Geography ToolsZombie-Based LearningProject 01 - Lesson 01

De Geograaf (The Geographer) by JOHANNES VERMEER - 1669

Introduction

Geographers use all sorts of tools to help them investigate their questions.Some common tools they use are:

MapsGlobesAtlasesAerial PhotographsSatellite PhotographsInformation GraphicsGIS (Geographic Information Systems)

Maps

A map is a flat representation of a part of Earth.

Maps

Geographers use many types of maps

Maps can show lots of different information, including locations of places in the world.

Maps use projection to display a round object (Earth) on a flat surface (map)

Cartographers (map makers) have long struggled to find the most accurate projection to use on maps.

Image courtesy of TeXample.net Creative Commons Attribution 2.5

Atlas

An atlas is a book of maps.

Atlas

An atlas contains maps of the world or a region of the world

Some atlases also include more information about the places they include in the maps

Atlases can be very helpful for traveling, instead of bringing many maps, you can bring one atlas.

Globe

A globe is a model of the Earth used to avoid distortions in spatial relations on the world.

Globe

Maps of the world are distorted during the process of plotting a round object on a flat surface

A globe is round, so it remains accurate

The globe provides an accurate scale of how far apart locations are

A globe can be used to compare the size of different locations

Aerial Photography

Aerial photographs are photographs taken from the sky and used to take measurements or create maps

Aerial Photographs

Aerial photographs can be taken from airplanes, balloons, or even kites.

You can download satellite photos from USGS at http://www.earthexplorer.usgs.gov

Satellite Photographs

Satellite photos are like aerial photos but taken from space.

Information Graphics

Information graphics or infographics are visual representations of data.

Infographics

Infographics show information using pictures or symbols

They can be as simple as a bar graph or they can be very complex

GIS (Geographic Information System)

GIS is a computer based program used to store, manage, and analyze data.

GIS (Geographic Information System)A GIS map is more than a map because it can pull up a lot of informationGeographers use GIS to help make decisionsImagine you wanted to make sure schools were not near any factories that might pollute the air

With a GIS mapping, geographers can use the database (place that stores information) to show where all the schools are and also show where all the the factories areThe GIS helps geographers see how information relates to locations

Reflection

What are some examples of how you would use these geography tools?