Introduction to Geography

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Have you ever gone on a road trip? Climbed a hill or mountain? Observed the weather? Played in your backyard?

If you can answer "Yes" to any of those questions, then you already are a geographer!

A geographer is someone who studies geography. Geography examines the earth's physical features, climate, and distribution of plants, animals, and human populations.

Take a closer look at the overall use of geography as you watch the following video.

Print Introduction to Geography, found in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.

Fill it out while watching the remaining videos and reading the articles throughout the lesson.

Geography Introduction

Dig into more of the specifics with this next video.

Geography Tools

Read What Tools Are Used in Geography? to learn about the tools geographers use to do their jobs. Add important facts from this reading to your notes.

One of the more recent developments in tools used by geographers is the Global Positioning System, better known as GPS.

• How does your phone know where you are?

Watch the video below to find out!

Geography Levels

Geography is typically studied at three levels: local, regional, and global.

1. At the local level, geographers might study town, community, government, and transportation.

2. A region is defined as a part of the world that has one or more common features that distinguish it from surrounding areas. These common features can be either physical or human characteristics. An example of a region might be the western United States, northern Alaska, or a mountain or desert region.

Geographers at this level study the regions' characteristics and how regions worldwide may change over time.

3. Global geography is the study of the whole globe. Geographers at this level study the world and try to find relationships among people who inhabit different areas worldwide.

Geography Branches

While geography is studied at three different levels, it is also divided into two main branches: physical geography and human geography.

Read Human geography and physical geography for a further explanation. Continue to fill out your graphic organizer while reading!

Geography Themes

Geography is also categorized into five basic themes.

1. location
2. place
3. human-environment interaction
4. movement
5. regions

Read The Five Themes of Geography to learn more about each. Continue to fill out your graphic organizer while reading.

Geography Review

Review the themes one last time with the following video.

Now that you are getting the lay of the geographical land, move to the Got It? section to play geographer!