Chapter 1 Studying Geography

Pages 4-9

What is Geography?Main Ideas

1. Geography is the study of the world, its people, and the landscapes they create.

2. Geographers look at the world in many different ways.

3. Maps and other tools helps geographers study the planet.

The Big Idea• The study of geography and the use of geographic

tools helps us view the world in new ways.

What is Geography?

• What does the land look like?• What is the weather like?• What are the people doing?

• To a geographer, a place’s landscape is all the human and physical features that make it unique.

What is Geography?Geography as a Science

• Geographers have to think and act like scientists.

• Geographers look at data, or information, that they gather about places.

• For example, they might travel deep into a cave, climb a mountain or look at satellite images.

What is Geography?Geography as a Social Science

• Some geographers study people and their lives.– They might ask why they change their government

or why they speak a certain language?– These types of questions can not be answered by

numbers.– Because it deals with people and how they live,

geography is sometimes called a social science.• A social science is a field that studies people

and the relationships among them.

Looking at the World

To fully understand how the world works, geographers often look at places at three

different levels.

Looking at the WorldLocal Level

• A geographer might study local foods, music, housing or clothing.

• They can also help people improve their lives.– For example, help city leaders figure out the best

place to build new schools, shopping centers, or sport complexes.

Looking at the WorldRegional Level

• Geographers want to study a bigger chuck of the world so they divide the world into regions.– It makes it easier to study!

• A region is a part of the world that has one or more common features that distinguish it from surrounding areas.

• A region can be defined by a physical characteristic (mountainous) or a human characteristic (language) or human interactions (comparing governments).

• Regions come in all shapes and sizes.

Looking at the WorldGlobal Level

• Geographers who study the world on a global level try to find relationships among people who live far apart.– For example, to study a countries exports to see

how they are used in other parts of the world.– London, England is one of the world’s main

financial centers. Here a geographer might study how London’s economy affects the world.

The Geographer’s Tools

• Geographer’s use many different tools to study the world.

• Each tool provides part of the information a geographer needs to learn what a place is like.

The Geographer’s ToolsMaps and Globes

• The tools that geographers use most often in their work are maps and globes.

• A map is a flat drawing that shows all or part of Earth’s surface.

• A globe is a spherical, or ball-shaped, model of the entire planet.

• Maps and globes show what the world looks like.• There are major differences between maps and globes.• A globe (sphere) shows the world as it really is.• A map (flat) is distorted or altered to show the same

area.– A map can show more information than a globe.

The Geographer’s ToolsSatellite Images

• Geographers study information gathered by satellites.

• This information is in the form of images (pictures).

• The information is used to help geographers make accurate maps.

Satellite Image of Ocean’s Temperature

The Geographer’s ToolsOther Tools

• Geographers also use computer programs, measuring devices to record data and notebook and tape recorders.

Main Idea Questions/Answers• What are three ways that geographers can gather

scientific data about places? __________________________________________________________• Why is geography sometimes called a social science?

__________________________________________________________________________• What are some types of work a geographer might do?

______________________________________________________________________________• In what ways could studying geography be useful?

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