What is geography? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Definitions Parts of geography Parts of geography in 5 themes and 6 essential elements Jobs of geographers Do you think like a geographer? Misconceptions of geography 1. Definition Patricia Gober, Past-President of Association of American Geographers: Geography is more than a repository of place facts. It encompasses the dynamic interactions that give character to places, the spatial organization of human activity and natural processes on the surface of the Earth, and the influence that places have on a wide range of natural and human events. Royal Geographical Society http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/freethinking2006/pip/hcb0r -1 hour lecture why geography is essential in the future of our world 2. Parts of geography Common organization: Jeff Lee, Texas Tech University 2. Parts of geography (cont’d) Many geography departments have this organization 2. Parts of geography (cont’d) 2. Parts of geography (cont’d) 2. Parts of geography (cont’d) 3. Parts of geography in the K-12 World: 5 themes Five Themes of Geography (thinking like a geographer) Location: Where is it located? Absolute and Relative Place: What is it like there? Human Environment Interaction: How do people relate to their environment? Movement: How are people, goods, and ideas moved? Regions: How are areas linked together? Relative Location Absolute Location Clear Placement on Geographic Grid Five Themes of Geography: This will be covered in detail in several lessons for your students that help them learn to think geographically. Location: Where is it located? Absolute and Relative Place: What is it like there? Human Environment Interaction: How do people relate to their environment? Movement: How are people, goods, and ideas moved? Regions: How are areas linked together? 3. Parts of geography in the K-12 World: content of geography Six Essential Elements (16 national standards of geography) http://www.ncge.org/publications/tutorial/standards/ THE WORLD IN SPATIAL TERMS PLACES AND REGIONS PHYSICAL SYSTEMS HUMAN SYSTEMS ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY THE USES OF GEOGRAPHY STANDARD 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information. STANDARD 2: How to use mental maps to organize information about people, places, and environments. STANDARD 3: How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface. In Arizona, this is Concept 1 STANDARD 4: The physical and human characteristics of places. STANDARD 5: That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity. STANDARD 6: How culture and experience influence people's perception of places and regions. In Arizona, this Is concept 2 STANDARD 7: The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface. STANDARD 8: The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface. In Arizona, this is concept 3 and is linked to science STANDARD 9: The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface. STANDARD 10: The characteristics, distributions, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics. STANDARD 11: The patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth's surface. STANDARD 12: The process, patterns, and functions of human settlement. STANDARD 13: How forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface. In Arizona, this is concept 4 STANDARD 14: How human actions modify the physical environment. STANDARD 15: How physical systems affect human systems. STANDARD 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources. in Arizona, this is concept 5 STANDARD 17: How to apply geography to interpret the past. STANDARD 18: To apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future. in Arizona this is concept 6 Great Review Online (free with registration) What is geography? 1. 2. 3. Definitions Parts of geography Parts of geography in 5 themes and 6 elements Now: real examples … 4. 5. 6. Jobs of geographers Do you think like a geographer? Misconceptions of geography 4. Jobs of Geographers The U.S. Bureau of Labor latest report: http://www.bls.gov/opub/ooq/20 05/ spring/art01.pdf One of the hottest job opportunities rest in geography, and this website is a great portal: http://www.geospatialcareers.net/ The concept of GIS is very old – Snow’s Study of London Importance to Cities From the BLM to the NIH Hundreds of Job Titles Involve Geography 4. Jobs of Geographers – 1/10th of the list of job titles Aerial Photo Interpreter Air Pollution Specialist for a regional air quality district Airline Cargo Marketing Executive Appraiser for a real estate corporation Avalanche Specialist in a U.S. National Forest Business Analyst in a corporation Cartographer Climatologist Colonel in the U.S. Army Community Development Analyst Computer Mapping Specialist Demographer Demographic Analyst for a county Director of Planning and Zoning for a township Economic Development Analyst More Examples Environment Planner for a state department of transportation Environmental Scientist Geographer at the Smithsonian Institution Geographer at the U.S. Bureau of the Census Geographer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Geographer for the U.S. Forest Service Geographer, Consulting Geographer in a corporation Geographic Specialist at the U.S. Department of State GIS Analyst in a corporation GIS Program Manager for a county dept of information and administrative services Land Use Planner for a city Yet More Examples Map Librarian Meteorologist at the U.S. National Weather Service or on Television Meteorologist, Television Planner, County – City – Urban – Transportation - Region Planning Information Director for a county Ranger in a U.S. National Park Real Estate Research Analyst for a corporation Resources Planner for as state Teacher Transportation Planner for City – County - State Transportation Planner for a county transit district Water Resource Specialist for a state environment department Zoning Administrator 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you want your students to be aware of a growing field that is founded on a basic need: to understand Earth and its changes. 