Foundational Themes in Teaching and Learning Geography

LESSON OBJECTIVES 1. Discuss how each of the basic geographic skills is applied in geographic study. 2. Locate appropriately places in maps by applying the concepts of absolute and relative location. 3. Explain the relationship between man and his environment. 4. Describe the characteristics and relationships of selected places. 5. Distinguish the characteristics of the three types of regions. Chapter 2 Foundational Themes in Teaching and Learning Geography Prof Gritzner (2003) writes that in the early 1980 s, a Joint Committee on Geographic Education (in the U.S.A.) agreed on five themes that should serve as the foundation of geographic study. These themes are not necessarily different from the four traditions of geography ; rather, these themes (as mentioned in the previous chapter) are adopted for general education purposes. This article provides details as to how these themes could clarify our understanding of geography. T he word "geography" conveys a rather fuzzy image to many peoples. When thinking "geography," many things may come to the non-geographer's mind. To many people, geography connotes the laborious memorization of states, capitals, leading products, and other trivial data. When taught as geotrivia, the subject becomes a load on the memory, rather than a meaningful light in a student's mind. Others, particularly many teachers of history and social studies, restrict the meaning of geography to aspects of Earth's physical elements--its landforms, weather and climate, plant and animal life, water features, and so on. In still other instances, "teaching geography" simply means occasionally using wall maps to point out the location of places. Geographic educators are sensitive to the fact that the science suffers from limited public understanding. When the nature of geography is not known and the vital contributions of geographic awareness remain vague to educators, geography is diminished as a classroom subject. Paradoxically, while geography thrives in the nation's colleges and universities, the subject has languished during most of the 20th century. Much of the problem can be attributed to geographers' inability--at least until recently--to present a clear, concise, and relevant agenda for their discipline as a classroom subject. Geography is somewhat unique among the sciences. Similar to history, geography is a field of study based on a distinct way of organizing and analyzing information, rather than on the study of a particular phenomenon, or a discrete body of information. Historians use the temporal methodology in asking "when"; geographers employ a spatial methodology, asking "where?" in reference to places and conditions on Earth's surface. Describing and explaining patterns of spatial organization--the distribution of Earth's physical and cultural features--is fundamental to geographic inquiry. Fundamentally, geographers seek to know and to explain what is where, why there, and why care in regard to the varied features of Earth's surface. This is a difficult and challenging task. Geographic study 9

entails a vast body of factual information (far more than any individual can master) and involves the application of numerous concepts. Most geography educators recognize the futility of an attempt to teach the world (or any area thereof) in factual detail. Geography instruction, to be most effective, must focus on the development of geographic concepts and fundamental skills such as map reading. Founded on this conviction, a Joint Committee on Geographic Education of the National Council for Geographic Education and the Association of American Geographers was formed in the early l980s. It was this committee that developed guidelines for teaching geography as a dynamic, conceptually based science, Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary School (l984). The landmark publication presented five fundamental themes (concepts) that are foundational to the teaching and learning of geography: location, place, interaction, movement, and region. The five themes help answer questions that are essential to understanding the complex mosaic of spatial patterns formed by the distribution of Earth's varied natural and human features. 1. Location answers the question "Where is it?" with reference to the specific or relative position of places on Earth's surface. Where are you at this moment? In how many ways can your location be described? As teachers, we are constantly describing the location of places. In so doing, we are using the most basic of all geographic concepts. 2. Place helps answers the question "What is there? What is it like?" Features and conditions of place--both physical and human--give meaning and character that set each place on Earth's surface apart from all others. What are the major natural features where you live? How would you describe the population and settlement patterns in your area? How are the land and other resources used? What aspects of culture--language, religion, social patterns, political system, and economic activity-- are important there? 3. Understanding Interaction between humans and natural environments they occupy often helps to explain the nature of places, "How do people and places affect each other?" All places have certain advantages and disadvantages for human land use and settlement. Each culture establishes its own unique relationship to the physical Earth. Each human group, based on its needs, tools and skills, and perceptions, culturally adapts to, uses, and modifies the natural environment in some way. In so doing, it creates its own distinct imprint on the land, the cultural landscape. In what chief ways have we culturally adapted to our natural environment? What are our important resources? Do we use the environment in the same way as did earlier residents of the area? How have we changed the natural environment? 4. Movement explains "How are places connected or linked?" What comes and what goes, from and to where, and why? The concept establishes the importance of flow and linkages as people, ideas, resources, commodities, and other elements move from place to place over the earth. How is movement important to your community? What patterns of movement are evident within your area of residence? 10

