basic geography by s. beaupre, c. cawley and j. swift

Basic Geography

by

S. Beaupre, C. Cawley and J. Swift

Question:

What in the world is Geography?Answer:

Geography is the science that explains why you – yes you sitting in this class – are where you are. It asks and answers some of humankind’s most basic questions:

Where am I?

What’s over there?

How did it get there?What is it

like?Why is it there?

Geography is the big mixing bowl of the sciences: it brings together all sorts of other specialties. If you combine a little history, geology, meteorology, biology, economics, astronomy, and almost every other “ology,” “onomy,” or “omics” you can think of, you’ll begin to see what geographers do.

They study how we shape – and are shaped by – the shape of the world.

Geography Sept.

Geography is the science that explains why you are where you are.

It asks the questions:

Where am I?

What’s over there?

How did it get there?

What is it like?

Why is it there?

Question:

How many oceans are there?a. one

b. fifty-three

c. four

d. seven

Answer:If you said “one” you’re correct!

But if you said “four” you’re also correct.

If you look at a globe, you’ll see that all the world’s oceans are connected – they’re part of same huge body of water.

But to make our lives easier, four large sections have been given four different names.

What are they?

Answer:* Arctic Ocean

* Atlantic Ocean

* Indian Ocean

* Pacific Ocean

Question:

Who am I?

1. I’m the largest of the oceans – in fact, I cover more area than all Earth’s land put together! I’m also the deepest ocean. I have lots of small islands, many of them volcanic.

Question:

Who am I?

2. I’m the world’s second-largest ocean. Much of the world’s shipping happens on me because I sit between Europe and Africa on one side and the Americas on the other. Most of the world’s fish are caught in my waters. I’m less salty because many big rivers empty into me.

Question:

Who am I?

3. I’m the third-largest ocean. Nearly all of me lies south of the equator. Many island nations are found among my waters.

Question:

Who am I?

4. I’m the smallest and shallowest ocean. I’m at the top of the world, and most of me is frozen all year round.Answer:

1.Pacific Ocean

2.Atlantic Ocean

3.Indian Ocean

4.Arctic Ocean

Question:

Who owns the oceans?

Answer:Countries that touch the ocean have total control of the waters for 19 km off their own shores.

They have economic control (such as fishing and oil exploration rights) out to 322 km.

Past that, it’s no man’s land.

Why does it matter who owns the oceans? Because there are oil deposits and lot’s of valuable minerals under them, and everyone wants to know whose they are.

Geography Sept.

There are 4 oceans:

Pacific - largest

- deepest

- many small volcanic islands

Atlantic – second largest

- least salty

- most fishing

- most shipping lanes

Indian - third largest

- south of the equator

- many islands

Arctic – smallest

- shallowest

- mostly frozen

Question:

What is a Continent?Answer:

A continent is simply one of the main landmasses (areas of

land) on the planet.

Question:

How many continents are there?

Answer:

There are seven continents.

What are they?

Basic Geo handout 1

Pencil crayons

http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/geol/globe.htm

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Geography Sept.

Continents are the main land masses of our planet.

There are 7 continents:

•Africa

• North America

• South America

• Antarctica

• Asia

• Australia

• Europe

Continents:* Africa

* North America

* South America

* Antarctica

* Asia

* Australia

* Europe

Geography Sept.

Continents are the main land masses of our planet.

There are 7 continents:

•Africa

• North America

• South America

• Antarctica

• Asia

• Australia

• Europe

Continent verses Country

South American Countries:Argentina BoliviaBrazilChileColombiaEcuadorFrench GuianaGuyanaParaguayPeruSurinameUruguayVenezuela

How many countries can you name?

• Need some help? Watch this…..

• Perhaps some friendly competition to encourage you? Watch this….

• Guess what today’s homework is…..

Just kidding…..had you worried there, didn’t I?

http:/ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ9alkKF3NE

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=r43yCiKlbCo

Earth’s Hemispheres

Imaginary Halves

• The earth is broken into halves vertically and horizontally. The imaginary lines are used by people to divide the earth into different sections, called hemispheres. Hemi- means "half" and sphere means "globe."

• Just like with compass directions, these sections help to describe where you are on the earth.

Basic Geo Handout 2

Geography Date.

Hemispheres

The Earth is divided into imaginary halves.

Hemi = half sphere = globe

E

Northern

Southern

Western Eastern

Hemispheres in Math

• Think of a Cartesian Plane in Math but, instead of using negative and positive numbers, we use degrees and the 4 cardinal points

Latitude and Longitude

Where we are in the world.

Latitude

• Latitude lines are imaginary lines on the earth's surface. They run east and west around the globe and tell you your distance north or south of the Equator.

• Latitude lines run east and west, but they tell how far up (north) you can go or how far down (south) you can go.

• Latitude lines are parallels, which means they are always the same distance apart and never meet.

Think of latitude like the rungs of a ladder (ladder sounds a lot like latitude).

The First Latitude Line

• The first latitude line was the Equator (equally distant between the north and south poles). It is the longest of all latitude lines because it is at the widest part of the globe. (40,075.16 kilometers long)

• All other latitude lines are measured in degrees north or south of the Equator. There are a maximum of 90 degrees of latitude to the north or the south of the Equator.

Longitude

• Longitude lines are imaginary lines on the earth's surface that run from pole to pole around the globe and tell you your distance east or west from the Prime Meridian.

• Longitude lines run north and south, but

they tell how far east you can go or how far west you can go.

• Longitude lines are widest at the equator (111 km apart) and get closer together as they move toward the poles where they meet (nil km).

