RESEARCH

Copy and paste the following outline of required information into a word document and title it Research Notes. Use the textbook A Geography of Canada and the United States, library resources, and online resources to gather information and images related to each of the four categories: location, place, movement and interaction.

Notes should be point form and include references about their source. If you are using book resources you need to identify the source of information by recording the name of the book, author and page number. For online resources you need to copy and paste the name of the web site into your research document as well as the URL (see How to Make a Bibliography on the Crowther Memorial Cybrary Web Site.

OUTLINE INFORMATION

A. Location - Every person and place has an absolute and a relative location. Absolute location refers to where a place is located geographically; its exact location on a map. Relative location refers to where a place is located as compared with other places and is usually given in terms of distance and direction from major landforms and other well known places.

Gather images and ideas to illustrate the location of your region.

• absolute location (using coordinates of latitude and longitude)
• relative location (describe where the place is in relation to other places--consider using a map for this)

B. Place - All places have special human and physical characteristics that distinguish them. Gather images and ideas that show what your geographical region is like.

Gather evidence (maps, graphs, charts, images, written descriptions, etc.) to depict both the physical and human characteristics of your region.

Physical Characteristics

• Vegetation
• Landforms
• Major bodies of water
• Soil
• Natural resources
• Climate

Human Characteristics

• Population distribution and settlement areas
• Occupations
• Recreation and cultural celebrations
• Environmental concerns/beliefs/ideas
• Regional art and artifacts

C. Movement - The unequal distribution of resources between regions may lead to movement of goods, people and ideas. Examine the exchange of products, people and ideas in relation to your region of North America.

Gather images and ideas that depict immigration, transportation, communication and trade patterns related to your region.

• immigration
• transportation
• communication
• trade patterns
  

D. Interaction - One of the most important relationships that you must examine is the one between people and their environment. Throughout history and into the present time, people have constantly interacted with their physical environment in order to meet their basic needs.

Gather images and ideas related to the environmental interactions within your region.

Environmental Interactions

• adaptation of humans and the environment
• resource development
• consequences of resource development
• environmental limitations and consequences

Save your research notes (without the images) as your last name, first name notes (eg. Doe, Sean notes) and submit them to the designated folder in the teacher's drop box. It is important to save your files as your teacher has requested, because she can then view them in alphabetical order by last name, and she can identify the author and assignment.

Print a hard copy of your research notes (without the images) and a list of images that you have collected to use when you meet with your group.