The world in spatial terms
The purpose of the first essential element of geography is to study the relationships between people, places, and environments by mapping information about them into a spatial context.
Places and regions
The purpose of the second essential element of geography is to show how identities and lives of individuals and peoples are rooted in particular places and in those human constructs called regions
Upgrade to remove ads
Only $1/month
Physical systems
The purpose of the third essential element of geography is to identify how physical processes shape the Earth's surface and how they interact with plant and animal life to create, sustain, and modify ecosystems.
Human systems
The purpose of the fourth essential element of geography is to show how people are central to geography in that human activities help shape the Earth's surface, human settlements and structures.
Environment and society
The purpose of the fifth essential element of geography is to show how the the physical environment is modified by human activities, largely as a consequence of the ways in which human societies value and use Earth's natural resources.
The uses of geography
The purpose of the sixth essential element of geography is to show how the knowledge of geography enables people to develop an understanding of the relationships between people, places, and environments over time -- that is, of Earth as it was, is, and might be
The world in spatial terms (examples)
Location- Where is it?
- Absolute Location- exactly where it is using latitude and
longitude or an address ( 37N, 63 W or I live at 123 North Ave.)
- Relative location- Where something is located according to
something you already know ( I live Near the Baptist Church or
Tampa is about an hour west of Orlando.)
Places and regions (examples)
Place ( what it is like, makes it unique or special)
- Physical Characteristics- Mother Nature put it on the earth, natural
- Human Characteristics- people put it on the earth, man-made
• Region (share more than one characteristic with another place)
- Natural Characteristics- climate, landscape
- Cultural Characteristics- language, religion, government
Physical systems (examples)
• Natural changes
- How things like hurricanes, volcanoes, and glaciers shape and
change the earth's surface
• Communities of plant and animals
- depend on the one another and their surroundings for survival
Human systems (examples)
•Movementis how things move from place to place. (This can
be movement of people, ideas and/or beliefs, and goods.)
•Describes how people have shaped our world.
Environment and society (examples)
• How humans effect the environment
- Good effects- planting trees for oxygen
- Bad effects-pollution from industries
• How the environment effects human
- Good effects- growing crops on the side of the mountain
- Bad effects- the weather effects the clothing and shelter
The uses of geography (examples)
• Understand the relationships among people, places, and
environments over time
• Understand the past and prepare for the future