When you think of longitude, think of long, tall telephone poles (because longitude lines run from pole to pole).

Prime Meridian

• The first longitude line was the Prime Meridian. Any meridian could have been chosen as the Prime Meridian because they are all exactly the same.

• All other longitude lines are measured in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.

• There are a maximum of 180 degrees on longitude to the east or the west of the Prime Meridian.

The Prime Meridian was selected by international agreement at the International Meridian Conference called by President Chester Arthur in October of 1884. Representatives from 25 nations met in Washington, D.C.

• The Prime Meridian, runs through Greenwich, England.

• While there aren't any actual lines painted on the earth, the town of Greenwich has a special feature.

• Someone painted a line at the location of the Prime Meridian. See! These kids are standing in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres at the same time!

Geography Date.

Hemispheres

The Earth is divided into imaginary halves.

Hemi = half sphere = globe

E

Northern

Latitude lines

Southern

Western Eastern

Longitude lines

(Draw a ladder and some poles on your images or some latitude/longitude lines)

Equator 0º

Gre

en

wic

h,

En

gla

nd

0

º

Prime Meridian

Measuring Latitude and Longitude

Why do we use degrees?

• Think about Math for a moment. What geometric shape is our planet?

• In the field of mathematics, circles are measured in degrees.

• There are 360 degrees in a circle. Since the earth is basically circular, it was decided to measure latitude and longitude in degrees also.

• At the Equator, there are approximately 111 km between two longitude (meridian) lines.

• For more accuracy in location, degrees can be divided into smaller parts.

• One degree can be

divided into 60 minutes (') and one minute can be divided into 60 seconds (").

• We won’t use (') (") for this course, only degrees.

Important Latitude Lines

• Three of the most significant imaginary lines running across the surface of the earth are the Equator, the Tropic of Cancer, and the Tropic of Capricorn.

• Tropic of Cancer is located at 23.5° North of the equator.

• The Tropic of Capricorn lies at 23.5° South of the equator.

(6 minutes)

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=taHTA7S_JGk

Geography Date

Latitude/Longitude Cont...

3 Important Latitudes:

Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Capricorn

Equator Oº

23.5º

23.5º

Quick Write

Look at this image:

• Can you explain why the warmest temperatures of our planet are found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?

Geography Date

Latitude/Longitude Cont...

3 Important Latitudes:Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Capricorn

Equator Oº

23.5º

23.5º

The tropics is where the most direct sunlight reaches our planet. The seasons are warmer.

• Most deserts lie near the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.

• The area between these two lines is called the Torrid Zone.

• “Torrid” = very hot

Writing Latitude/Longitude

• Latitude is usually the first degree given along with N or S to indicate the hemisphere.

• Longitude is usually the second degree given along with W or E

• Montreal is found at latitude: 45° 30' N (North of Equator) and longitude: 73° 35' W (West of Greenwich, England)

• It reads as: “Montreal is forty-five degrees thirty minutes north and seventy-three degrees thirty-five minutes west.”

• For this course you would write: 45° N, 73° W

Geography Date

Writing Lat & Long

Latitude is written first, then longitude.

Example: Montreal is 45° N, 73° W

Using Latitude and Longitude

Intersections

• Using latitude and longitude lines is just like thinking about the intersection of two streets.

• The Promenade Mall is found at the intersection of Highway 116 and Highway 30.

Promenade

Highway 116

Highway 30

To find a latitude line such as 60 degrees north latitude, you must do three things:

1. Go to your starting line, the Equator.

2. Determine which direction you must

go (north or south).

3. Determine the distance in degrees you must go (60). 

Geography Date

Writing Lat & Long

Latitude is written first, then longitude.

Example: Montreal is 45° N, 73° W

Using Lat & Long

To find a latitude point:

1. Start at the equator

2. Determine the direction (N or S)

3. Go to the degree indicated (hold the spot with one finger)

To find a longitude line such as 40 degrees east longitude, you must do three things:

1. Go to your starting line the Prime Meridian.

2. Determine which direction you must go (east or west).

3. Determine the distance in degrees you must go (40). 

Geography Date Writing Lat & Long

Latitude is written first, then longitude.

Example: Montreal is 45° N, 73° W

Using Lat & Long

To find a latitude point:

1. Start at the equator

2. Determine the direction (N or S)

3. Go to the degree indicated (hold the spot with one finger)

To find a longitude point:

1. Start at the prime meridian

2. Determine the direction (W or E)

3. Go to the degree indicated

• The intersection of the two points gives you the exact location of a particular place on the earth’s surface.

• This is called the absolute location.

Geography Date Writing Lat & Long

Latitude is written first, then longitude.

Example: Montreal is 45° N, 73° W

Using Lat & Long

To find a latitude point:

1. Start at the equator

2. Determine the direction (N or S)

3. Go to the degree indicated (hold the spot with one finger)

To find a longitude point:

1. Start at the prime meridian

2. Determine the direction (W or E)

3. Go to the degree indicated

The intersection of the two points is called an absolute location

Let’s Try It!

Basic Geo Handout 3

Which letter is the closest?

Write the answer on your sheet.

1. 20º South, 20º East

2. 20º South, 100º East

3. 20º North, 40º East

4. 60º South, 40º West

5. 10º South, 40º West

6. 0º, 140º West

7. 40º North, 100º West

8. 80º North, 0º

9. 40º North, 60º East

10. 50º North, 120º East

Check your answers.

1. F               2. A               3. H               4. D               5. J

6. C              7. G               8. B               9. E               10. I              

The End

Geography Date