1 Geography Tonja L. Root Early Childhood and Reading Education Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA 31698

2 Geography Standards Five themes 1. location 2. place 3. relationships within places (human-environmental interaction) 4. relationships between places (movement) 5. regions

3 Parts of the Study of Geography 1. subject matter: essential knowledge 2. skills: asking geographic questions, acquiring, organizing & analyzing geographic information, & answering geographic questions 3. perspectives: spatial & ecological

4 Geographic Skills Asking geographic questions: Where? Why there? Acquiring geographic information: from a variety of sources & in a variety of ways Organizing geographic information: to assist with analysis & interpretation of data

5 Geographic Skills (cont.) Analyzing geographic information: look for patterns, relationships & connections Answering geographic questions: develop generalizations & conclusions based on geographic knowledge

6 Six Essential Elements World in spatial terms: relationship between people, places & environments through mapping Places and regions: how lives are grounded in places & human constructs called regions Physical systems: physical processes shape surface & interact with plants & animals to create, sustain & modify ecosystems

7 Six Essential Elements Human systems: population & human activities from culture to economices, to settlement, to conflict & cooperation Environment & society: intersection of physical & human systems Uses of geography: to understand past, interpret present & plan for future

8 World in Spatial Terms Books charted on a world bulletin board Written descriptions of continents posted Illustrations of books displayed Mental maps drawn

9 Places and Regions Region: area of Earth’s surface with unifying geographic characteristics which affect humans Expository writing frame: The ___ Native Americans lived in ___. Their homes were ___ made of ___. They ate ___. They ___ and ___. Organizes information, shows elements of reports, serves to compare & contrast

10 Physical Systems: Climate & Weather Physical process categories atmosphere (climate & meteorology) lithosphere (plate tectonics, erosion & soil formation) hydrosphere (circulation of oceans & hydrologic cycle) biosphere (plant & animal communities & ecosystems)

11 Environment & Society: Protecting Earth How human actions modify the physical environment Causes & implication of different kinds of polution, resource depletion & land degradation Unit parts: endangered species, endangered environment & pollution

12 Uses of Geography: Reflective decision-making Steps to social action: 1. Identify & define problem 2. Identify value assumptions 3. Identify alternatives 4. Predict consequences 5. Reach decisions & justify decisions 6. Realize tentativeness of decision 7. Act on decision

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