UNIT 1:
GEOGRAPHY 101

Geography

Geography is the study of Earth’s landscapes, peoples, places and environments.  It is the link between social studies and science.  When we study geography, we learn about:
  • The places and communities in which we live and work
  • Our natural environments and the pressures they face
  • How the places in our world are connected with each other 
  • How and why the world is changing, globally and locally
  • How our actions as individuals and as a society contribute to those changes
  • The choices that exist in managing our world for the future
  • The importance of location in business and decision-making

It is important to study Geography because:
  • It helps us to understand nature and the environment
  • It helps us to understand how different cultures develop
  • It helps us with navigation and managing satellites 
  • It helps us to find and utilize natural resources
  • It helps us understand landforms and the distribution of people
  • It helps us to understand the weather so that we can prepare for natural disasters and conduct business
  • It helps us to appreciate life
  • It helps to to appreciate the beauty in our world

In the Lessons of Topic 1 Geography 101, you will learn to:
  • Read a political map and identify major places on a political map.
  • Read a physical map and examine how landforms and bodies of water affect the people of a region.
  • Identify the topic or purpose of a thematic map and create a thematic map with a specific purpose.
  • Find a location on a map using latitude and longitude.
  • Identify trends in geographical regions.

TOOL BOX

The Toolbox contains all the definitions of bolded words in the order in which they appear.
Geography:  the study of Earth’s landscapes, peoples, places and environments

natural resources:  things found in nature that are valuable to people

geographical region:  a large area on the surface of the Earth that has a feature or characteristic that sets it apart from surrounding areas

Table of Contents

Click on the titles below to go to that lesson module.

Lesson 1:  Political Maps

In this lesson, you will learn about Political Maps.  You will also learn to identify the major continents, oceans, countries, and states within the United States.

Lesson 2:  Physical Maps

In this lesson, you will learn about Physical Maps.  You will also learn to identify major landforms and biomes. 

Lesson 3:  Thematic Maps and Map Skills

In this lesson, you will learn about Thematic Maps and Map Skills such like map terminologies, reading a legend, determining direction with a compass rose, and finding a location with latitude and longitude.  You will also learn to use thematic maps to gather information.