1. The Five Themes of Geography

2. DEFINITION OF GEOGRAPHY
ge·og·ra·phy 1 : a science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface Source-Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary

3. Geography is the study of the earth and everything on it.
IN PLAIN ENGLISH
Geography is the study of the earth and everything on it.

4. What is Geography?
Geography is the study of the earth and the way people live on it and use it.

5. THE FIVE THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY
Location
Place
Human-Environment Interaction
Movement
Regions

6. WHERE DID THE 5 THEMES COME FROM?
The 5 Themes of Geography originated by the National Geographic Society to fulfill a need for geographers (people who study the earth and everything on it) categorize everything they learn.

7. What are the five themes?
Tools geographer’s use to study features on earth.
Location
Place
Movement
Region
Human Environment Interaction

8. Location Includes ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE location
Absolute location is a places point on a globe or map
Relative location is the places location compared to another place

9. How does absolute location work?
Imaginary lines of latitude run parallel to the equator on a globe or map
Imaginary lines of longitude run north and south between the two poles

10. Absolute Location Examples: Rome is located at 41 N, 12 E
Argentina is located in the southern hemisphere
Ecuador is located in Tropic of Cancer.
LNE is located in Lincoln, NE.

11. Relative Location Examples:
Rome is located near the Mediterranean Sea.
Argentina is near Brazil.
Ecuador is south of Mexico.
Lincoln is 50 miles from Omaha.

12. Examples Of Relative Location
Atwater is 30 miles from Modesto
The United States is East of Japan
Mississippi is in the Southern United States

13. Place
A place is described by its physical and/or human characteristics
physical - features including landforms, climate, and vegetation
human - people who live there, political system, customs, economy, etc.

14. What is it like there, what kind of place is it?
Human Characteristics
What are the main languages, customs, and beliefs.
How many people live, work, and visit a place.
Physical Characteristics
Landforms (mountains, rivers, etc.), climate, vegitation, wildlife, soil, etc.

15. Place A place is defined by it’s unique characteristics.
Physical characteristics
Cultural characteristics

16. PLACE Physical Characteristics
Specific to THAT place, not generic.
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.
The isthmus of Panama connects Central & South America.

17. PLACE Physical Characteristics
Land Features
Mountains, plains, and plateaus
Climate
Bodies of Water

18. PLACE Cultural Characteristics
Specific to THAT place, not generic.
Peoples activities change the way a place looks or is represented.
Man-made or invented.
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.

19. Human-Environmental Interaction
How do people use their environment?
How have they changed it?
How have people responded to these changes

20. HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
How do humans and the environment affect each other?
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.

21. Human Environment Interaction
How People Interact With Their Environment
People . . .
Adapt to Their Environment
Modify Their Environment
Depend on Their Environment

22. MOVEMENT How are people, goods, ideas moved from place to place?
Human Movement
Trucks, Trains, Planes
Information Movement
Phones, computer ( ), mail
Idea Movement
How do fads move from place to place?
TV, Radio, Magazines

23. Movement
As people, goods, and ideas move from place to place, they can change a places characteristics
ex. - if communists invaded an overtook The United States, our countries geography would change

24. Movement The Mobility of People Goods Ideas
How Places are linked to one another and the world

25. Regions Set of places that have similar attributes
ex - Chinatown is a region of San Francisco
ex - California is in the Western United States

26. Regions
A region is an area with common features that set it apart from other areas.

27. Class Discussion What is geography?
Choose one of the five themes of geography and tell how it has affected your life.

28. Use the five themes of geography and answer the following questions
1. If you described the means of transportation available to and from school, what theme would you be using?
2. Why might two places be identified as part of the same region?
3. What sports are examples of human- environment interaction?
4. Which theme would you be using if you wrote a letter describing your town?

29. Your assignment
Describe you and your family using the 5 Themes of Geography.
Make sure you use every theme.