geography · 2020. 5. 5. · on the right side of the map instead of being connected together. the...

GEOGRAPHY ★ © Jill S. Russ ★ page !7

What is geography? Geography is the study of the Earth and its physical features. Geography looks at the water, air, animals, and land of the planet.

Geographers are scientists who study the Earth’s physical features. Geographers study where things are and how things got there. Geographers also study how people use the Earth’s resources. Geographers try to answer the question “What’s out there?” Exploration and the discovery of new places is an important part of geography.

Earth’s Land & Water Geographers start by dividing the Earth’s land and water into its largest parts.

The Oceans The largest areas of water on Earth are called oceans. About three-fourths of the Earth is covered with water. If you look at a map or a globe, you can see that these five "oceans" are connected. The water is actually one huge body of water, called the global ocean. Although all of the ocean water on Earth is connected together, geographers have given different names to the sections of water separated by land. Long ago, people only knew about the ocean next to where they lived. People in different places named the part of the ocean near where they lived. Today, we say there are five oceans. The five oceans from smallest to largest are: the Arctic, Southern, Indian, Atlantic and Pacific.

GEOGRAPHY Learning about Places on Earth


The Continents The Earth’s land is divided into seven large areas called continents. A continent is a large area of land separated from other areas by water, mountains, or other natural features.

Asia is the largest continent. It covers one-third of the Earth’s surface. Asia also has the largest population. Over half of the people on Earth live in Asia! The ten highest mountain peaks in the world are in Asia. Europe is separated from Asia by a mountain range. Europe is a crowded continent. It is the world’s second-smallest continent, but it has the second-largest population.

Africa is the second-largest continent. The equator passes through the middle of the continent, so it has hot weather throughout the year. Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. Antarctica is considered a frozen desert. It gets only 8 inches of rain a year. Since it is very cold, no one lives there year round. North America is the only continent that has every kind of climate.

South America is home to the world’s biggest rainforest and the world’s biggest river. Australia is the largest island. It is also the smallest continent. Because Australia is entirely south of the equator, it is called “the land down under.” Two-thirds of Australia is desert.


Models of the Earth Geographers use different models of the Earth to show the features of our planet’s surface.

Globes The Earth is so large that we cannot see all of it at once. A model of the earth helps us to see what the whole Earth looks like. A globe is a model of the Earth. A globe is shaped like a sphere, or a ball, just like planet Earth. The areas at the top and bottom of the globe are called the poles. The North Pole is at the top, and the South Pole is at the bottom. The poles are the coldest places on Earth.

Because it is round, you can only see half of the Earth at time on a globe. The part of the globe that you can see is called a hemisphere, which means half of a sphere.

We can divide the Earth into a top half and a bottom half along the equator. The top half of the globe is called the Northern Hemisphere and bottom half is called the Southern Hemisphere.

We can also divide the Earth into two different equal parts if we split it into the eastern side and the western side. These two halves are called the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. The line that divides the Earth into these two hemispheres is the Prime Meridian.


Maps A map is another way to show the Earth’s land and water. Maps are pictures of the Earth's surface. They show the distance, direction, and size of places. Maps are a way of showing part of the Earth's surface on a flat piece of paper. A globe always has to show the entire Earth. A map can show the entire Earth, or just a small part of it. A map can show just one continent, or one country, or one city. It can even show just a tiny part of one city, like an amusement park. A map that shows just part of the Earth can show that area with more detail.

Problems with Maps and Globes Because a map is not the same shape as the actual Earth, some of the shapes on the map are distorted. Distortion is when an object loses its original shape and size. Imagine cutting the outside of the globe so you can flatten out the sphere into a flat map. Geographers usually cut the globe through the Pacific Ocean because it’s a big area without any land. So part of the Pacific Ocean is on the left side of the map and part is on the right side of the map instead of being connected together. The Pacific Ocean is distorted on a map.

At the bottom of the globe, geographers have to cut through some part of the land. Look at Antarctica on a globe. The continent is shaped almost like a circle. Now look at Antarctica on a map. Antarctica on a map looks long and skinny because it has been cut apart and flattened out. Antarctica is very distorted on a map!


Globes help us understand the shape of our planet. Because globes are the same shape as the Earth, geographers can create very accurate globes without worrying about distortion. But globes have some disadvantages. Because globes represent the entire Earth, it is very hard to show much detail on a globe. Huge continents and oceans have to be made much smaller in order to fit on a sphere that will fit inside your room. That means that only the biggest lakes and rivers will show up on a globe. Smaller objects will be too tiny to see on even the largest globe. On the other hand, maps can zoom in on objects that are too small to see on a globe. Maps can show just a small part of the entire Earth, such as a city or even a park, with more detail.

Another disadvantage of globes is that their size and shape make them difficult to carry around. Flat maps are much more practical for everyday situations because they are much easier to carry around.

Parts of a Map All maps have certain basic parts. Every map has a title that tells what the map is about. Every map will have a compass rose, too. The compass rose shows direction. The compass rose helps you match the direction of the piece of paper to the actual direction on the Earth.

Cardinal directions are the four main parts on a compass: north, south, east, and west. On most maps, the top arrow points to north and the bottom arrow points to south. West is on the left side, and east is on the right side. The points in between the cardinal directions are called intermediate directions. The intermediate directions are northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast.


The objects on a map are shown using colors or symbols. Symbols are pictures on a map that stand for something in the real world. Maps use symbols to show many things in a small space. Symbols make maps easy to read.

The map key shows what symbols on the map mean. The key is usually in a box in the bottom corner of the map. Mountains may be marked with little triangles. A blue line might represent a road or a river. The key shows a small picture of each symbol used on the map along with the meaning of each symbol.

