FIRST MAP QUIZ - THE WORLD
The test will be available through Pipeline between September 9th at noon and September 11th at midnight
Study Guide

Overview:

This week we focus on understanding the "nature of Geography."  Many people have the misconception that geography is just memorizing place names, studying atlases, or learning interesting facts about foreign and domestic places.  Knowing the location of places and things is very important to us but there is so much more. 

Think of geography as a discipline that looks at the whole world and all that is in it using the spatial perspective.  This concept is parallel to that of history which looks at the world through the lens of time. Like history, there is no single thing or subject matter that geographers study but what is important is how they do it.  During this semester you will learn this spatial perspective and you will indeed develop a "geographic eye" which allows you to see the world in all its complexity and interrelationships.

Consider the following:

What is Geography?  How is it compared it to history? What are spatial vs temporal perspectives?

Contrast this to Botany  and Zoology  which have a specific focus on plants and animals.

Maps are the language of geography - explore the US Geological Survey Site.  Also check out the Maps and Scale link.

Practical value of geography: Geographers would argue that a knowledge of geography has survival value. For example, consider the process of buying a home. Most people look at the exterior but pay careful attention to the interior in terms of size and layout including number of bedrooms and bathrooms and size of kitchen. A geographer would look at these things too but would also look at the lay of the land and the entire neighborhood and perhaps even the relationship of the house to the larger community. This is taking the "spatial view."  The house might look great but if the landscape reveals past flooding or the nearby neighborhood shows signs of deterioration, then the geographer would take note that this might not be the ideal "location" for him or her.

At the very least, the geography student like yourself will learn to read and understand maps in order to develop a mental image of the community and the larger world.

Think of your conceptions of geography as you complete the assignments.

Assignments:

• Read the assignment as noted above.
• Answer the following questions in an email to me.
• Put the course number - GE 102 - in the Subject  line of your email. Place your name and the week number in the text portion of your email.

Concepts: (Ideas and Terms)

As you read the chapter, pay careful attention to these terms.

Geographic realm, spatial perspective, transition zone, geographic change, new world order, regional concept, location (absolute and relative), formal region, spatial system, hinterland, functional region, scale

Resources:

UNA Department of Geography                                    USGS Maps & Scale Info

USGS Educational Information