Unit 1: The WorldChapter 1: How Geographers Look at the World

• Why is geography important to our daily lives?• Globes

• Scaled model of the Earth. Very little detail. • Taking it from 3-D to 2-D

• Use mathematical formulas to transfer information from globe to maps

• Works great until you get to poles.

• Great Circle Routes- follows the great circle which is an imaginary line that goes around the Earth. Used by ship captains and pilots to reduce travel time.

• Tokyo to Las Angeles

•Geography Skills Handbook

• There are specific kinds of projections. All projections have distorted information

• Projections all focus on one aspect that is accurate• Planar Projection- also called azimuthal. Most accurate at the

center. Can draw a line from the center to anywhere at it is the shortest distance. Used for mapping the poles.

• Cylindrical Projection- map on a cylinder. Accurate at center. Highly distorted at the poles

• Conic Projection- most accurate around the equator. Show limited areas. Good for distance and directions

• Winkel Tripel- most world maps are this. Fairly accurate.• Goode’s Interrupted Equal Area- globe cut apart and laid out.

Most accurate representation of Earth. • Robinson- minor distortions. Poles are laid flat. Most land

accurate. • Mercator- very distorted. Accurate at Equator but not at poles.

•Projections

Map Projections: Planar, Conic, and Cylindrical

Goode’s Interrupted Equal Area Projection

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Latitude

Robinson Projection

Winkel Tripel Projection

Mercator Projection

World Map

• Determining Location• Latitude- parallels. Circle the Earth. Measure distance

north and south of Equator. Equator is measured at 0° latitude and the Poles are 90 °

• Longitude- Meridians. Circle Earth from pole to pole. Measure distance east and west of Prime Meridian at 0 ° longitude. 180 ° longitude is called the International Date Line and is on the opposite side of the globe.

• Global Grid- absolute location can be found for everything using the grid system. Find latitude and longitude. Even narrowed down more by dividing each degree into 60 minutes.

• Hemispheres- north, south, east and west.

• Location and Maps- grid system on the map can help you locate things. •Geography Skills Handbook

•Latitude and Longitude

• Tools for reading a map- key, scale bar, compass rose

• Using a scale- proportional relationship between measurement on a map and the real measurement on Earth’ surface

• Small scale- large area with very little detail• Large scale- small area with a lot of detail. • Absolute Location- exact position of a place on earth.

• Relative Location- position of a place on earth relative to another.

•Reading a Map

• Physical Maps- • Location and topography• Water features, landforms, • relief and elevation

• Political Maps• Boundaries and location of political units• Human made features

• Thematic Maps• Focus on one idea and each serves different purpose. • Qualitative Maps- colors, lines, and symbols to show

information.. • Flow Line Maps- movement of people, animals, goods and ideas.

• Geographic Information Systems• Accept information and put it all in database. Use to make maps.

•Kinds of Maps

• World in Spatial Terms-• Links that people and places have to each other based on location• Site- specific location of a places- small picture• situation- relative location- big picture

• Places and Regions• Formal region- defined by common characteristic. Corn Belt• Functional Region- central place and surrounding area.

Metropolitan areas. • Perceptual Region- defined by popular feelings and images.

Heartland. • Physical and Human Systems

• Different branches. • Physical- climate, land, water, plants, and animals• Human- human activities and relationships to cultural and

physical environment.

•Elements of Geography

• Perceptual Region example• Functional Region example• Formal Region example

•Regions

• Environment and Society• Study of interrelationship between people and

environment. • Research methods

• Direction Observation- satellite images and aerial photographs.

• Mapping- taking information and making it accessible for average person.

• Interviewing- talk to sample that represents the whole group

• Analyzing Statistics- numerical information to determine rainfall patters, etc.

• Using Technology- GIS and computers/satellites.

•Elements of Geography

• Past Environments and Politics• What places might have looked like. How they were governed. • How natural environment has impacted politics and vice

versus. • Society and Culture

• Sociology and anthropology used to understand world cultures• Economics

• Location of resources affect the way people make, transport, and use goods. interdependence

• Geography as a Career• Physical- find work as climate and weather experts or in

environmental field• Human- find work in health care, transportation, population

studies, economic development

•Geography and Other Subjects.