sir Sandford Fleming college in Lindsay, Ontario where I teach computer programming I was pleased to be invited to give this address to you today, and I do so as much a fellow educator as a facilitator of technology in the school system. I’m thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm for introducing technology into all levels of education that today's session demonstrates

Robinson Projection (Shape)

Sinusoidal Projection (Distance)

Goode’s Projection (Unusual - Area)

Basic requirements of a Map Title – must make sense and stand out Legend – if required, describes units Border – Map and/or Frame border Scale – usually Linear Direction – North Arrow Overall neatness Balance!! Very little white space.

Points on a Compass A compass is a way of finding direction The four cardinal points are N, E, S, W The twelve ordinal points are NE, SE, SW, NW, NNE, ENE, ESE, SSE, SSW, WSW, WNW, NNW The points all have corresponding degrees of a circle (0° → 360°)

Scale Three ways to show scale: Linear Scale – 2. Ratio or Representative Fraction – 1:10 000 000 Statement – One Cm on the map is equal to 100 Km in real life Note : Be able to convert back and forth

A map with a scale of 1:17 500 000 shows the entire earth as if high up in space. Since things appear small on this map this type of scale is called a ‘small-scale’. As you approach the earth and get closer and see more things in detail (things get larger), this type of scale is called a ‘large scale’. An example would be something like 1:500. Remember 1:1 is real life size!

Large Scale Small Scale

Scale Area Detail Example Large Scale Maps Small A lot (streets, schools, railways, …) Topographic maps, road maps, city bus maps Small Scale Maps Large A little (borders, lakes, large rivers, …) Globes, world maps, atlases

Scale – Mapping Our Location Building Footprint You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Neighbourhood You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Zoom out - Community You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Township - County You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Southern Ontario You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Ontario You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location Canada You are here!

Scale – Mapping Our Location You are here! World

Latitude and Longitude Grid work of lines extending north-south and east-west. Latitude is measured north and south of the equator Longitude is measured east and west from the prime meridian. This is different from the way you measure your usual x and y co-ordinates in math.

Latitude and Longitude

Lines on the Earth – Time Zones Canada has 6 Time Zones

Reading Maps – Locating Places on a Map We can use grid systems to locate places on a map. The 3 grid systems used today are: 1. Latitude and Longitude 2. Military Grid 3. Alphanumeric Grid

Military Grid A grid of blue lines on a map (eastings and northings) is used to identify squares in a grid pattern. This grid system is used mainly on topographic maps.

Why was the military grid system introduced? It was easier to place a grid system on a map then to use degrees, minutes and seconds from a globe. With the increasing range in artillery in WWI, latitude and longitude was too cumbersome.

Reading a Military Grid Easting: vertical line running from top to bottom on a topographic map Northing: horizontal line across the topographic map.

Reading a Military Grid By combining the digits from the easting and from the northing we are able to identify a square on the map.

567 – Find the vertical 56 line and then go to the right 7. An Example: 567893 567 – Find the vertical 56 line and then go to the right 7. 893 – Find the horizontal 89 line and then go up 3. 90 567893 89 88 87 56 57 58 59 60

Alphanumeric Grid This system uses LETTERS and NUMBERS to identify squares in a grid pattern. This grid system is used mainly on Road Maps.

Reading an Alphanumeric Grid The LETTERS represent the horizontal lines. The NUMBERS represent the lines running from the top to the bottom of the map. The Alphanumeric grid system is not as accurate as the Military grid system or Latitude and Longitude.

A B C D 1 2 3 4

Map Types We need different types of maps to portray different information The three most common types are: 1. General Purpose Maps 2. Thematic Maps 3. Topographic Maps 4. Digital Maps

General Purpose Maps

Thematic Maps

Topographic Maps - Contours

Alpha-Numeric – Street Maps An example of a General Purpose Map

Digital Maps – from Google Maps What are some of the advantages of these type of new maps?

Other Geographic Tools: G.P.S. – Chapter 3 G.I.S. – Chapter 5 Aerial Photos – Chapter 6 Remote Sensing – Satellite Imagery – Chapter 7 Graphs – Circle (Pie), Bar, Line – Chapter 8

G.P.S.

G.I.S.

Aerial Photos

Remote Sensing Perth, Australia

Graphs

The End!