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you enjoy being outside and thinking about how nature and people connect. Mt. Everest region: avoiding building homes where landslides occur Coastal California: building homes where landslides occur and re-occur 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you are interested in solving real problems, that move from place to place. Macedonia: Woman’s March School in Sudan 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you are interested in solving real problems, that spread across Earth. Cyber Café, Benin 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you are interested in solving real problems, that connect people and environment. Understand changes in attitudes Preserves, Phoenix 5. Do you think like a geographer? You are interested in "big" questions about Earth: Why is this city here and why does it grow, fail, decay the way it does? 5. Do you think like a geographer? You are interested in "big" questions: Why does it landslide here and why do Californians ignore these risks. Laguna Beach 1978 and again in 2005 5. Do you think like a geographer? You are interested in "big" questions about Earth: Worries over global warming, and yet people keep coming to Phoenix? 5. Do you think like a geographer? Yes, if you share the view that knowledge should connect together, rather than be isolated pieces. 5. Do you think like a geographer? Geography is to place like history is to time. Geography focuses on connections of topics that make places special. 5. Do you think like a geographer? 6. Misconceptions about Geography Number 1 misconception. That geography focuses on country names and capitals... and that the geography bee will follow you through life.... Place names are to geography like... - memorizing birthdays are to historians, - the alphabet is to interpreting Shakespeare, - a phoneme is to reading comprehension - picking the right color is to art go to www.youtube.com & search for these titles Knowing states, countries, capitals are important: •but geography is more than memorizing facts •Not many geographers can name all the countries or capitals off the top of their head… •Maps: A common tool used by geographers to organize, display, and analyze their findings or other data •Where things are is an important question in geography, but leads to deeper questions of “why” and “so what?” Geography combats notions like this! Misconceptions about Geography 2. That geography has nothing to do with key life choices such as: long commutes urban trends Misconceptions about Geography 2. That geography has nothing to do with key life choices such as buying condos houses in places known to flood and crack Misconceptions about Geography 3. That geography has nothing to do with enriching the vacations you take… Hawaii Trip: Do you stay at the cheap hotel facing the trade winds or the more expensive condo on the rainshadow side? Does global politics affect where you feel safe when you save up to travel internationally? Misconceptions about Geography 4. That other academic standards focus on environmental issues... No! Geography is the central subject that explores and connects on how people affect the environment and how the environment affects people. Misconceptions about Geography 5. Geographers only make maps... Yes we do. Computers can make mistakes! Misconceptions about Geography 5. Geographers only make maps... yes... We do, but... not only. The ways we portray spatial data can get exciting Example of new cartographer: Rob Edsall at ASU and Mark Harrower at Univ of Wisconsin http://www.geography.wisc.edu/~harrower/history_animation.html Internet is ideal Misconceptions about Geography 6. Some well intentioned folks think that geography can be taught within history by just showing maps... [can a geography class teach History just by showing a timeline?] Misconceptions about Geography 7. Geography only teaches boring stuff and not why the great masses in America (and those avoiding geography) maintain silly notions about our world... for evidence… Google video ‘American Geography’ Misconceptions about Geography 8. Learning about cool places in cool movies, about the places you drive on near to home, and far away, how our land changes, has nothing to do NCLB and annual yearly progress. Conclusions Geography focuses on the themes of space and place, of how to think spatially College geography is exploding with student opportunities in employment Geographers think in terms of the core classes you will take (physical, human, techniques), but still with a focus on regions (world, North America)