Unit 3: Geography Defined Learning Packet PDF

**Unit 3: GEOGRAPHY DEFINED** 3. **Intended Learning Outcomes** a. Define geography and other geographical terms b. *Explain the importance of studying the geography* c. *Discuss the divisions of geography and the relationship between geography and other branches of knowledge* 1. *...

**Unit 3: GEOGRAPHY DEFINED** 3. **Intended Learning Outcomes** a. Define geography and other geographical terms b. *Explain the importance of studying the geography* c. *Discuss the divisions of geography and the relationship between geography and other branches of knowledge* 1. **Introduction** relationships between people and their environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth's surface, and the human societies spread across it. They also examine how human culture interacts with the natural environment, and the way that locations and places can have an impact on people. Geography seeks to understand where things are found, why they are there, and how they develop and change over time. The term \"geography\" comes to us from the ancient Greeks, who needed a word to describe the writings and maps that were helping them make sense of the world in which they lived. In Greek, *geo* means "earth" and -*graphy* means "to write."  Using geography, Greeks developed an understanding of where their homeland was in relation to other places, what their own and other places were like, and how people and environments were distributed. These concerns have been central to geography ever since.\ \ Of course, the Greeks were not the only people interested in geography. Throughout human history, most societies have sought to understand something about their place in the world, and the people and environments around them. Indeed, mapmaking probably came even before writing in many places. But ancient Greek geographers were particularly influential. They developed very detailed maps of areas in and around Greece, including parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. More importantly, they also raised questions about how and why different human and natural patterns came into being on Earth's surface, and why variations existed from place to place. The effort to answer these questions about patterns and distribution led them to figure out that the world was round, to calculate Earth's circumference, and to develop explanations of everything from the seasonal flooding of the Nile River to differences in population densities from place to place. During the Middle Ages, geography ceased to be a major academic pursuit in Europe. Advances in geography were chiefly made by scientists of the Muslim world, based around the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. Geographers of this Islamic Golden Age created the world's first rectangular map based on a grid, a map system that is still familiar today. Islamic scholars also applied their study of people and places to agriculture, determining which crops and livestock were most suited to specific habitats or environments. In addition to the advances in the Middle East, the Chinese empire in Asia also contributed immensely to geography. Until about 1500, China was the most prosperous civilization on Earth. The Chinese were scientifically advanced, especially in the field of astronomy. Around 1000, they also achieved one of the most important developments in the history of geography: They were the first to use the compass for navigational purposes. In the early 1400s, the explorer Cheng Ho embarked on seven voyages to the lands bordering the China Sea and the Indian Ocean, establishing China's dominance throughout Southeast Asia. 2. 1. **What is Geography?** Before we continue, may I know first your personal definition of geography and how does it help you as a student and as a traveller? Geography is the science of space and place. A more specific and informative definition of geography is that it is concerned with the study of the earth's surface including people's responses to topography and climate as well as soil and vegetation and the distribution and interaction of the different phenomenon on Earth. **Age of Discovery** Through the 13th-century travels of the Italian explorer Marco Polo, Europeans learned about the riches of China. Curiosity was awakened; a desire to trade with wealthy Asian cultures motivated a renewed interest in exploring the world. The period of time between the 15th and 17th centuries is known in the West as the Age of Exploration or the Age of Discovery. With the dawn of the Age of Discovery, the study of geography regained popularity in Europe. The invention of the printing press in the mid-1400s helped spread geographic knowledge by making maps and charts widely available. Improvements in shipbuilding and navigation facilitated more exploring, greatly improving the accuracy of maps and geographic information. Greater geographic understanding allowed European powers to extend their global influence. During the Age of Discovery, European nations established colonies around the world. Improved transportation, communication, and navigational technology allowed countries such as the United Kingdom to successfully govern colonies as far away as the Americas, Asia, Australia, and Africa. Geography was not just a subject that made colonialism possible, however. It also helped people understand the planet on which they lived. Not surprisingly, geography became an important focus of study in schools and universities. Geography also became an important part of other academic disciplines, such as chemistry, economics, and philosophy. In fact, every academic subject has some geographic connection. Chemists study where certain chemical elements, such as gold or silver, can be found. Economists examine which nations trade with other nations, and what resources are exchanged. Philosophers analyze the responsibility people have to take care of the Earth. 2. **Emergence of Modern Geography** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Physical Geography | The natural environment is the | | | primary concern of physical | | | geographers, although many | | | physical geographers also look at | | | how humans have altered natural | | | systems. Physical geographers | | | study Earth's | | | seasons, climate, atmosphere, soi | | | l, | | | streams, landforms, and oceans. | | | Some disciplines within physical | | | geography | | | include geomorphology, glaciology | | | , pedology, hydrology, climatolog | | | y, biogeograpy, | | | and oceanography. | | | | | | Geomorpholog | | | y | | | is the study of landforms and the | | | processes that shape them. | | | Geomorphologists investigate the | | | nature and impact of wind, ice, | | | rivers, erosion, earthquakes, vol | | | canoes, | | | living things, and other forces | | | that shape and change the surface | | | of the Earth. | | | | | | Glaciologists focus on the | | | Earth's ice fields and their | | | impact on the planet's climate. | | | Glaciologists document the | | | properties and distribution of | | | glaciers | | | and icebergs. Data collected by | | | glaciologists has demonstrated | | | the retreat of Arctic and | | | Antarctic ice in the past | | | century.\ | | | \ | | | Pedologists study soil and how it | | | is created, changed, and | | | classified. Soil studies are used | | | by a variety of professions, | | | from farmers analyzing | | | field fertility to engineers | | | investigating the suitability of | | | different areas for building | | | heavy structures.\ | | | \ | | | Hydrology is the study of Earth's | | | water: its properties, | | | distribution, and effects. | | | Hydrologists are especially | | | concerned with the movement of | | | water as it cycles from the ocean | | | to the atmosphere, then back to | | | Earth's surface. Hydrologists | | | study the water cycle through | | | rainfall into streams, lakes, the | | | soil, and underground aquifers. | | | Hydrologists provide insights | | | that are critical to building or | | | removing dams, | | | designing irrigation systems, | | | monitoring water quality, | | | tracking drought conditions, and | | | predicting flood risk.\ | | | \ | | | Today, oceanographers conduct | | | research on the impacts of water | | | pollution, track tsunamis, | | | design offshore oil rigs, | | | investigate underwater eruptions | | | of lava, and study all types of | | | marine organisms | | | from toxic algae to friendly | | | dolphins. | +===================================+===================================+ | Human Geography | Human geography is concerned with | | | the distribution and networks of | | | people and cultures on Earth's | | | surface. A human geographer might | | | investigate the local, regional, | | | and global impact of rising | | | economic powers China and India, | | | which represent 37 percent of the | | | world's people. They also might | | | look at how consumers in China | | | and India adjust to new | | | technology and markets, and how | | | markets respond to such a huge | | | consumer base.\ | | | \ | | | Human geographers also study how | | | people use and alter their | | | environments. When, for example, | | | people allow their animals to | | | overgraze a region, the soil | | | erodes and grassland is | | | transformed into desert. The | | | impact of overgrazing on the | | | landscape as well as agricultural | | | production is an area of study | | | for human geographers.\ | | | \ | | | Finally, human geographers' study | | | how political, social, and | | | economic systems are organized | | | across geographical space. These | | | include governments, religious | | | organizations, and trade | | | partnerships. The boundaries of | | | these groups constantly change.\ | | | \ | | | The main divisions within human | | | geography reflect a concern with | | | different types of human | | | activities or ways of living. | | | Some examples of human geography | | | include urban geography, economic | | | geography, cultural geography, | | | political geography, social | | | geography, and population | | | geography. Human geographers who | | | study geographic patterns and | | | processes in past times are part | | | of the subdiscipline of | | | historical geography. Those who | | | study how people understand maps | | | and geographic space belong to a | | | subdiscipline known as behavioral | | | geography.\ | | | \ | | | Many human geographers interested | | | in the relationship between | | | humans and the environment work | | | in the subdisciplines of cultural | | | geography and political | | | geography. