Activities in Human Geography

Deadlines

Each activity should be completed as each chapter in the course syllabus is completed. The only exception is Activity 3 in which you interview an international student. This is a long range, on-going activity. Please read the instructions for this activity now and start planning immediately. You will also upload a digital copy of your paper to Turnitin.com. See http://itsinfo.tamu.edu/turnitin for help.

Due dates are on the syllabus. Please realize that late, incomplete, or sloppy work will not be accepted. I will grade only quality work. Spelling, punctuation, penmanship, and clarity of writing and thinking are all important. All work must in in complete sentences unless otherwise noted.

TODALSIGs

When preparing maps, please be neat and accurate. Use colored pencils when possible. Be sure to include TODALSIGs on each map as needed:

T Title of map orientation.

O Orientation. Directions, i.e., north, south, east, west

D Date

A Author (YOU!)

L Legend. The key to your color scheme, symbols used, etc. This is VERY important.

S Scale. This is already evident on most maps used in this workbook.

I Index. Listing of names on a map. Not probably applicable here.

G Grid. Letters and numbers. Latitude and longitude. Again, not probably applicable here.
s Source. Where did you get the information you have used to prepare your map? Important to include references/bibliography.

Study Groups

I strongly recommend that you voluntarily form study groups with two or three other students. The primary goal of a study group is to provide each student with the support, encouragement, and assistance needed to progress academically. The members of a study group should meet outside of class to:

• review class notes and master the body of knowledge, skills and concepts emphasized in this course,

• study for exams so that all members of the group understand and master the knowledge, skills and concepts emphasized in this course,

• complete workbook assignments by working cooperatively, providing the support, encouragement, and assistance needed to make good academic progress, and

• let absent group members know what went on in class and interact informally during the semester within and between classes, discussing assignments, synthesizing the course content, and helping each other.

Each of you is INDIVIDUALLY ACCOUNTABLE for all assignments, however please write the name of each member of your study group on the Activity Cover Sheet when you hand activities in. Be sure to sign the Honor Code statement on each cover sheet.

Texas A&M University Student Rule 20.1.3 defines plagiarism as"Failing to credit sources used in a work product in an attempt to pass off the work as one’s own; Attempting to receive credit for work performed by another, including papers obtained in whole or in part from individuals or other sources." Plagiarism is one of the worst academic sins, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research cannot be safely communicated. The university plagiarism web site is available at http://library.tamu.edu/aggiehonor.

Hints by Activity

I will review these activities in class. As additional questions arise, I will post more information here. REMEMBER TO ATTACH A COVER SHEET TO EACH ASSIGNMENT.

Activity 1

Downloads: Activity 1 | Activity 1 Worksheet | Activity Cover Sheet | US Map

Be sure to use Census 2000 data available at http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/respop.html

The land area is available from the Statistical Abstract of the US on line using Acrobat Reader at http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/statab/sec06.pdf

Hints: There are a few stray pieces of geography which you need to be careful with.

• Do not forget to color the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as part of Michigan (NOT Wisconsin)
• Long Island, off the coast of New York, is part of New York, not Connecticut
• Do remember that Alaska and Hawaii are part of the United States and need to be colored
• Use the data only for the 50 states; Do not include Washington DC.
• Use the maps that are included in the packet to make your two products.
• Please do not label the states.

You are doing this correctly if you have acquired this data:

• Alaska: Land Area: 570,374 sq. mi.; Population: 626,932
• Arizona: Land Area: 113642 sq. mi.; Population: 5,130,632

You may round your numbers and only go to two decimals.

Activity 2

Downloads: Activity 2 | Activity 2 Worksheet |Activity Cover Sheet

Check out the web site http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/unitedst.htm for information on the United States. Remember, in most cases, these are judgment calls.

Remember, there are definite right and wrong answers on some of these. Listen in class for clues.

Probably one of the best and most reliable online resources is the CIA World Factbook

HINT: Read these two articles before making a judgment on China:

• Here is a newspaper article about ethnic troubles in China. Uni or multicultural?
• Here is an article entitled "Official Chinese? Easier Said than Done

Activity 3

Downloads: Activity 3 | Activity Cover Sheet

Please remember the most important part of this activity is how well you apply the concepts of human geography to understand another culture. It might help you to start by reviewing the key ideas we have talked about this semester. Then, develop a series of interview questions which will allow you to acquire information about these ideas in the context of your interviewees culture. If you ask your international student about politics in their country, read the chapters in Knox and Marston about political geography to help you understand the information you gathered from a geographic perspective.

