What is Geo all about?

1. What is Geo all about?

2.  What is Geo all about? • It is the study of the environments as the home of people • It explores the relationships and connections between people and both natural and cultural environments • It investigates the ways features are arranged on earth • It describes and explains the patterns and processes that create them

3. Environments May be natural and/or cultural. They have particular characteristics and features which can be the result of natural and/or cultural processes. The particular characteristics of an environment may be similar to and/or different from another

4. Perspectives The way people view and interpret environments. Perspectives and values may be influenced by culture, environment, social systems, technology, economic and political ideology. They may influence how people interact with environments and the decisions and responses that they make.

5. Processes A sequence of actions, natural and/or cultural, that shape and change environments, places and societies. Some examples of geographic processes include erosion, migration, desertification and globalisation.

6. Patterns Why do few people live in polar regions? May be spatial: the arrangement of features on the earth’s surface; or temporal: how characteristics differ over time in recognisable ways. Where do you find Tropical Rainforests? Why? When are traffic jams most likely to occur? Why?

7. Interaction Involves elements of an environment affecting each other and being linked together. Interaction incorporates movement, flows, connections, links and interrelationships. Landscapes are the visible outcome of interactions. Interaction can bring about environmental change.

8. Change Involves any alteration to the natural or cultural environment. Change can be spatial and/or temporal. Change is a normal process in both natural and cultural environments. It occurs at varying rates, at different times and in different places. Some changes are predictable, recurrent or cyclic, while others are unpredictable or erratic. Change can bring about further change.

9. Sustainability Involves adopting ways of thinking and behaving that allow individuals, groups, and societies to meet their needs and aspirations without preventing future generations from meeting theirs. Sustainable interaction with the environment may be achieved by preventing, limiting, minimizing or correcting environmental damage to water, air and soil, as well as considering ecosystems and problems related to waste, noise, and visual pollution.

10. Got it? Activity • ‘Important Geographical Concepts’ handout • Glue it in • Match the statement to the correct B.G.I. You should use a different statement for each description.

11. ANSWERS 1. Mr and Mrs Smith recycle their glass, plastic and paper rubbish Sustainability 2. When it rains the water infiltrates into the soil. This water then travels through the soil and into rivers Processes 3. When Cyclone Yasi hit Queensland lots of buildings were damaged Interactions/Change 4. There are more cars travelling away from Auckland during the Xmas holidays than there are cars travelling into Auckland Patterns 5. The desert is dry and baron. It is extremely hot during the day but can be very cold at night. Environments

12. 6. Mr and Mrs Smith regularly cycle to work because they are concerned about the impact that driving everyday will have on the environment. Perspectives 7. The area used to be used for mining but after the industry closed down the area has been re-developed into a large out of town shopping centre. Change 8. Locals are concerned about the land in National Parks being used for mining as they feel it will damage the natural environment. Region/Perspectives 9. The London Docklands is an area of high-rise, modern skyscrapers overlooking the former dockland areas. Environments/Change/Location 10. When sea temperatures rise above 26.5˚C the water evaporates and cyclones are able to form. Processes