Wednesday, September 4. 2019

Today's schedule is AG-BADC

9:05 am – 9:25 am - AG
9:30 am – 10:40 am - B Block
10:45 am – 12:00 pm – A Block
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm - Lunch
12:50 pm – 2:00 pm – D Block
2:05 pm – 3:15 pm – C Block

B Block Human Geography - Human geographers ask two simple questions: Where are people and activities found on Earth? and Why are they found there? So we'll try to work on the Key Question: How do Geographers describe where things are? You'll have two questions to work on for me:

1. Transferring the locations on Earth’s surface is called projection. The problem with projecting a round sphere to a flat plain is that it causes distortion. So, Describe the four types of distortion AND for each type of distortion explain which type of map projection you would use to best minimize the distortion. For help you may use USGS Map Projections
2. GPS is most commonly used for navigation. Pilots of aircraft and ships stay on course with GPS. On land, GPS detects a vehicle’s current position, the motorist programs the desired destination, and GPS provides instructions on how to reach the destination. So, in your everyday life how do you use GPS and how does it affect your activities?

Use the following videos to help too...

A Block Physical Geography - Today we'll work on learning to observe as a geographer would. Why would we want to be observant and think like a geographer?



Observing as a Geographer means we'll look beyond simple observations and try to see a larger picture with connections to the wider world (think of the following three big concepts: Interactions, Interconnections, and Implications and the questions "what", "where", "why there" and "why care"). We'll practice an analysis of two photos in class and one in your week 1 handout.

After we get into practise, you'll start working on your first assignment for the course which is a geographic analysis of a photo from a Canadian Geographic magazine (or an online photo source). You'll need to use the Observing as a Geographer Would questions (in your week 1 package that you'll get today...maybe) to help with your analysis along with the acronym “OSAE”

O - Observe. What do you see? What's going on? Work from obvious to complex. Be precise!
S - Speculate. Why is something there or not there? Write open ended Qs and make sense of your observations.
A - Analyse. How come? What is the real reason why it's here or not here? Find answers to your questions.
E - Evaluate. In what ways could this landscape change? Consider social values here. Justify your opinions.​

D/C Blocks Environmental and Social Sciences - Yesterday Young asked you "So, what is your belief on environmental issues? What do you believe in and why?" Today we're going to start with this. An Environmental Value System helps to explain how a person sees or values environmental issues. An EVS is influenced by many factors including (but not limited to): culture, economics and socio-politics. Your job, the idea of accumulating wealth, your community, the social network of friends you belong to, schooling, the media you consume and your political beliefs all affect how you see or value environmental issues. So today I would like you to identify what your perspectives and beliefs are on environmental issues. To do this we'll take the New Ecological Paradigm questionnaire.

For each of the following 15 statements please indicate whether you strongly agree (SA), agree (A), are unsure (U), disagree (D), or strongly disagree (SD)

1.  We are approaching the limit of the number of people the Earth can support.   
2.  Humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs. 
3.  When humans interfere with nature it often produces disastrous consequences. 
4.  Human ingenuity will insure that we do not make the Earth unlivable. 
5.  Humans are seriously abusing the environment. 
6. The Earth has plenty of natural resources if we just learn how to develop them. 
7.  Plants and animals have as much right as humans to exist. 
8. The balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations. 
9.  Despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature. 
10. The so-called “ecological crisis” facing humankind has been greatly exaggerated. 
11. The Earth is like a spaceship with very limited room and resources. 
12.  Humans were meant to rule over the rest of nature. 
13. The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset. 
14.  Humans will eventually learn enough about how nature works to be able to control it. 
15.  If things continue on their present course, we will soon experience a major ecological catastrophe

1/6/11 are about limits to growth; 2/7/12 are about anthropocentrism; 3/8/13 are about the fragility of nature's balance; 4/9/14 are about human exemptionaslism; and 5/10/15 are about the possibility of an ecological crisis. The seven even numbered items, if agreed to by a respondent, are meant to represent statements endorsed by the dominant social paradigm (DSP). The eight odd items, if agreed to by a respondent, are meant to reflect endorsement of the new environmental paradigm (NEP).

So, the NEP favoured responses show a tendency towards Ecocentrism, or a nature-centered worldview/paradigm. The DSP favoured responses show a tendency towards Anthropocentrism, or people-centered, and Technocentrism, or technology-centered, worldview/paradigm.

After we do this Benton is going to work with you on environmental assessment for the rest of the block.