5. Finally, the concept of Region addresses the question, "How can places be grouped?" Regions are the basic unit of geographic study. In terms of organizing and analyzing data, they are to the geographer what the period or era is to the historian--a means of simplifying the classification of information and placing it in manageable units. In what major regions is your area included? Whether teaching geography, history, global studies, or social studies, the five geographic themes provide a sound conceptual framework for the study of Earth's diverse physical and human conditions. Basic Geographic Skills Geographic skills provide the necessary tools and techniques that enable us to think geographically. They are essential to understanding physical and human patterns and processes in our world. They are central to our ability to engage in geographic inquiry and to think critically about phenomena on Earth. Geographic skills should be taught systematically throughout a students' education. 1. Asking geographic questions: ability and willingness to ask questions 2. Acquiring geographic information: locate, collect, observe, read, record, interpret 3. Organizing geographic information: map, graph, tabulate, present, narrate 4. Analyzing geographic information: seek patterns, relationships, trends, and connections. 5. Answering geographic questions: development of generalizations and conclusions Location: Where is it? [Source: Tony Kirvan, 1997] As previously mentioned, location, may either be absolute/specific or relative. To describe Absolute Location, a grid system of imaginary lines for precisely locating places on the earth s surface is used. (See diagram at left) These lines are called parallel lines of latitudes and meridian lines of longitudes. Latitudes are lines that run horizontally across the globe; while longitudes are lines that run vertically across the globe. The equator is the latitudinal line that divides the earth into the north and south hemispheres. The prime meridian is the longitudinal line that divides the earth into east and west hemispheres. (See diagram in the next page) Sometimes this line is called Greenwich meridian line because the line runs through Greenwich, England. (Arreola, et.al., 2003) 11

[Source: Graphic Maps, 2009] To locate places either in the north or south hemisphere, geographers identify first the equator, which is designated as the zero-degree line of latitude. Hereon, all places above it is designated a north location, and all places below it is designated a south location. A latitude is actually an angular measurement in degrees (marked with ) ranging from 0 at the equator to 90 at the poles (90 N or +90 for the North Pole and 90 S or 90 for the South Pole). (Wikipedia, 2009) To locate places either in the east or west hemisphere, geographers identify first the prime meridian, which is the zero-degree line for longitude. From this line, all places on its right is designated an east location, and all places on its left is designated a west location. Like the latitude, longitudinal lines are expressed in degrees ranging from 0 at the prime meridian to 180 towards the east and west. See hemisphere maps below. [Source: Graphic Maps, 2009] 12

An absolute location may be likened to a person s postal address, say OE-547, Densi, Tawang, La Trinidad Benguet, 2601 Philippines. Assuming the said address really exists, if you were to send a letter or a package to such address, there is little doubt that the mailman or the delivery man would find the precise location of the residence as indicated by the address. So, when a geographer gives the precise location of a place, he or she would normally read the angular measurements based on the grid system. For example, the absolute location of Manila Philippines is, 14 35 0 N, 121 0 0 E. (This is read as 14 degrees 35 minutes North, 121 degrees East) Thus, the lines of latitude and longitude crossing each other are used to name the precise location of places, in that such absolute location can never change. To describe Relative Location, a place is considered with reference to the environment surrounding it. For example, the Provincial Capitol of Benguet is 1 km north of the Municipal Hall of Benguet. Other things that may help you locate places could be the roads leading to a place, the landmarks close to it, or the distance and time traveled to reach such place. Study the hypothetical map below and answer the questions that follow. [Source: edhelper.com] With modifications 13

1. Along what street is the Police Station located? 2. At the corner of the Miller and Grand Streets, is the located. 3. East of the is House 180; south of it is House 3, and southeast of it is House 140. 4. Two kilometers from the intersection of Smith Way and Roth Street, passing by House 170 is the located. 5. Between the Shop and Hospital is the located. In summary, every place has many relative locations, which can change over time. Ways to identify relative location could be through (a) direction: [Baguio City is south of La Trinidad]; (b) distances: [Baguio City is 130 miles from Manila]; (c) nearness to resources: [La Trinidad has a river that provides water for farms]; and, (d) nearness to trade routes: [Baguio City could be reached from the nearby provinces of Pangasinan and La Union via the Kennon Road, Marcos Highway, and Naguilan Road]. (William, 2000) Place: What is there? Every place on earth has a combination of physical and cultural characteristics. If location points to where a place is, the theme of place describes the geographic elements that make up a place. The physical characteristics of a place include landforms, bodies of water, climate, animal life, vegetation, soil, altitude, etc. The human elements of place include government, cities, religion, language, ethnic groups, art, literature, tools, laws, customs, lifestyles, population, beliefs, economy, types of agriculture, architecture, etc. (all aspects of human activity) Consider the picture below. Identify the physical and cultural characteristics of the place. 14

