Module Overview -- Spatial Analysis of U. S. Agricultural Distributions

Goals and Objectives

• Objective 1: Learn that agriculture is influenced by a range of location factors from both physical systems and human systems
• Objective 2: Develop a general awareness of the spatial distribution of a few major agricultural location factors in the United States: precipitation, growing season, terrain, and population density.

• Objective 3: Provide experience in observing spatial information in map form by examiing maps of major agricultural location factors.
• Objective 4: Practice relating one set of spatial patterns to another set of spatial patterns by examining various U.S. agricultural patterns and relating them to the distribution of the major location factors.
• Objective 5: Relate the student's knowledge of the local area (regarding what is produced agriculturally in their home region) with the broader distribution of these same products.

• Objective 6: Assist students to propose explanations for why certain crops and livestock are produced where they are in the United States.

Key Geographical Concepts Addressed by the Module

• Location factors
• Spatial correlation

Materials Requirements

• Computer with access to the Worldwide Web

Activities

• Students will become familiar with the major physical and human location factors influencing agriculture.
• Students will be guided through a case study of how to explain the spatial patterns of selected U.S. crops and livestock production based on major location factors.
• Students will conduct their own spatial analysis of additional U.S. crops and livestock production.

Time Requirements

• The introduction to agricultural location factors will require about 30 minutes; the guided case study will require about 30 minutes, and the student-conducted spatial analysis will require about one hour.

Difficulty

• This module can be adapted for use in grades 8 through lower-division university.