What is Geography?

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Geography is …

all around us!

Questions on your mind …

• Are you interested in the world all around you?

• Do you want to be able to make informed decisions about where to work, where to live and where to go on holiday?

• Are you concerned about the environment?

• Do you want to develop skills you will find useful long after you have left school?

What does Geography mean to you?

• In groups of 5 or 6, brainstorm the meaning of Geography.

• You can put down anything you think Geography is about or related to. Take about 15 mins to brainstorm and put down the ideas on the paper provided.

• When completed, the class will go for a “Gallery Walk” around the class to find out what other groups have brainstormed.

• Finally, we will all conclude on the meaning of Geography!

What is Geography?

“Geography” - 2 Greek wordsgeo (Earth)graphy (writing/ description)

It is a subject that studies…

• Earth’s surfaces and processes that shape it

• relationships between humans and physical environments

Purpose of Geography

• the knowledge and understanding of where we live, other places, how people and the places interrelate Earth’s surfaces and processes that shape it

• the skills needed to carry out geographical study (eg, enquiry, mapwork and fieldwork) – 3Ws, 1H

• interest in, and to encourage an appreciation of the world around us

• develop concern for the world around us and an ability and willingness to take positive action both locally and globally

is to develop …

But, knowing one isolated geographical fact does not mean there is geographical understanding!

For example: Knowing Mt Everest is the highest peak (8850m) in the world is not understanding geography …unless we seek to understand

Why it is the highest

peak?

How is it created?

How its location influences the

political security,

downstream flooding and

access to water of the

surrounding areas?

Therefore, understanding Mt Everest in terms of the interlinked physical processes and human activities is then truly geographical understanding!

Geographical skills for geographical understanding

1. Ask questions1. “where”, “why”, “what” & “how”

Geographical skills for geographical understanding

2. Gather information• Primary information (surveys, fieldwork, fieldtrips)• Secondary information (variety of sources like

newspapers, reports, photographs, etc.)• Locate, collect, observe & record information

Geographical skills for geographical understanding

3. Organise information• Sorting and presenting the information in the

forms of tables, charts, maps, diagrams or graphs

Geographical skills for geographical understanding

4. Analyse information• Find patterns, relationships, connections,

similarities, differences

Geographical skills for geographical understanding

5. Answer questions• Reach a conclusion or understanding

Geography is a most unique subject

It encompasses many aspects of both Arts and Science disciplines.

WHY?WHY?

Generally, there are 2 broad divisions of Geography

PHYSICALGEOGRAPHY

HUMANGEOGRAPHY

• study of physical features of the earth

• describes distribution & processes leading to their formation of natural features

• study of human landscape

• describe and explain the nature and patterns of various human features and activities

• examines relationships between humans and their environment