Geography

Sept 14

Bell-Ringer:

How would you describe where you live?

Turn in Current Events Assignment

5 Themes of GeographyGeographers work to understand the differences and similarities among places on Earth. To under the “where” things happen, they focus on 5 main themes. 1. Location2. Place3. Human-Environment4. Movement5. Region

Theme 1: Location

• Answers the question: Where is it?

• Absolute location vs. Relative Location

Absolute location

Absolute location – the exact position of a mountain, river, lake, city or town on Earth’s surface. Does not change

Only 1 thing can be in this place

Ex. Latitude/longitude coordinates, GPS, address

Relative Location

The position on Earth’s surface in relation to other locations. Can change

Multiple things could possibly be there

Ex. Next to McDonalds, on Main St., corner of Kimball

Additional Relative Location examples

Where your house is located in relation to West High

Where Target in Waterloo is in relation to Walmart in Waterloo

Another Example: Philadelphia

Absolute Location• 39 degree N, 75 degrees W

Relative Location• East of Iowa• Bordered by New York, New

Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio

• By Lake Erie & Delaware River

• In Northern/Western Hemispheres

Practice with Relative Location

Come up with 3 examples of relative location for West High

Come up with 3 examples of relative location for your house

Theme 2: Place

Answers the question: What’s it like there?

A place considers the characteristics that make one place different from all other places on earth.

There are 2 kinds of characteristics: physical & human

Physical Characteristic of Place

Natural environment – derived from geological, hydrological, atmospheric, and biological processes.

Examples: land forms, bodies of water, climate, soil, natural vegetation, animal life

Human Characteristics of Place

Comes from human ideas and actions.

Examples?

Bridges, houses, parks, land use, language patterns, religion, architecture, political systems, population density

Place

How would you describe Waterloo? (ideas – flat, hilly, hot/cold, wet/dry, natural resources?)

What are some of the human characteristics that describe Waterloo? (ideas – land use, industry?)

Theme 3: Human/Environment Interaction

Answers the question: What is the relationship between humans and the environment?

3 key concepts: • Humans depend on the environment• Humans modify the environment• Humans adapt to the environment

Humans depend on the environment

natural environment is made up of living things and non-living things. Humans depend on the natural environment for their basic needs; food, shelter, and clothing

Humans modify the environment:

People modify the natural environment to meet their needs. (build dams, plow and irrigate fields, dig mines, build homes, schools, etc. )

Humans adapt to the environment

Humans have adapted to various natural environments in order to live there!

Venice, Italy – Use boats to travel

What examples of human/environment interaction do you see in Waterloo?

Theme 4: Movement

Humans Interacting on the Earth

Answers the question: How and why are places connected with one another?

Relationship between people in different places are shaped by the constant movement of people, ideas, materials, and physical systems.

What examples of movement of people, goods, or ideas do you see in Waterloo?

Has immigration had an impact in Waterloo? What has happened?

Theme 5: Regions

How regions form and change

What is a region? An area that has unifying characteristics.

Answers 3 Questions: How and why one area is similar to another? How do the areas differ?

Regions can be distinguished by physical or human characteristics.

Physical – land forms, climate, soil, vegetation Ex. Peaks/valleys of Rocky Mountains form a physical region

• Human characteristics of region – economic, social, political, cultural characteristics.

• Regions can also be a mix of physical and human – Midwest

Bell Ringer

I’m BAAAAAACK!

No Bell – Ringer!

The Plan

5 Themes Activity

Due at the end of class on Thursday (tentative)

We will meet in IMC the rest of the week!