Map Skills And

Geography

1. Location- Answers the question, “Where is

it?”2. Regions-Areas that share at least one

common feature 3. Movement-Answers the question, “How

do people, goods, & ideas move from place to place?” 4. Place-Identifies the natural & human

features that make one place different from every other place.5. Interaction-Relationship between

people & environment.

I. 5 Themes of Geography

II. How do you read a map? Latitude and Longitude

a. Ptolemy’s Map:Wanted to give a picture of known world (Map)

Came up with N, S, W, E, directions. Grid: network of intersecting lines to locate

places.Latitude: horizontal, means wide, also called Parallels because run in the same direction as

the Equator.b. Measuring Distances:Parallels measures distance in degrees from either side of the equator toward the poles. Equator is 0

Latitude. 90 between North Pole and 90 South Pole. Think of having a parallel for every degree (do

not draw every parallel).

Longitude: vertical lines on map that runs between North and South Poles (long), also called Meridians. 360 Meridians – or one for each degree in a circle.#’S from the Prime Meridian- imaginary line that splits earth into East and West. Prime Meridian marked at 0. ½ way around the world 180 Meridian. International Date Line- point at which day begins

c. Using a Map Grid:Knowing Longitude and Latitude and you

can find any place on Earth.Longitude- measure East and WestLatitude- measure North and South

Lines of Latitude will NEVER touch.

Latitude

Longitude lines meet at the poles.

Longitude

Putting it all together!!!

III. Drawing a round Earth on a Flat Map: Map Projections 1492, Martin Behaim (Bay hym) of GM made a globe

nicknamed “Behaim’s earth apple”Can not get globes in a book so need flat maps <old problem for mapmakers>Projections- way to show a drawing of the Earth on a flat surface

a.Early Mapmaking- one of the most famous map projectors was Mercator (Exploration was high interest). Use Math and Geography. Showed N. and S. America, showed how N. A. was separate from Asia; two continents.

b. A New Projection- drew Longitude and Latitude in straight lines meeting at right angles. Determined N, S, W, and E: useful for figuring the course of a ship at sea. But there was some Distortion- error

Showed Longitude in straight lines -lands on either side must be stretched (Greenland example)

c. A projection that shows true sizes of land areas Equal area projections- shows the land and water sizes accurately but

the shapes of the land are distorted. Lines of Longitude are curved to show the curve of the Earth’s surface.

Mercator

Equal Area Projection

Robinson

IV. Using an Atlas and different types of Maps

Physical and Political Maps and others

a. Political Maps- Nations\ Countries that have separate government Give the locations of capitals and important cities. Political maps of individual countries show political divisions w\in countriesb. Physical Map- Natural features of the land, often

labeled. Can be combined to make one.

c. Weather Maps- why use a map? They are the clearest and quickest way to present facts about the weather over a country or region.

Climate- normal or usual pattern of weather for a place over a period of time. Some show tempts. dryness/dampness Humidity or Precipitation.

d. Population Density- largest # of people live in the world. Av. # of people who live on a square mile of land.

Political Maps

Physical Maps

Weather Maps

Population Density

V. Geography of Europea. Land of Europe

-Europe and Russia are part of Eurasia, the world’s largest land mass.

The land mass is made up of two continents. The country of Russia stretches over both continents (1/4 of Russia is in Europe). The Ural Mountains are the diving line between Europe and Asia.

-Europe is a small continent. Only Australia is smaller. 48 Countries are located on the continent. Most of them are small and many are the size of an average us state. Russia is the largest country in the world (2x the size of Canada or the US).-The Continent of Europe forms a Peninsula (a body of land nearly surrounded by water). The European peninsula sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean. However, Europe has many smaller peninsula w/ bays. These bays include many harbors, sheltered bodies of water, where ships can dock. These good harbors have enabled W. European countries to become world leaders in shipping.

