What is Geography?

1. What is Geography? l

2. What is Geography? • Essential Concepts • Writings of Earth 3. The study of spatial variation 4. How – and why – things differ from place to place on the surface of the earth 5. The study of how observable spatial patterns evolved through time

3. What is geography? • Geography is a spatial science • Spatial behavior of people • Spatial relationships between places • Spatial processes that create or maintain those behaviors and relationships

4. Geography: Defining the Discipline • What is geography? • What topics do geographers study? • What makes geography different from other disciplines?

5. Geography: Defining the Discipline • Geographia (Greek origins) • Geo (earth) + graphein (to describe or write) • To write or describe the surface of the earth • The study of the spatial arrangement and association among elements on and/or in contact with the earth’s surface • Explaining the “big picture”

6. Geography: Defining the Discipline • Three Essential questions… • What is located where? • Why are things located where they are? • What is the significance?

7. Modern Geography: Traditions • Spatial distributions of physical and cultural features • Relationship between people and the environment • Existence and evolution of regions • Physical characteristics of the earth

8. Geography: Defining the Discipline • Linkage with the physical sciences and social sciences • Interdisciplinary • Variation across space • Degree of human impact assessment

9. Human Geography • Study of the relationship of human beings and their activities (past or present) to the surrounding environment and the consequences of these interactions • Focuses more on… • The cultural characteristics of a place • The processes that influence or shape that place • The interconnectedness of those places

10. Tools of the Trade • Visual Representation • Cartography • Remote Sensing • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Qualitative Techniques • Surveys • Personal Interviews • Spatial Quantitative Methods

11. Patterns and DistributionsExample: 2003 West Nile Virus Incidence Medical Geography Biogeography Climatology

12. The Geographic Perspective • Understanding the ways in which humankind perceives and interacts with the Earth’s surface, its resources, and its people • Geography lies at the intersection of both social and physical sciences • Explain the processes that give rise to spatial distributions---it’s not all about maps! • Geographic landscapes are social creations

13. Geographical Method

14. Introduction to Geography Quiz • What province or territory has one of the world’s greatest stores of dinosaur bones? • The area near Drumheller, Alberta, is the best place to look for dinosaur bones in Canada.

15. Introduction to Geography Quiz • In 2014, the CBC ran a series of television programs that asked Canadians to choose the Greatest Canadian of all time. Who was chosen for this honour? • Former premier of Saskatchewan Tommy Douglas was chosen for his role in establishing medicare.

16. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Canada is the second largest country in the world. What country is larger in area than Canada? • Russia is about as big as Canada and Australia combined. 1 2 9 4 3 7 10 5 8 6

17. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Which hockey team has won the Stanley Cup most often? • The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, making them the winningest team in sports history.

18. Introduction to Geography Quiz • In 2014, Canada’s foreign trade was approximately… • $90 million per hour • $90 million per day • $90 million per week • $90 million per month • $90 million per year • $90 million per hour!

19. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Which prime minister has been in power for the longest period of time? • The Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King was Prime Minister for almost 22 years.

20. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Which of these materials is not mined in Canada? • gold • copper • diamonds • tin • coal • Tin is not mined in Canada.

21. Introduction to Geography Quiz • What is the name of Canada’s newest territory and its capital city? • In 1999, the Territory of Nunavut was created, and Iqaluit was chosen as its capital city.

22. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Which of these people is not Canadian? • actor Kiefer Sutherland • singer Shania Twain • actor Angelina Jolie • golfer Mike Weir • singer Avril Lavigne • Despite her French name, Angelina Jolie was born in Los Angeles, USA.

23. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Which province joined Canada in 1949? • Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949. In 2001, the province’s name was officially changed to Newfoundland and Labrador. and LABRADOR

24. Introduction to Geography Quiz • What is the name of the highest award that Canada gives for outstanding achievement and service to the country? • The Order of Canada has three levels: Member (CM), Officer (OC), and Companion (CC).

25. Introduction to Geography Quiz • What is the name of the longest river in Canada? • The Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories is 4241 km long.

26. Introduction to Geography Quiz • Other than the United Kingdom and France, what country is the origin of the greatest number of Canadian residents? • Many people are surprised to find that Germany is the third largest source of Canadians.

27. Introduction to Geography Quiz • In terms of value, what is Canada’s most important export commodity? • Cars, trucks, and auto parts are our most important exports. In 2014, we sold more than $90 billion worth—primarily to the United States.

28. Introduction to Geography Quiz • In what province or territory is Canada’s highest mountain? • Mount Logan is in Yukon Territory and stands an impressive 5959 metres above sea level.

29. Introduction to Geography Quiz • One of the celebrities mentioned in Question #9 is a relative of the person chosen as the Greatest Canadian (Question #2). Which celebrity is it, and what is their relationship? • Kiefer Sutherland is Tommy Douglas’s grandson. Kiefer’s parents, both actors, are Shirley Douglas (Tommy’s daughter) and Donald Sutherland.

30. Mind Map of Canada • On a blank sheet of paper, draw a map of Canada as close to reality as possible. Do this on your own – without looking at other people’s maps or any reference material such as an atlas. • On your map, label what you regard as important features, such as provinces, cities, mountain ranges, and bodies of water.

31. Mind Map of Canada • Which parts of Canada do you know best? • Which parts of your map are most incomplete? • Do you feel it is important to know where places are in Canada? Explain.

32. What is Geography? • Geography is the science that tries to understand how the Earth works and how humans change it. • This science examines the Earth’s surface and the processes that shape it. • Geography especially looks at the relationship between people and the Earth’s physical environment. • To understand our relationship with the Earth, geographers ask questions and search for answers to problems. By exploring these problems, we can make better, wiser decisions.

33. What is Geography? • Geographers try to answer three questions: • Where are things located on Earth? • What are the connections between people and the Earth? • How can we illustrate this information to understand it better? • Geography has two main focuses: • The Earth’s physical geography (natural things) • The Earth’s human geography (people and things related to people such as cities)