1. Geography – the study of the earth’s features and how human behavior interacts with them

2. DO NOW: Oregon Regions
Your individual task: 1. Draw an outline of Oregon 2. Draw/Identify the regions on the state 3. Label each 4. Write a sentence explaining WHY you labeled the area as you did

3. Turn-and-Talk with your Partners
Find your partner
Share out your regions map and see you if thought similar or different!
If there are differences try to discuss/figure out the reason for each of your labeling (past experience? Education? Family? Etc.)

4. Oregon Regions

5. Often, the earth is divided into REGIONS - areas distinguished from one another

6. But, how are regions formed
But, how are regions formed? Are there always clear cut boundaries from one region to the next?

7. No two places in the world are exactly the same
No two places in the world are exactly the same! Shared characteristics among places provide a means for geographers to group places together for a more manageable unit of study, regions!

8. Geographic Regions
Represent great clusters of humankind or physical characteristics
Change over time
May differ based on point of view
Vary in size
Separated from other regions by transition zones
Edge of a region
An area of spatial change
An area of mixed characteristics

9. Regions are based on SPATIAL CRITERIA
What Defines a Region?
Regions are based on SPATIAL CRITERIA
Location, location location
Common characteristics
Physical (Natural)
Climate, landforms, vegetation, rivers…
Human (Cultural)
Language, political, religion, ethnicity, disease…

10. (we will go over each individually on the following slides)
Types of Regions
Formal
Functional
Perceptual
(we will go over each individually on the following slides)

11. How many regions are you in?
You are standing in Salem, in the State of Oregon, in the United States of America, on the continent of North America…
How many regions are you in?

12. They are all formal regions! You are standing in 5 regions at once!

13. CAN BE POLITICAL ENTITIES CLIMATE REGONS OR LANDFORM REGIONS
On the test – you will need to not only give an example of a formal region but also identify the characteristic(s) that make it a region
Formal Regions
Has at least 1+ uniform characteristics
(often is defined by government or other structure)
Think measurable data, that distinguish it from the surrounding area
Traits can range from characteristics about the local population as language, income, or religion to such physical characteristics as elevation (valleys) or climate
CAN BE POLITICAL ENTITIES CLIMATE REGONS OR LANDFORM REGIONS
Remember, formal can be physical:
ie. The Great Lakes Region
The Bible Belt IF mapping Baptist churches

14. Examples of Formal Regions
States: Oregon, Texas, Hawaii etc.
Countries: The United States, Mexico, etc.
Cities: Dallas, Portland, Los Angeles etc.
The area of town where the wealthiest people live
The Sahara Desert of Africa (physical characteristic)
U.S. city where more than 50% of the population speak Spanish as a first language
KEY: All Formal Regions are based on MEASURABLE data!

15. Functional Regions (Nodal Regions)
Defined by the connections and interactions that occur between a node and surrounding areas
(transportation and communication)
Have a node w/ activity space going to and from – a central place and surrounded places are affected by it.
*Often, this is a metropolitan area of a larger city with lots of smaller cities around it (think Portland-Metro)
* With globalization many functional regions continue to increase in size, get bigger

16. Examples of Functional Regions
The Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area – share a common airport located between the two cities
KEY: All Functional Regions involve the influence of a CENTRAL NODE on it’s surrounding area.

17. Perceptual Regions Arguable, b/c they are based on perspective
These are the maps we carry in our heads and how we see the world!
(many times stereotypes or assumptions)

18. What do you think when I say….
Southern California? The South? New York? The Middle East?

19. Hmm…

20. What is the perception of this map?

21. R E V I W

22. Guess the Regions! State of Oregon Amazon River Dixie
Country of Brazil
I5 Corridor
Chinatown
Beaver Country

23. Guess the Regions! State of Oregon Formal Amazon River Functional
Dixie Perceptual
Country of Brazil Formal
I5 Corridor Functional
Chinatown Perceptual
Beaver Country Perceptual