Map of Europe

b. Climate of Europe

2. Mountains-Mountains also affects the amount of rainfall in

an area. In Europe, areas west of the mountains receive heavy rainfall (GB, France, GM, and Norway). Areas east of the mountains have a much lighter rainfall. Why? As winds rise up the mountain, they cool and drop their moisture. The air is dry by the time it reaches the other side of the mountains

1. Oceans-Areas that are near an ocean or a sea have mild weather

year round. Areas that are far from those areas have extreme weather.

-Winds blowing across the Ocean picks up a great deal of moisture. When these winds blow over land, they drop moisture in the form of rain. Winds blowing from the west across the Atlantic bring a wet climate too much of W. Europe

c. Natural ResourcesEurope is a wealthy region and a world leader in

economic development. Part of that wealth comes from Europe’s rich supply of natural

resources.1. Fertile Soil -Needed to grow food-Combined w/ plentiful rain and long growing season

enables European farmers to produce abundant crops.

2. Water-Drink-Nourishes crops3. Fuels-Coal, oil, and natural gas.-GB—oil, Nat. Gas, and coal, GM----Coal-Fossil Fuels come from remains of ancient plants

and animal.

VI. Geography of Asia & Africaa. Land of AsiaAsia is the biggest continent in the world.

China and India have over a billion people. Japan is an archipelago, chain of many islands. Japan was formed by volcanoes and earthquakes are common to the region.

b. Climate of AsiaAsia's climate is similar to North America's a same

latitudes. Asia's climate is also varied greatly because Asia is a huge continent.

The northernmost part of Asia has short summers and long, cold winters. North Russia has very extreme temperature variation, winters can drop below -20 Celsius and summers are often above 34 Celsius.

Map of Asia

The next climatic region includes most of Russia, Poland, North China and all of Japan. This region experiences humid and warm summers that are short and winters that are moderately cold.

The tropical region of Asia is very warm and humid with little or no winter. This region gets a lot of rain from monsoons. Monsoons are clouds that form during the warmer, more humid months and then rain when it becomes cooler. This region has an excellent climate for growing crops, but the people there rely greatly on the monsoons.

c. Natural Resources of AsiaOil is the natural resource that is abundant

in the Middle East.

d. Land of AfricaAfrica is the second biggest continent in the world. Overall it

is a poor area that suffers from many hardships of the word (hunger, disease, etc)

Deserts are north and south of Africa. The Sahara, the world largest, is in the north. Because of the deserts,

there is little farming. e. Climate of Africa

Africa is a very hot and moist continent as the equator passes right through it. It has tropical rain forests on either side of the equator.

Surrounding the tropical rain forests is the savanna, areas of grasslands w/ scattered trees & bushes. Much of Africa is Savanna (lions, zebras, and elephants live there). Cattle is herded on the savanna but they can’t survive in the Rain forests because of disease.

f. Natural Resources of AfricaGold SilverDiamonds Rubber

Map of Africa

VII.Timeline and Early Mana. Historical timelinePrehistory Ancient History Middle Ages Modern Era

3000BC 500 1500 Today

History begins with writing. Writing begins around 3000BC.

Writing is important because now events can be recorded. What are the problems with ancient civilization writings?

-Is it accurate (proper with all tine period writings)

-Dates and time period -Proper translation or interpretation

b. Early ManTime Line of the Stone Age (made tools and

weapons out of stone) or Prehistory.Paleolithic Mesolithic Neolithic

8000BC 6000BC 3000BC

c. Pre history is broken into three parts 1. Paleolithic- Old Stone Age-Crudely made stone (chipped away arrowheads)-Nomadic- moved with the herds-Fire was discovered and mastered+ light, heat, defense, scare animals

2. Mesolithic- Middle stone age - Moved into

agriculture - Breed animals

- Better tools & weapons3. Neolithic- New stone age

Wheel was inventedAnimals was domesticatedPlows/ Farming emergedStopped being nomadicGrowth of communitiesPottery to store food/cropsPolished stone