Human-Environment Interaction: How do people and places affect each other? Nationalgeographic.com (2003) explains that: The environment means different things to different people, depending on their cultural backgrounds and technological resources. In studying human/environment interaction, geographers look at all the effects positive and negative that occur when people interact with their surroundings. Sometimes a human act, such as damming a river to prevent flooding or to provide irrigation, requires consideration of the potential consequences. The construction of [Ambuclao Dam on Agno River], for example, changed the natural landscape, but it also created a reservoir that helps provide water and electric power for [Northern Luzon, Philippines]. Studying the consequences of human/environment interaction helps people plan and manage the environment responsibly. It could be summarized then that in studying human-environment interaction, the following important concepts are considered: (a) All places have advantages and disadvantages for humans; (b) people have adapted to their physical surroundings; (c) people have changed their physical surroundings (some changes have been intentional, some have been accidental); and, (d) interactions between man and their environment have positive and negative consequences. (William, 2000) See the picture below. Describe how man altered the natural environment. What are the possible consequences of such alteration to both humans and nature? 15

Movement: How are places linked? Arreola, et. al. (2003) explain that geographers are interested in the way people, goods, and ideas move from place to place. Imagine how newspapers circulate from its source then to distant communities, the favorite music and songs you listen to, or the places you go to for rest and recreation. All of these things involve movement from one place to another. Arreola, et.al further add that geographers basically analyze three types of distance: linear distance, time distance, and psychological distance. Linear distance simply means how far across the earth a person, an idea, or a product travels. Physical geography can affect linear distance by forcing a shift in a route to avoid impassable land or water. Time distance is the amount of time it takes for a person, an idea, or a product to travel. Modern inventions have shortened time distances. For example, in the 1800 s, [travelers could reach Spain from the Philippines after months of travel. Today, it would take you few days to get there by airplane.] With the use of the Internet, ideas can travel around the world in seconds. Psychological distance refers to the way people view distance. When you were younger, some locations seemed very far away. As you grew older, the distance to these locations probably seemed to shrink. Psychological distance may influence decisions about many different human activities. Study the map and its caption below. What is it trying to convey? Why are people moving out of Iraq? Why are there no refugees relocating to Israel? [Source: Dominican Life.org, 2009] With modifications [ISRAEL] 0 The Iraqi refugee crisis is the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. - AFSC March 2008 16

Region: How can places be grouped? Nationalgeographic.com (2003) explains that: a basic unit of geographic study is the region, an area on the earth s surface that is defined by certain unifying characteristics. The unifying characteristics may be physical, human, or cultural. In addition to studying the unifying characteristics of a region, geographers study how a region changes over times. Using the theme of regions, geographers divide the world into manageable units for study. William (2000) further adds that a region may vary in size. One area may be part of many different regions; thus, boundaries of regions may overlap. Geographers divide regions based on physical or cultural characteristics of places. Such regions may be categorized as formal, functional, or perceptual regions. (Arreola, et.al, 2003) Formal region is defined by a number of related characteristics. For example, the Sahel region of Africa is a desert area characterized by specific climate, vegetation, and land use patterns. [In World Regional Geography], the following may be considered formal regions: North America, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Europe, East Asia, and South Asia. Functional region is organized around a set of interactions and connections between places. It is usually characterized by a hub, or central place, and links to such central place. For example, a city and its suburbs may form a functional region. Because the city and its suburbs are connected by a great deal of movement back and forth (through transportations systems), they form a functional region. Perceptual region is a region in which people perceive, or see, the characteristics of the region in the same way. However, the set of characteristics may not be precisely the same for all people. For example, although many people are familiar with [Mindanao as a major region of the Philippine Islands, they sometimes differ on how they define such region. Some think that most of Mindanao is dominated by Muslims. Others think that only the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is inhabited by Muslims.] 17