To fit a big place on a map, everything must be drawn smaller than it is in real life, or scaled down. When scaling down a map, every part of the map is scaled by the same amount. The map scale will show how the distance between two locations on a map compares to the distance in real life. Most maps use a scale where one inch equals a certain number of miles in the real world. For instance, on a map of New York City, the scale might be one inch equals five miles. In other words, to get from one place to another that is one inch apart on the map, you would really go five miles! On a world map, one inch might equal 500 miles or more.

Mapmakers use different types of scales. A linear scale uses a straight line. It looks like a number line or a ruler. A word scale just uses words. For example, the scale might say “1 inch = 500 miles.”

Maps usually have a coordinate grid to help you find places quickly. The coordinate grid divides the map into spaces. A grid uses lines to make rows and columns. The rows go from side to side. The columns go from top to bottom. Every place on a map is in just one row and one column. Geographers use pairs of letters and numbers to quickly identify a place.


Types of Maps Geographers use different kinds of maps depending on what they are studying.

Political Maps A political map shows the borders between countries or states. They can show other human features, such as cities, capitals, or roads. This political map shows the countries of North America. Canada is to the north of the United States and Mexico is to the south of the United States. Several much smaller countries are located in the Caribbean, the group of islands near North America.

Physical Maps Maps that show natural features are called physical maps. Physical maps show landforms, such as mountains, valleys, and plains. Physical maps also show bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. Mapmakers use different colors, shading, or symbols to show the different landforms.


Other Kinds of Maps Special purpose maps show just one kind of information. Climate maps, for example, show the temperature or how much rain falls in different parts of the world. Population maps show how many people live in different areas. Elevation maps show the height of the land.


Geography Before you begin reading each section, write True or False in the “Before” column. After you read, write True or False in the “After” column. Then answer the questions.

What is Geography / Earth’s Land and Water Before After

6. Why do different parts of the global ocean have different names?_____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What are the names of the continents on Earth?_____________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What are the oceans of the continents on Earth?_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________ # ________

1. Scientists who study the Earth and its physical features are called geographers.

2. About two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.

3. Geographers divide the water on Earth into five oceans.

4. The land on Earth is divided into seven large areas called continents.

5. Antarctica is the smallest continent on Earth.


Models of the Earth Before After

4. How is a map the same as a globe?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. How is a map different from a globe?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Problems with Maps and Globes Before After

1. The North Pole and the South Pole are the coldest places on Earth.

2. Half of the globe is called a hemisphere.

3. Maps always show the whole surface of the Earth.

1. Distortion is when an object is shown as exactly the same shape on a map as it is on the Earth.

2. Globes are very accurate because they are the same shape as the Earth.

3. Globes are very accurate because they can show details of the smallest places on Earth.

4. For many situations, maps are more practical to use than globes.


5. Why does Antarctica look different on a map than it does on a globe?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Parts of a Map Before After

6. Why do maps need a map key?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. If the map scale says “1 inch = 10 miles,” how far apart in real life are two cities that are 3 inches apart on the map? How do you know?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. The part of the map that shows the directions is called the map key.

2. On most maps, the left side of the map shows what is to the east.

3. The map scale shows how the distance on the map compares to the actual distance on Earth.

4. Geographers use a coordinate grid of letters and numbers to quickly find places on a map.

5. Geographers use a coordinate grid of letters and numbers to quickly find places on a map.


Types of Maps Before After

6. Which type of map would be best to find out which state usually has the highest temperature in June?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Which type of map would be best to find out which state has the most lakes?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Which type of map would be best to find out which mountain in Alaska is the highest?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Which type of map would be best to find the names of five countries in Africa?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Which type of map would be best to find out which states have the most people?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Maps that show the borders between countries or states are called political maps.

2. Maps that show landforms and bodies of water are called physical maps.

3. Maps that show rainfall or temperature are called elevation maps.

4. Maps that show how many people live in an area are called population maps.

5. Geographers always use small pictures called symbols to show different information on a map.


Geography Before you begin reading each section, write True or False in the “Before” column. After you read, write True or False in the “After” column. Then answer the questions.

What is Geography / Earth’s Land and Water Before After

6. Why do different parts of the global ocean have different names?

A long time ago, people only knew about the water near where they lived. People in different places gave different names to the parts of the ocean near where they lived.

7. What are the names of the continents on Earth?

North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia

8. What are the names of the oceans on Earth?

Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean

Name _________________________________ # ________

1. Scientists who study the Earth and its physical features are called geographers.

TRUE

2. About two-thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.

FALSE

3. Geographers divide the water on Earth into five oceans.

TRUE

4. The land on Earth is divided into seven large areas called continents.

TRUE

5. Antarctica is the smallest continent on Earth. FALSE


Models of the Earth Before After

4. How is a map the same as a globe?

Maps and globes both show the location of places on Earth. Both show the features of the Earth’s surface. Maps and globes are both models of the Earth.

5. How is a map different from a globe?

Maps are flat models of the Earth, while globes are 3-dimensional. Globes only show the large features on the Earth, but a map can show smaller details. A globe always shows the whole Earth, but a map can show just part of the Earth.

Problems with Maps and Globes Before After

1. The North Pole and the South Pole are the coldest places on Earth.

TRUE

2. Half of the globe is called a hemisphere. TRUE

3. Maps always show the whole surface of the Earth. FALSE

1. Distortion is when an object is shown as exactly the same shape on a map as it is on the Earth.

FALSE

2. Globes are very accurate because they are the same shape as the Earth.

TRUE

3. Globes are very accurate because they can show details of the smallest places on Earth.

FALSE

4. For many situations, maps are more practical to use than globes.

TRUE

geography · 2020. 5. 5. · on the right side of the map instead of being connected together. the...

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