1. The Five Themes of Geography A Framework for Studying the World

2. Human-Environment Interaction
Geography
Geography = the study of the world’s people & places. In order to make this study easier, geographers use five themes to view & study the world. These are:
Location
Place
Human-Environment Interaction
Movement
Region

3. Theme 1: Location Two Types of Location Where is It? Absolute
Relative
Where is It?
Why is It There?

4. Absolute Location A specific place on the Earth’s surface
Uses a grid system
Latitude and longitude (Warwick Middle School is located at 41°N, 74°W)
A global address

5. Relative Location Where a place is in relation to another place
Uses directional words to describe
Cardinal and intermediate directions
What is the relative location of Warwick?

6. Theme 2: Place Physical Characteristics
Land Features
Mountains, plains, and plateaus
Climate
Bodies of Water
Animal life

7. Theme 2: Place Human Characteristics
People
Culture
Language
Religion
Buildings and Landmarks
Cities

8. Human Characteristics

9. Theme 3: Human Environment Interaction
How People Interact With Their Environment
People . . .
Adapt to Their Environment
Modify Their Environment
Depend on Their Environment

10. Human-Environment Interaction

11. Theme 4: Movement The Mobility of People Goods Ideas
How Places are linked to one another and the world. Movement occurs because people live across the earth and want to share products and resources.

12. Movement

13. Theme 5: Regions What Places Have in Common Political Regions
Landform Regions
Agricultural Regions
Cultural Regions (i.e. Chinatown)

14. Regions
Steve Pierce

15. Answer these questions
What is geography?
2. Choose one of the five themes of geography and tell how it has affected your life.

16. 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?