Geography: A Social Studies Guide

Geography is the study of the Earth, land, and water. Geography is also about how people, plants, and animals live on Earth and how they use it. People depend on water and land for their work and fun.

Landforms

There are many different forms of land and water on Earth. Below is a guide to some of the most common landforms on Earth.

A plain is a large area of flat land. Mountains are the highest, peaked land. A plateau is high, flat land raised above the land surrounding it. Hills are raised, rounded land. Valleys are low, narrow land between mountains or hills. A peninsula is a piece of land with water on three sides. An island is surrounded by water on all sides. Rivers are large, narrow bodies of water flowing over land. A lake is a body of water surrounded by land. A pond is a small body of water, smaller than a lake. A delta is land shaped like a triangle and made by sand and mud at the mouth of a river. Oceans are the largest bodies of salt water.

Landform Maps

Landform maps include a map key which depicts where the hills, mountains, islands, plains, plateaus, and valleys are, as well as the state capital.

Map Directions

A compass rose gives us cardinal directions (North, South, East, and West) to help us locate map places. Intermediate directions are between two cardinal directions (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest).

Go Green

Environment includes water, air, land, and the living things that surround us. To recycle is to take a thrown-about item and use it again, such as aluminum or paper. Pollution is anything that harms the land, air, or water. Planting flowers and trees help cut down on pollution. A natural resource is anything found in nature that is useful to people, such as plants, water, soil, and air. Soil contains minerals that plants can use and oil & metal that people can use. People are vital in protecting Earths' natural resources.

Climate

Climate is the kind of weather a place usually has, its average temperature and amount of rain & wind. Climate changes from one region to another, within some states and continents.

Hemispheres

The equator is an imaginary line around Earth's middle. It divides Earth into Northern & Southern hemispheres. There are four hemispheres: Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern. North America is located in the Northern and Western Hemispheres. Africa is in the Eastern Hemisphere. The Western Hemisphere includes North America, South America, and Antarctica. The South Pole is at the center of the Southern Hemisphere.

Latitude & Longitude

Certain lines help you find places on a map. Latitude lines, or parallels, are measured in degrees North and South of the equator. Longitude lines, or meridians, are measured in degrees East and West of the Prime Meridian.