Welcome to the Magical World of Geography!

Let’s Get Ready to Explore What Geography is All About!

Quiz Tomorrow…be ready!

Crazy World Facts Map

Click a button for information on a region!

What is Geography? Geography is the study of the earth, especially the

distribution of human and physical characteristics, and how they interact with each other!

Geography looks at “where” things are, and “why there.” One way we might study the earth using geography is by

using the five geographic themes! Another way we might study the earth is by examining

geographic patterns and then trying to determine what processes created the patterns.

Click the button at the top left to learn more about the five geographic themes.

Click the button at the top right to learn more about patterns and processes.

Click in the middle of the slide to begin!

Why is Geography Important? People like Homer Simpson don’t think

geography is important…click Homer’s head to see what he thinks is important in life!

For the rest of us, geography is important for several reasons…we might need it to:

…know where we are going, how to get there, or what it’s like there

…know why things are where they are …make predictions about where things will

be in the future …solve problems!

Who Uses Geography? Doctors (called epidemiologists) use geography to figure out where diseases

start, and how and where they spread; that way, they can stop them! Which one of the five themes of geography are epidemiologists mostly using?

Real estate agents use geography to figure out the best neighborhoods to work in to sell houses for the most money!

Home owners and home buyers use geography to find the best neighborhoods for schools, stores, and other cool things!

Travel agents use geography to help customers find the best places and times to travel on vacation!

Delivery people use geography to figure out the fastest, easiest, cheapest way to move goods.

Politicians use geography to figure out where to go and what to say there so they can get the most votes!

Musicians use geography to figure out where to go on tour so they can sell the most “merch” to the most fans!

Fast food restaurant owners use geography to make sure the location they pick for their restaurant has a good location (easy access) and enough customers nearby who can afford to shop there (threshold population)!

How might you use geography?

Let’s Head to the World Wide Web for Some “PHUN” Geography

Practice!Click the buttons at the bottom left to go to the internet for some geography fun…when you are done, come back to this page and click the button on the bottom right to continue to your

final quiz! No, Click

Me!

Click Me!

Now, your last test…find Chicago on the USA Map!

Where could it be… Click around on some buttons on the map to find out if you’re not sure!

You’re almost done!

North America

Population = ~525,000,000

Land Area = 24,482,000 square kilometers

Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 21

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

South America

Population = ~400,000,000

Land Area = 17,846,000 square kilometers

Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 22

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

Europe

Population = 710,000,000

Land Area = 10,395,000 square kilometers

Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 21

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

Africa

Population = ~875,000,000 Land Area = 30,369,000 square kilometers Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 29

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

Asia

Population = ~4,000,000,000 Land Area = 44,311,000 square kilometers Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 90

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

Oceania

Population = ~32,000,000 Land Area = 8,509,000 square kilometers Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = 4

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

Antarctica

Population = zero permanently (~1000-4000 temporarily)

Land Area = 14,000,000 square kilometers

Population Density (people per sq. kilometer) = ? ...calculate it!

Back to Crazy WorldFacts Map

The Five Geographic Themes Location--where is it? We can describe something in

terms of its absolute and/or relative location. Place--what’s it like there? We can describe an area in

terms of its human and/or its physical characteristics. Human-Environment Interaction--how do people

interact with their environment there? We can describe how people in an area adapt to and/or modify their environment.

Movement--what people, goods, or ideas are moving there? We can describe an area in terms of its migration, trade, and/or communication patterns.

Regions--how can we divide the earth into smaller areas that share common characteristics? We can describe an area in terms of its formal, functional, and/or perceptual regions.

Back to Previous

Slide

Patterns and Processes Geographic patterns

are “what” you are looking at on a map (the topic). Maps show a topic and they show “where” it is…this is the pattern!

Processes are the “how” and “why” the geographic pattern on the map got to be that way! BackSource: Journal of Geography

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