Write your paper carefully. Make sure it makes sense, is well punctuated, isn't silly, and so on. Be skeptical about what you are told. The grading criteria are very clear so use them as a guide to your work. Incorporating the terminology and concepts geographers use is KEY to your success.

For those of you interested in seeing an OK Activity 3 paper--not great but ok--please download it here. Note that I have underlined key terms (very important) in red to draw attention to them and made notes in blue suggesting a few improvements. The name of the student who was interviewed has been blocked (XXXX) for anonymity here--I need you to provide me with real names and information. This is a low B paper but the only one I have in digital format to give you an example of what to write. Do not forget to include contact information for your student--phone, email address etc.

Download a student guide to turnitin.com.

Activity 4

Downloads: Activity 4 | Activity Cover Sheet| World Map

This is a relatively new activity so it is hard for me to judge the difficulties you might have with it. The web site you will be using is the International Crisis Group [http://www.crisisgroup.org] Remember, you will produce two maps, analyze the maps in answering Question 3, and doing more in depth research and analysis on three nations/locations in conflict. It will help you immensely to carefully read Chapter 9 in your textbook as you do this work.

Please note that there is a detailed map of Chechnya in your text on page 372. A map of the Basque country is available at http://encarta.msn.com/map_701510821/Basque_Country.html. CrisisWatch has map resources as well on their website.

Be sure to label both maps and to follow TODALSIGs--especially in terms of providing a key for the colors/symbols you use in each category.

Additional Hints & Instructions:

• You do not need to label each nation. Simply locate and color...of course you need to remember the locations but the map gets too crowded too quickly.
• Use a symbol like a star (*) to identify the nations in the conflict risk alert category
• Use a symbol like a circle to denote the nations with conflict resolution opportunities
• Use the same color scheme for both maps

Activity 5

Downloads: Activity 5 | World Map | Activity Cover Sheet

This activity is straightforward. Just average the three indices for education, health, and gross domestic product and make a map.

Please note that none of the statistics are independent of the other. By this I mean that countries with low literacy rates will also low life expectancy and low GDP. These are all shared characteristics of nations depending upon their standard of living and level of development. Question 6 is simply asking YOU to think about the root causes of poverty.

Activity 6

Downloads: Activity 6 | Population Pyramid Form | Activity Cover Sheet

Making a population pyramid is a simple process if you follow the directions carefully. The steps are laid out for you. Remember to divide the cohort number by the total population. It is not necessary for you to color the pyramid in any special way. Pay careful attention to Question 5. This will count for a great deal on the final grade.

When you make the decision about the rate of growth for the country, do not look at the shape as much as at the percent of the population in each age group. For Question 5, think about the implications of a rapid growing state as opposed to a slow growing country. In a rapid growth nation, the population will be young and need the kinds of goods and services required by young people (dr's, schools, teachers, vaccines for childhood illnesses, etc.) A population with a large, old population will need different goods and services. Reading pages 96-100 in your text may help you.

Activity 7

Downloads: Activity 7| World Map | Activity Cover Sheet

First, use your atlas and locate and label each of these significant world cities. Be careful about the location of the dots. Be precise! Then, calculate the percent increase in population from 1980 to 2000 (these are estimates). The formula is explained. You may wish to use a spreadsheet to do this quickly.

Rank the cities, then identify their level of economic development using the map of gross national income (GNI) on page 253 of the textbook. High Income Core=$25,000 +; Middle Income Core= $10,000-24,999; Lower Middle Income Semi-periphery=$$2,500 - 9,999; Periphery= less than $2500

Then, use the map on p. 254 to classify the cities into one of four categories and place on the worksheet in the column Index of Human Development:

• Affluent Core (.8 and above)
• Inner Semi-Periphery (.7-.79)
• Outer Semi-Periphery (.6-.69)
• Periphery (less than .69)

Next, draw some conclusions about the relationship between economic development and urban growth. Are cities in High Income Economies growing more or less rapidly than cities in Lower Middle and Lowest Income Economies? In what stage of human development are the very fastest growing cities?

• You will hand in the map you have made (don't forget TODALSIGs), the chart Urban Agglomeration, and your answers to the questions. Typed answers are preferred.