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ 3. **Geographic Techniques** 4. **Introduction to Map Reading** **Types of Maps** **1. Political Map** - **2. Physical Map** - **3. Topographic Map** - **4. Climatic Map** - **5. Economic or Resource Map** - **6. Road Map** -  5. **Features and parts of a Map** - Title **-** It indicates the purpose or theme of the map. Example: India -- Physical, World -- Political, Tamil Nadu -- Transport. - Scale - makes it possible to reduce the size of the whole earth to show it on a piece of paper. A scale is a ratio between the actual distance on the map to the actual distance on the ground. Scales can be represented in three methods. - Direction - Maps are drawn normally with north orientation. North direction in a map is always towards the North Pole of the earth. If you position yourself looking at the North Pole, on your right will be the east; your left will be thewest; at your back will be south. These four main directions are called the cardinal directions. Direction is usually indicated on a map by a North-South line, with the North direction represented by an arrow head. - Grid system - The location of a place can be simply defined by its latitude and longitude. In normalpractice, latitude is stated first and then comesthe longitude. The latitude and longitude of a place can be expressed in units of  **degree, minutes and seconds**.  - Projection - A map projection is a way of showing the spherical shaped earth on a flat piece of paper. Where does the word \'projection\' come from? Imagine a clear globe with latitude and longitude lines and the outlines of the landmasses on it. Suppose there was a light bulb inside the globe. If you wrapped a piece of paper around the globe and turned on the light bulb, the outlines of the grid and landmasses would be projected onto the paper. Map projection is defined as the transformation of spherical network of latitudes and longitudes on a plane surface. Projections are drawn to maintain the shape, area and directions. - Legend - The legend of a map helps to understand the map details which are placed at the left or right corner at the bottom of the map. - Conventional signs and symbols - A map is a global language and it needs to be drawn according to the international standards. Conventional signs and symbols are standard symbols used on a map and explained in the legend to convey a definite meaning. The topographic map contains a variety of information about physical and cultural features. These are shown by using signs and symbols in various colors so that the clarity of the map is maintained. There are three types of map symbols 1. Point Symbols - buildings, dipping tanks, trigonometrical beacons 2. Line Symbols - railways, roads, power lines, telephone lines 3. Area Symbols - Cultivated lands, ponds, orchards and vineyards - The following color codes are used with map symbols 1. Brown: land or earth features - contour lines, eroded areas, prominent rock outcrops, sand areas and dunes, secondary or gravel roads 2. Light Blue: water features - canals, coastlines, dams, lakes, marshes, swamps and levees, ponds, rivers and water towers. 3. Dark Blue: national waterways 4. Green: vegetation features - cultivated fields, golf courses, nature and game reserve boundaries, orchards and vineyards, recreation grounds, woodland 5. Black: construction features - roads, tracks, railways, buildings, bridges, cemeteries, communication towers, dam walls, excavations and mine dumps, telephone lines, power lines, windpumps, boundaries 6. Red: construction features - national, arterial and main roads, lighthouses and marine lights 7. Pink: international boundaries 6. **Assessment** **\*Face-to-Face** A. **Multiple Choice. Read and understand each question carefully. Circle the letter of the items that best describes each concept.** 1. How is geography defined by the nationalgeographic.org? a. It is the study of places and the relationship between people to other groups of people. b. It is the study of places, events, biological or scientific that maybe recorded or unwritten. c. It is the study of places and the relationship between people and their environment in a given period of time. d. It is the study of places and the relationships between people and their environment. 2. The term "geography" comes from the Greek word's "geo" and "graphy" which means? a. b. Earth and biotic factors d. Earth and to write 3. It was used by the Greek to develop an understanding of where their homeland was located in relation to other places. a. Mapping c. Geography b. Nominal directions d. Equatorial lines 4. c. Geography c. Agriculture d. Globe and map reading d. Rectangular map 5. e. Age of lands and waters f. Age of transportation g. Age of exploration and citing's h. Age of exploration and discovery 6. i. Economics c. Philosophy j. Chemistry d. Anthropology 7. k. Unlike other disciplines, geography is not defined by one particular topic. l. Geography is concerned with various topics which is not aligned to its undertakings m. It focuses only on earth, ecosystem, surfaces, lands and water systems n. Geography only seeks answers on when and how things are distributed and arranged. 8. o. Mr. Hunk is a contemporary-type geographer p. He doesn't know that mapping can be done through satellites imaging. q. Mr. Hunk remains an olden geographer with olden techniques. r. He believes that olden ways make the best result and recognition. 9. s. Google Duo c. Google Earth t. Google Map d. Google Search a\. A map is simply a drawing or picture of a landscape. b\. A map indicates various palaces and or locations. c\. A map usually show the landscape as it would be seen below. d\. A map allows you to accurately plan a journey. B. **Essay.** Answer the given questions below. (5 points each) 1. Consider that you are a famous and an award-winning geographer, how important is geography as a part of your field of specialization 2. How would you describe geography in relation to economics as an allied subject? **\*Synchronous** (refer to Google Classroom) **\*Asynchronous** *Completion of activity/ worksheets/assessment in self-directed modules in LP3, Unit 5*