Assignment #2 – Landscape Essay
Geography 205
David Snyder
Locate a picture of a landscape in a magazine, postcard or one of your own photos. Write an essay of at least 4 pages (double spaced, 12 pt font, no excessive margins, not including the picture) which answers the following questions about your picture:
1) Describe the location of this region on the planet; include it’s latitude and longitude, nearby oceans and mountains and any other relevant geographical features.
2) Use your knowledge of climate to explain the presence of certain kinds of vegetation in the picture. What are the global and local factors that explain the presence of tropical rainforest, savanna, tundra, etc. in your picture? Consider the presence of mountains, location relative to low and high pressure zones, elevation, amount of insolation, etc.
3) What are the outstanding geologic features in your picture? How would plate tectonics explain their presence? What processes led to their development? For example, if there are mountains, what plate collisions would have created them? If there are hills, were they at one time mountains? are they eroded continental shield? are they glacial deposits? If your picture shows a flat landscape, why is it flat?
4) Are there any erosional features in your picture? How may have rivers and streams altered the landscape? Or if not, why not? Has there been any effect by glaciers, wind, coastal erosion or human activity? Is there anything else of interest that you can point out?
Please include your picture with your written assignment.
Some features in your picture may not have been discussed in class, but they will most likely be covered in your textbook or other sources, so you can find explanations there.
You will be expected to answer these questions thoroughly, with proper grammar and spelling and in essay form (introduction, body, conclusion). I will be looking for your ability to understand and analyze the material we have covered in class and your ability to apply the course material to the world around you. “Why?” is my favorite question, so expect to use “because” frequently in your answers. Make connections and be insightful. Feel free to mention your own personal experiences and observations. You are encouraged to use additional diagrams and maps (although these won’t make up for a lack of written content). Please note all of your sources with a routine bibliographic style. Also note that I did not ask for information such as detailed historic information, cultural descriptions or economic productivity statistics.
You will have to do some research for this essay and there are many sources of good information. Libraries; both UAA and Loussac. Books are an obvious source, consider those about your region specifically, as well as texts concerning climate and geology in general. Your own textbook should provide many answers regarding the global climate and tectonic patterns that affect your region. Don’t forget that periodicals often contain excellent, up-to-date information. The internet, especially sites of government agencies, universities and scientific institutions, contains volumes of information as well. I have found www.brittanica.com to be particularly useful for general information about places.
This assignment is due in class on the day of the final exam,
August 7. Absolutely no late papers will be accepted.