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0905.818.7518
Website: http://www.hnu.edu.ph / hnuisped@gmail.com
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1st Grading Period - Lesson 1

Learning Competencies:
 Examining the basic concept of Geography.
 Determine the meaning, branches, and themes of geography.
 Share the importance of a good human-environment interaction for sustainable
development.
What is Geography?
 Geography came from the Greek word geographia, which mean “description
of logical the Earth.”
 It is the scientific study of the physical, features of the Earth.
 It is also involves the analysis of the distribution and interaction of different
physical, biological, and cultural characteristics of thing on the surface of the
Earth.
Eratosthenes was a Greek scientist, mathematician, and astronomer who is known as
the “Father of Geography,” as he did many pioneering studies in the field. He was also
known to have coined the term geographia.
Heredotus
 He was the first and foremost historian and is regarded as the “father of history”
 He placed historical events in a geopraphical setting; some of his writings are
truly geographical in character.
 He not only described geographical phenomena as, for example, the annual flow
of the Nile but also attempted to explain them.
 He was also one of the pioneer geographers.
FIVE THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY
I. Location
 It answers the question “Where is it?’’
 This theme is used in identifying the site and the distribution of people and
places on Earth.
 It can be absolute or relative
1. Absolute Location
 Absolute location is determined by the intersection of the line of latitude
and the line of longitude. This system of identifying location is called the
grid system.

 Absolute location provides a definite references to locate a place.

 The reference can be latitude and longitude (grid system), a street

address, or even the Township and Range system.

 Today, the global positioning system (GPS) provides a pinpoint accuracy

in locating a specific place. It uses satellite technology

Tools used in Finding Absolute Location

World Map

Globe
 Compass

To determine absolute location. Geographers use a network of imaginary lines around

the earth.
Longitudes Lines:
 Are imaginary that run from north to south
 A set of imaginary lines measuring the distance between east and west
 Also known as meridian
 The Prime Meridian passing in Greenwich, England, is used as the reference
point (zero degrees longitude)
 The international date Line is where the east and west lines meet (180 degree
West)
  Has a total of 360
Latitudes Lines
 Made of horizontal line on a map or globe that run from east to west
 Measures the distance north and south of the equator
 Also known as parallel
 The equator divides the planet onto Northern and Southern Hemispheres, also
designated as zero-degree latitude.
 The distance from the equator to the North Pole is 90 degree and to the South
Pole
Special Latitude Lines
 The Tropic of Cancer is the farthest northern latitude at which situated 23.5
degrees north of equator, marks the northern limit of the sun’s direct vertical rays.
 The Tropic of Capricorn is the farthest southern latitude situated 23.5 degrees
south of equator, marks the southern limit of the sun’s intense vertical rays.
 The Artic Circle located at 66.5 degrees north delineates the Northern Frigid
Zone of the earth and marks the limits of the sun’s tangential rays in the Northern
Hemisphere on June 22.
 The Antartic Circle located at 66.5 degrees south delineates the Southern Frigid
Zone of the earth and marks the limits of the sun’s tangential rays in the
Southern Hemisphere on December 22.

2. Relative Location

 It is determined by identifying the location of a person or place in

relation to the things or places around it.
 Relative location describes a place with respect to its environment and
its connection to other places.
 It is using points of reference to establish its location
 For example, the Philippines is located in Southeast Asia. It is north of
Indonesia and east of Vietnam.

II. Place
 Place describes the human and physical characteristics of a location.
 Physical characteristics include a description such things as the
mountains, rivers, beaches, topography, and animal and plant life of a
place.
 Human characteristics or Cultural Characteristics include the
human-designed cultural features of a place, from land use and
architecture to forms of livelihood and religion to food and folk ways to
transportation and communication networks.
  For example, Greece is a peninsula that is dominated by rough
mountains and narrow valleys and its people are wise, while
Switzerland is a landlocked country, and the people are hospitable.

III. Human -Environment Interaction

 It answers the question “What is the relationship between human and their
environment?”
 This theme considers how human adapt to and modify the environment.
 Humans shape the landscape through their interaction with the land; this
has both positive and negative effects on the environment.
 The rice terraces found in some countries in Southeast Asia are examples
of how people carved the sides of mountains to create ladders of
agricultural plants crops.

IV. Movement
 Answer the question” Why and how are places related to one another?”
 This theme discusses how the movement of humans, ideas, things, and
other physical systems, such as air, affect human interaction in different
places.
 It has made a special impact in history because of the people’s way of
living and the transfer of goods or ideas from one community to another.
 Interconnectedness of the World
 Globalization – facilitates movement of people. Goods from place to place,
ideas and etc.
 Social Media Platforms like facebook can also transfer ideas from other
side of the world.
 Geographers examine the movement of humans, ideas , and things
through three kinds of distance:
o Linear distance- answer the question” How Far?”
o Distance of time- answer the question “How long is the
travel?’’
o Psychological distance – refers to the distance as
perceived by humans.

V. Region
 Answer the question “How are places similar of different?’’
 The concept of region is anchored on the grouping of places based on
common characteristics.
 Region divides the world into manageable units for geographic study.
For example, Europe is often divided into Western Europe and Eastern
Europe.
 The world is divided into different regions based upon similarities:
Climate, location, beliefs, language, and ethnic group or race
Types of region:
 Formal- Most common determined by location, climate, and religion
Examples: Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama),
Latin America (Spanish Speaking Countries), Tropics (Countries located in
the equator)
 Functional – Serves a purpose since it is used in distributing of goods and
movement of people
Example: Panama Canal and Hollywood
 Perceptual- Provoke a certain stereotype or feeling
Example: Ghetto and Chinatown

https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geophysics/map.htm