Download The Five Themes of Geography provide a basic

The Five Themes of Geography
Location, Human/Environmental Interactions, Regions, Place,
Movement
A study of Geography begins with knowing where things are located on a
map. But more important, it requires an understanding of why things are located
in particular places, and how those places influence our lives. By using these 5
themes as a basis for understanding geographic information, we can gain a
better appreciation of cultural and environmental changes around the world.
The first three themes correspond to Pattison's four traditions of
Geography ((1) a spatial tradition, (2) an area studies tradition, (3) a man-land
tradition and (4) an earth science tradition). Pattison created these four traditions
to show the world that Geography was a discipline like Science and Math.
Location, human/environmental interactions, and regions continue to anchor the
study of geography. Two other themes, place and movement, were added in
1986 by the National Geographic society developed by the Geography Education
National implementation Project (GENIP) or the 'National Geography Standards'.
All places on earth have distinguishing human and physical characteristics.
Movement refers to the mobility of people, goods, and ideas.
The Five Themes of Geography provide a basic framework for an introductory
geographic study.
The Themes
LOCATION refers to the position of a place on the Earth’s surface. Relative
location describes the location of a place in relation to another place e.g.:
Vancouver Island is located off the southwest coast of British Columbia.
Absolute location describes accurately the exact location of a place by means of
a mathematical grid e.g.: latitude and longitude.
Task: Where is the present Location of Crescent? If you could move Crescent,
where would its new location be and way? Think as if you were the Head Master
and you were making an important decision on the future of the school.
PLACE describes the physical (natural) and human (manmade) characteristics of
a place and answers the question “what is it like there?” Physical characteristics
include relief, geology, bodies of water, climate, natural vegetation, and wildlife.
Human characteristics may include buildings, bridges, roads, telephone lines,
cultivated land and any features that indicate human presence.
Task: Write about a place without actually naming it. Describe it as best you can.
You are going to read your description to the class and the rest of the students
will try to guess your place.
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The Five Themes of Geography
Location, Human/Environmental Interactions, Regions, Place,
Movement
HUMAN/ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION examines the relationship between
humans and their environment. Humans depend on, adapt to and modify their
environment and this theme explores the influence of the physical landscape on
humans as well as the impact of humans on the landscape.
Task: Create a list showing ways that people affect their environment every day
(for example, driving cars, using water, disposing garbage). Make a second list of
ways that people affect their environment through seasonal activities (for
example, watering lawns, riding bicycles, salting the streets). Which activities are
more harmful or more helpful to their environment.
MOVEMENT explores how places are connected and why. The movement of
objects, people, animals and ideas illustrate the interconnectedness of places.
Task: Look under 'Churches' or 'Places of Worship' in the phone book or the
Yellow Pages and make a list of the different religious groups represented there.
Briefly consult an encyclopaedia in the library and research the origins of at least
3 religions mentioned. Plot the origins of each group on a map of the world. What
are some of the reasons that these religious groups moved around. How did they
end up in Canada? North America? What are some historical, political and
cultural factors that you think are involved?
REGION refers to an area on the Earth’s surface which is distinct because of the
unique combination of characteristics of which it is comprised e.g.: hot desert
region; the Low Countries.
Task: a. Go to a web site and find (save it and print it) a map of Tolkien's Middle
Earth. Describe the regions of Middle Earth in detail.
b. Go to page 27 of your text book and select any three Climate Regions. List
some of the items you would need to survive in this Climate. If you were the
Producer of the show 'Survivor' what problems would the contestants come
across in these Climatic regions.
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