Required Essays:

By October 16, 2008, TWO essays are to be submitted as follows: From Chapter 1, you will discuss the contribution to the field of geography or to our knowledge of the world of a noted geographer or explorer. From Chapters 2 and 13 you will discuss the neighborhood in which you live as a “region” using the definition discussed in Chapter 13 and the mapping tools introduced in Chapter 2. Each essay must be typed and have a minimum length of one full page not counting the restated question (1.5 line spacing with 1" margins). Maximum length is two pages of text. Maps and illustrations are additional pages. Short and long essays will be returned ungraded, as will hand-written essays. Essays handed in late will be penalized with a grade reduction.

Instructions for the Required Essays:

This assignment is due no later than the date listed on the syllabus. Each essay is worth 5% of your final grade. Late submissions will be penalized with a reduced grade, but that is better than a zero!

CONTRIBUTIONS to THE FIELD of GEOGRAPHY

Reread the assigned pages of Chapter 1 of the textbook dealing with history of geography.

Go to any encyclopedia source (EXCEPT Wikipedia) and read the entry on “geography.” From that entry, select one noted geographer or cartographer or explorer or environmental scientist. Write a one-to-two page grammatically correct essay (1.5 line-spaced with 1 inch margins) and discuss that person’s contribution to the field of geography or to our knowledge of the world.

Focus on the contribution, not the person’s biography. Explain what affect the person’s contribution has had on our knowledge of the earth as a home for people or our understanding of earth processes or our analysis of people’s use of space.                     

MY NEIGHBORHOOD as a REGION

Reread the assigned pages of Chapter 13 of the textbook. Write a one-to-two page grammatically correct essay (1.5 line-spaced with 1 inch margins) on what makes the neighborhood in which you live a region.

The first paragraph must include the following sentence: I live near the corner of ____________ and ____________ (street names) in the area of  __________ (name your borough orcounty) known as _____________ (name your neighborhood).

In your essay, include the all of the following since omissions will cause points to be deducted:
1. Using the definition from your textbook, in the first paragraph, discuss your neighborhood as a region - incorporate specific examples from your neighborhood on what makes it unique.
2. Describe the boundaries of this area – Is it a large or a small area? How do you (or a visitor) know when you have left it or entered it? What are the clues?
3. Describe the characteristics of this area, as its social, cultural, physical, economic faces and land use. How would you characterize it to an out-of-town visitor? Do this in two (2) ways:

a) As an overview (helicopter-view) of the area in which you live. (This is the broad area within the boundaries in number 2, above.)
b) For the local view - 4 blocks in all directions surrounding the intersection mentioned in your first paragraph. (This is your immediate neighborhood. It is the same or different from the larger neighborhood? How so?)

On separate pages, provide the following.

1. Using any web-based address-finder program, provide a map of the borough in which you live, e.g. Brooklyn, Bronx, etc., or if you live outside of New York City, provide a county map. This map must include major streets and roads. Circle your neighborhood on the map.
                                                                                                                                   
2. Using any web-based address-finder program, provide a detailed map of your neighborhood that shows the blocks. Circle the block on which you live and an “X” at the approximate location of your address.

3. Go to www.oasisnyc.net (click on “Make Maps” or OASIS Maps).

a. At the bottom of the NYC map, set the map width to 7 miles. Read the Help with Map and Tutorial sections.
b. Using the navigation arrows, pan the map to your neighborhood or type in your zip code at the top to go straight to your neighborhood. (If you live outside of the coverage area, use the address or zip code of a relative or friend who lives in NYC or that of Hunter College (zip 10021) to complete this exercise.)
c. Zoom in on your neighborhood.
d. Using the data layer key check boxes on the right, create your own map of your neighborhood.
e. Click the redraw button at the bottom of the map to change the variables.
f. Print it out. Hand-label those areas that are important to you.

4. Go back to the top of the www.oasisnyc.net home page and click on the “aerial photo” option.

a. Print out the photograph of your area.
b. Label the same areas you identified in 4f.

5. Attach all maps and photographs to you essay.  Tape the maps to an 8”x11” page. They must be trimmed of advertisements and other excess information.