geography sept 14. bell-ringer: how would you describe where you live?
TRANSCRIPT
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!