What is Geography?• Geography is the study of place and space.

• Study of human activity, the natural environment, and the relationship between the two (human-environment interactions).

• Geographers look at where things are and why they are there.

What is Latitude? Run parallel to Equator

Measures North and South

90 degrees North latitude

90 degrees South latitude

Important lines of Latitude:

1. Equator

2. Tropic of Cancer

3. Tropic of Capricorn

4. Arctic Circle

5. Antarctic Circle

What is Longitude?

Run parallel to Prime Meridian

Measures East and West

180 degrees of East longitude

180 degrees of West longitude

Total = 360 degree circle

All lines meet at North Pole and stretch to South Pole

How do you use Latitude and Longitude to find your way?

1. Find the right hemispheres (N, S, E, W).

2. Trace latitude and longitude till they meet.

3. FOLLOW THE CURVE!

Parts of A Map Title – explains the subject of the

map

Compass Rose – shows the “Cardinal Directions”, meaning North, South, East, and West

Legend or “Key” - shows and explains the symbols used on the map

Scale – shows the true size of the objects shown on the map

Activity: Identify the Map Parts

Number your paper #1-#4. Identify and label each part of the map below, using the terms you just learned.

What main types of maps

are there?

PHYSICAL MAPS

POLITICAL MAPS

THEMATIC MAPS

Physical Maps

Show natural features such as landforms and physical borders; lakes, rivers, mountain ranges, and things that were around before humans

Physical Borders – Borders defined by a physical feature

Example - Rio Grande River, between USA and Mexico

Political Maps

Show features on the earth’s surface that humans created.

Examples of things on a political map?

Political Borders – borders created by governments

National and State Borders,

City Limits, capitals

Thematic Maps

Thematic maps can be tricky, there are many different kinds.They all do the same thing… they show information

Some common thematic maps:

Population maps

Weather maps

Resource maps

Topographic maps

BAYPart of a large body of

water that extends ino a shorline, generally smaller than a gulf

Chesapeake Bay

CANYON Deep and narrow valley

with steep walls

Grand Canyon

GULF Part of a large body of

water that extends into a shoreline, generally larger and more deeply indented than a bay.

Gulf of Mexico

HARBOR A sheltered place along a

shoreline where ships can anchor safely

Boston Harbor

LAKE A sizable inland body of

water

The Great Lakes

MOUNTAIN Land with steep sides

that rises sharply (1000 feet or more) from surrounding land; generally larger and more rugged than a hill.

Appalachian Mountains Rocky Mountains

OCEAN One of the four major

bodies of salt water that surround the continents

Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean

PLAIN An area of level land,

usually a low elevation and often covered with grasses.

Great Plains

RIVER Large natural stream of

water that runs through the land.

Mississippi River Missouri River Ohio River Hudson River Rio Grande River

Geography Unit Map Practice

Directions: Label and color the following: