Download 5 Themes of geography - Laurel County Schools

5 Themes of Geography
Social Studies
What Are The Five Themes?
Tools geographer’s use to study
features on earth.
– Location
– Place
– Movement
– Region
– Human Environment Interaction
Location
Answers the question:
– Where are we?
Location
Describes where places are at on earth.
Types of Location:
– ABSOLUTE: exact location on earth, doesn’t change (fixed)
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–
–
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Latitude/Longitude
Hemispheres
Grid System
Address
– RELATIVE: compared to other places, changes dependent
upon where you’re comparing it to (variable)
– Miles
– Distance
– Direction
Absolute Location
A latitude and longitude (global location)
or street address (local location).
Examples:
– Rome is located at 41 N, 12 E.
– Argentina is located in the southern
hemisphere.
– The White House is located at 1600
Pennsylvania Ave.
Relative Location
Described by landmarks, time, direction
or distance. From one place to another.
Examples:
– Rome is located near the Mediterranean
Sea.
– Argentina is near Brazil.
– Ecuador is south of Mexico.
– Lincoln is 50 miles from Omaha.
Place
Answers the question:
– What is it like there, what kind of
place is it?
Place
A place is defined by it’s unique
characteristics.
– Physical Characteristics
• Landforms (mountains, rivers, etc.), climate,
vegetation, wildlife, soil, etc.
– Human Characteristics
• The main languages, customs, and beliefs.
• How many people live, work, and visit a place.
Physical Characteristics
The way a place looks.
– Created by nature.
•
•
•
•
Mountains
Rivers, Lakes, Seas
Climate
Vegetation
Examples:
– Andes Mountains are in South America.
– Amazon River flows through Brazil.
– Pampas are located in Argentina.
Human Characteristics
Peoples activities change the way a place looks or is
represented.
Man-made or invented.
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–
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Language
Unique buildings
Religious Practices
Celebrations/traditions/holidays
Examples:
–
–
–
–
Portuguese is the official language of Brazil.
Many Mexicans are Catholic.
Mayan ruins are located in Mexico.
Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico.
Movement
Answers the question:
– How are people, goods, ideas moved
from place to place?
Movement
Places do not exist in isolation.
– Human Movement
• Trucks, Trains, Planes
– Information Movement
• Phones, computer (email), mail
– Idea Movement
• How do fads move from place to place?
• TV, Radio, Magazines, Internet
Movement
Examples
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–
–
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Immigration from Latin America to US (human)
War in Iraq (troops, supplies, ideas, people)
Instagram, Twitter, Periscope, Facebook (ideas)
Email (information)
Region
Answers the question:
– How are regions similar to and different
from other places?
Region
The world is divided into different regions
based upon similarities & differences.
–
–
–
–
–
Climate
Location
Beliefs
Languages
Ethnicity/Race
Types:
– Formal
– Functional
– Perceptual
Formal Region
Region defined by governmental or
administrative boundaries.
– States, Counties, Cities
Region defined by similar characteristics
(physical or cultural)
– Location, Climate, Religion, Language
Examples
– Latin America (Spanish-speaking nations)
– Tropics (countries located near equator)
Functional Region
Regions defined by a function.
– Distributes goods/people
– Serves specific purpose
Examples:
– News paper service area
– Cell phone coverage area
Perceptual Region
Groups of areas that provoke a certain
stereotype or feeling.
Examples:
– The Bronx
– The “ghetto”
– The South
– Middle East
– Applachian
Human Environment
Interaction
Answers the question:
– How do humans and the environment
affect each other?
Human Environment
Interaction
The environment & people are interconnected
– We depend on it.
• People depend on the Tennessee River for water and
transportation.
– We modify it.
• People modify our environment by heating and cooling
buildings for comfort.
– We adapt to it.
• We adapt to the environment by wearing clothing
suitable for summer (shorts) and winter (coats), rain and
shine.
Human Environment
Interaction
Consequences to those actions depend
upon how people choose to interact with
the world and use their resources.
– Positive/Negative Interactions
– Intentional/Accidental Interactions
– Favorable/Destructive Interactions
Human Environment
Interaction
Current Environmental Issues:
– Climate Change (global warming)
– Energy Resources
– Water Conservation
– Deforestation
Your Assignment
“What does each theme look like?”
Use the graphic organizer to visually
represent each of the fives themes of
geography.
– You may ONLY use words to label each
circle.
– Your picture should clearly describe the
theme.
– Be creative, and thoughtful.