World Cultures & Geography:World Cultures & Geography:

The Geographer’s The Geographer’s ToolboxToolbox

Section 1 Objectives Understand spatial thinking and why it’s

important to geographers

Know the five themes of geography and the six essential elements

Analyze the processes that shaped the geographic regions of the world

What IS geography? GeographyGeography is the study of earthearth in all its

variety– PhysicalPhysical geography: Land, water, plants,

and animals– HumanHuman geography: Society, culture,

customs, religion, environment Geography is both sciencescience and storystory. Geographers do work that tells the story of all

humankind!

Let the Adventure Begin! (4:00)

Ask Geographic Questions

Geography is more than names of places on a map. It involves spatial thinking!– Spatial thinking involves thinking about

the space of Earth’s surface, including where places are located, and why they are there!

– Geographers look at places and ask, “Why is this location significant, or important?”

Study Geographic Patterns

Geographic patterns are similarities among places.– Ex. Cities are often located near water.

Why?

Study Geographic Patterns Many geographers

use computer-based Geographic Information Systems, or GIS to create maps and analyze patterns with data

GPS and GIS Basics (4:07)

Five Themes of Geography 1) Location

– Determining where you’re at on the planet Absolute location is the exact point where a place is

located (Ex. Kearney is located at 41°N, 99°W.) Global Positioning System, or GPS, uses satellites to

find absolute location. Relative location is where a place is in relation to other

places. (Ex. My house is three blocks from Sunrise.)

Five Themes of Geography 2) Place

– Physical and cultural characteristics of each location

Ex. Steep rock walls in the Grand Canyon 3) Human-Environment Interaction

– How humans impact each other and the environment

Ex. Changing rivers to build dams 4) Movement

– How people, goods, and ideas move Ex. Settlement patterns, immigration, exile

5) Regions– A group of places that have things in common

Ex. Central America, the Middle East

Memory Helper: MR. LIP! Movement, Regions, Location, Interaction, Place!

World Regions A region is a group of places with

common traits, like trade, culture or climate

A continent is a large landmass on Earth’s surface. A continent is often – but not always – a region.

Name the seven continents: GO!– Answer: North America, South America,

Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica!

World Regions

North America Central America & the Caribbean South America Europe Russia and the Eurasian Republics Southwest Asia and North Africa Sub-Saharan Africa South Asia East Asia Southeast Asia Australia, the Pacific Realm, and Antarctica

Section 2 Objectives Understand the essentials of maps and how

they show geographic patterns

Utilize longitude and latitude coordinates to establish absolute locations

Compare political and physical maps

Understand map distortion, and analyze the pros and cons of various map projections

Identify various types of thematic maps and the information they provide

Globes and Maps A globe is a three-

dimensional, or spherical, representation of Earth.– Pros: Very accurate!

Everything is in the right place.

– Cons: NOT PORTABLE! Also, it’s hard to see the small stuff.

Globes and MapsGlobes and MapsA A mapmap is a two-dimensional, or flat, is a two-dimensional, or flat,

representation of Earthrepresentation of Earth

Map and Globe Elements

Title - Tells the subject of the map or globe

Symbols – represent information such as natural resources and economic activities

Labels – the names of places, like cities, countries, rivers, and mountains

Colors – represent different kinds of information. (Ex. Blue = water)

Legend, or Map Key = explains what the symbols and colors mean

Parts of Maps (cont.) Scale = shows how much

distance on Earth is represented by distance on the map or globe.

Compass Rose – shows directions on a map– Cardinal Directions

N, E, S, W– Intermediate Directions

NE, SE, SW, NW Locator Globe – shows the

specific area of the world shown on a map

How to Read a Map (3:43)

Latitude Intro to Latitude

& Longitude (:58)

Lines of latitude run east to west, parallel to the Equator. – They measure

the distance North and South of Equator in degrees.

Longitude Lines of longitude

run north to south from the North Pole to the South Pole. – They measure the

distance East and West of the Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England. It is O°.

Standing on the Prime Meridian (1:47)

Grid System

Absolute location is the exact position on earth where latitude and longitude meet.

Latitude and Longitude Rap (3:30)

Hemispheres

A hemisphere is half the earth.

The Equator divides the earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The Prime Meridian divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Map ProjectionsMap Projections The world is a The world is a spheresphere, but maps are flat. , but maps are flat.

Trying to flatten three dimensions into two Trying to flatten three dimensions into two causes causes distortionsdistortions..

DistortionsDistortions – Errors on maps as a result of – Errors on maps as a result of taking a round Earth and putting it on a taking a round Earth and putting it on a flat map.flat map.

To reduce distortion, mapmakers use To reduce distortion, mapmakers use projectionsprojections, or different ways of showing , or different ways of showing the Earth’s curved surface on a flat map. the Earth’s curved surface on a flat map.

Maps are chosen based on what they are Maps are chosen based on what they are going to be used for. Certain projections going to be used for. Certain projections work better for certain things. work better for certain things.

It is It is impossibleimpossible to have a perfect map to have a perfect map without some form of distortion!without some form of distortion! Here’s the problem… (2:47)Here’s the problem… (2:47)

Map Projections Azimuthal Projection

– Created by projecting part of the globe onto a flat surface.

– Pros: Shows directions accurately

– Cons: Distorts shapes

– Often used for polar regions

Map Projections (cont.) Mercator Projection

– Pros: Continent shapes are accurate between the North and South Poles, good for navigation

– Cons: Major distortions towards N and S Poles

Map Projections (cont.) Homolosine Projection

– Pros: True size and shape of continents– Cons: Splits up oceans and the North/South Poles,

does not show distance accurately

Map Projections (cont.) Robinson Projection

– Combines the strengths of other projections into one projection– Pros: Shows shape and area of the continents and oceans with

reasonable accuracy– Cons: North and South Poles still distorted

Map Projections (cont.)Winkel-Tripel

Projection Modified version of the

Robinson

Pros: Good overall view of continent shapes and size

Cons: Some distortion around the outer edges

Preferred by National Geographic Society since 1998.

So why does this matter?

Here's one reason. Are we sending messages we don't intend to send?

What if you thought your world looked like this?

But it really looked like this?

Or this?

Or this?

Or this?

Or this, which…

…once you do this, it looks like this!

What if Australia was at the North Pole? (3:03)

Or what if it looks like this?

THE BIGQUESTION:

Do you think the way we portray the world

impacts how we see ourselves?Why? How?

Political and Physical Maps

CartographersCartographers, or mapmakers, create different kinds of maps for different purposes

Political maps show features humans have created: countries, states, provinces, and cities, etc.– Weird Borders (5:06)

Physical Maps

Physical maps show natural features of physical geography– Ex. Mountains, plains, valleys, oceans, etc.

They also show elevation using color– Elevation – the height of a physical feature

above sea level– Relief – the change in elevation from one

place to another

Thematic Maps

Thematic maps are created around a specific theme, or topic

Common thematic maps include:– Point symbol maps– Dot density maps– Proportional symbol

maps

Point Symbol MapsPoint Symbol Maps

Dot Density MapDot Density Map

Proportional Symbol Maps

The World at Night:A Manmade Population Density Map

Any questions?