Introduction to
Canadian Geography
Developing a Sense of Place

Think about a special place in the world that holds an important
meaning for you.

What was it about the landscape, building, history and/or people
that made this place special?

A “Sense of Place” is what makes a place special or unique. This
involves our knowledge of the place and our understanding of
how people interact within the space.
Three Key Questions

Geographers develop a sense of place by asking 3 key geographic
questions.

These questions include:
What is Where?
Why There?
Why Care?
Key Terms to Review

Absolute Location – where something is located in terms of latitude and
longitude

Relative Location – where something is located in relation to other
geographic features

Ecosystem – a community of living things and the physical environment in
which they live
Four Important Geographic Concepts

Interrelationships

Spatial Significance

Patterns and Trends

Geographic Perspective
*Remember to review your glossary at the beginning of this unit to
check your understanding of these terms.
Things to consider….

How can a sense of place help you identify an issue
and understand why it is important?

Can you describe on geographic pattern and one
geographic trend that you have noticed where you
live?
Aboriginal Peoples & Geographic Thinking

Throughout this course you will learn about the deep knowledge
and respect the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit peoples have for the
land.

This is as a result of hundreds of generations learning how to survive
on the challenging land.

The Aboriginal peoples knew where and how to catch fish and
hunt animals, where to search for plants and animals in each
season, how to prepare food and clothing for harsh winters and
how to travel across land and water.
Questions Geographers Might Ask
About Aboriginal Peoples and Their
Relationships to the Land…

How did access to natural resources, such as plants and animals affect the
Aboriginal peoples’ lifestyles? (Interrelationships)

Why did Aboriginal peoples choose to live where they did? (Spatial
significance)

Do Aboriginal communities still live as their ancestors did? (Patterns and
trends)

Why might Aboriginal communities view resource development differently
from other Canadians? (Geographic perspective)