Geography and Landforms

Unit Review Sheet

Facts and Definitions

Lesson 1: Maps of All Kinds

• Maps can represent the physical world in a variety of ways.
• The key or legend of a map explains what the symbols, colors, and patterns on the map represent.
• Maps contain specific kinds of information; when you need to know a particular kind of information, it is important that you consult the right kind of map!
• A political map shows the boundaries between countries, states, regions, and major cities.
• A physical map shows the natural features of a region.
• A historical map shows events or places from the past.
• A climate map shows information about temperature, precipitation, and other weather patterns.
• A natural resource map shows the location of different natural resources.
• A population density map shows the amount of people who live in a particular area.
• A topographical mapshows the elevation of the land and the shape of the Earth's surface.
• A road map shows the streets and highways of a region.

Lesson 2: What Is Geography?

• Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth and the ways in which humans both change and are influenced by the world around them.
• Maps can represent the physical world in a variety of different ways.
• Know the definitions of the following terms: physical geography, human geography, equator, latitude lines, longitude lines, Prime Meridian, globe, scale, and cartography.

Lesson 3: Landforms

• Landforms are natural features of the Earth's surface.
• The theory of continental drift explains that the continents have moved slowly over time to their current locations, shaping many features of the Earth's surface. This movement has caused continents to break apart and come together, forming mountains, oceans, and other landforms.
• Erosion is the gradual wearing away of rock and soil from the Earth's surface.
• Deltas are flat, triangular plains that form when silt (fine particles of soil) is deposited near the mouth of a river.
• Understand the features and differences among islands, peninsulas, isthmuses, straits, bays, and fjords. Be able to identify and describe each landform and body of water.

Lesson 4: Representing Landforms on Maps

• Surveyors have specialized tools and procedures for measuring the height of features of the Earth's surface.
• Relief maps, color-coded maps, and contour maps can all show changes in elevation (the height of features like valleys, hills, and mountains).

Lesson 5: Human Geography

• Human populations can most easily thrive in areas that have a hospitable climate, access to water, land or water routes that will facilitate transportation, and other geographical features that help provide for people's needs.
• Humans migrate to different parts of the world. Some settle in sparsely populated rural areas while others settle in densely populated urban areas.
• Humans benefit from some of the geographical features of their environments and face challenges posed by others. Humans also adapt their environments to meet their needs and alter those environments through their actions.

Lesson 6: Interacting with the Land

• The environment provides natural resources that meet humans' basic needs: water, air, food, the raw materials needed for fuel and to make clothing, tools, housing, and other necessary and/or useful items.
• Air, water, plants, animals, rocks, and minerals are all examples of natural resources.
• Naturally occurring resources in the local environment can include both renewable resources and non-renewable resources.
• Renewable resources are either impossible to exhaust (like the wind or sunlight) or can be replaced by the environment relatively quickly.
• Non-renewable resources exist in limited quantities on Earth and either cannot be replaced or can be replaced only through very slow processes.
• The landforms, water forms, and climate of a region can determine the kinds of natural resources that are available for human use.

Lesson 7: Water Everywhere

• Humans use water for drinking, irrigation, washing, industrial use, transportation, as a source of power, and for recreation.
• Watersheds are areas of land that drain into a common body of water. The actions of humans can affect the watershed in positive or negative ways.
• Water for home use can come from municipal or private water systems or from private wells. Wastewater can flow into sewer systems or septic systems.
• Families use water for many of their daily activities and can make choices to conserve water.
• The major oceans on our planet are the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic and Indian.

Lesson 8: World Map - Part I

• Geographical features impact countries politically and economically.
• Geographical features and natural resources influence the development of cultures and settlement patterns.

Lesson 9: World Map - Part II

• Africa has struggled with many obstacles but is improving.
• The Middle East has struggled with territory issues and immigration because of country borders that were put on the map by Great Britain.
• North and South Korea have different allies, different forms of government, and a history of conflict.

Final Project: Local Geography Book

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