You May Use the Map of the United States for Reference

LOCATION

Every point on Earth has a specific location that is determined by an imaginary grid of lines denoting latitude (these lines go from side to side) and longitude (these lines go up and down).

Absolute Location is the definitive location of a place using a recognized coordinate system.
Relative location deals with the interaction that occurs between and among places. It refers to the many ways — by North/South/East/West, by land, by water, even by technology—that places are connected.

TASK:

Take a map from the pile (you must staple this to your own sheet of paper) Place a dot on your map and label the capital city at the following coordinates.

You may use the map of the United States for Reference.

Latitude / Longitude
38˚ N / 84˚ W
39˚ N / 105˚ W
33˚ N / 84˚ W
31˚ N / 97˚ W
38˚ N / 121˚ W
40˚ N / 77˚ W

PLACE

All places have characteristics that give them meaning and character and distinguish them from other places on earth. Geographers describe places by their physical and human characteristics.

Physical characteristics include such elements as geographical features (mountains, rivers etc), climate, precipitation, topography, animal life.
Human characteristics of the landscape are things that have been created by humans. They can can be noted in architecture, patterns of livelihood, land use and ownership, town planning, and communication and transportation networks. Languages, as well as religious and political ideologies, help shape the character of a place.

TASK:

Draw a chart on your page like the one below:

Name of Country:
Human
Characteristics / 1.
2.
Physical
Characteristics / 1.
2.

1) Flip through the book 100 Greatest Cities of the World and choose 1 of the cities on the following list:

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Shanghai, China

Cairo, Egypt

London, England

Rome, Italy

Tokyo, Japan

Mexico City, Mexico

Moscow, Russia

Cape Town, South Africa

Barcelona, Spain

Bangkok, Thailand

*** Use the book to learn about human characteristics. Give at least 2 examples of human characteristics in the table on your paper.

2) Use the World Atlas book to look up your chosen country to learn about physical characteristics. Give at least 2 examples of physical characteristics for your chosen location.

HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

The environment means different things to different people, depending on their cultural backgrounds and technological resources. In studying human/environment interaction, geographers look at all the effects—positive and negative—that occur when people interact with their surroundings. Sometimes a human act, such as damming a river to prevent flooding or to provide irrigation, requires consideration of the potential consequences. The construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, for example, changed the natural landscape, but it also created a reservoir that helps provide water and electric power for the arid Southwest. Studying the consequences of human/environment interaction helps people plan and manage the environment responsibly.

TASK:

On the IPAD, watch the Dr. Seuss Cartoon The Lorax. (Watch from approximately 6 minutes to 12 minutes of the clip)

On your paper, answer the following questions:

In what ways do the characters in this story depend upon the environment?
In what ways do the characters in this story have an effect upon the environment?
In what ways do you depend upon the environment?
In what ways do you have an effect upon the environment?

LINK:

MOVEMENT

Students should be able to recognize where resources are located, who needs them, and how they are transported over the earth’s surface. The theme of movement helps students understand how they themselves are connected with, and dependent upon, other regions, cultures, and people in the world.

People travel from one place to another; they communicate with each other; and they rely upon products, information, and ideas that come from beyond their immediate environment.
Three Different Types of Movement:
1. People
2. Goods
3. Ideas

The movement of people is referred to as migration. People move around due to “push factors” and “pull factors.” Some of these are listed below:

Push Factors—reasons why someone would want to move away from a place

* Not enough jobs * Few opportunities * "Primitive" condition * Political fear * Poor medical care * Not being able to practice religion * Loss of wealth * Natural Disasters

Pull Factors—reasons why someone would be attracted to a place

* Job opportunities * Better living conditions * Political and/or religious freedom * Enjoyment * Education * Better medical care * Security * Family links

People move. Around the world, 175 million people live in countries where they weren’t born. The map below shows how people migrate today. The larger the arrow, the more migrants, or people on the move, from the continent named.

About 31 million people in the U.S. were born as citizens of another country.
Mexico - Nearly five million Mexicans have moved to the U.S. since 1950. More Mexicans move to the U.S. than anyone else.
Europe - The population of Europe is shrinking. The continent will likely have 100 million fewer people by 2050.
Asia - More people migrate from Asia than anywhere else.

TASK:

Answer the following questions based on the given map:

1)From which continents are the most people leaving?

2)To which continents are the most people moving?

3)Why do you think these patterns are happening? Explain in at least a paragraph.

REGION

A basic unit of geographic study is the region, an area on the earth’s surface that is defined by certain unifying characteristics. The unifying characteristics may be physical or human (which includes cultural). In addition to studying the unifying characteristics of a region, geographers study how a region changes over times. Using the theme of regions, geographers divide the world into manageable units for study.

TASK:

Using the given maps, analyze each map’s regional divisions. Give the following information for each map:

1. What are the divisions based upon (what is this map telling us)?

2. Are the unifying characteristics physical or human?

3. Who might want the information provided on this map and why? In other words, why would this map be useful?

Your paper should look something like this…

KENTUCKY MAP

UNITED STATES MAP