1. 5 Themes of geography

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

3. Location Describes where places are at on earth. Types of Location:
ABSOLUTE: exact location on earth (fixed)
Doesn’t change
Latitude/Longitude
Hemispheres
Grid System
Address
RELATIVE: compared to other places (variable)
Changes dependent upon where you’re comparing it to.
Miles
Distance
Direction

4. Absolute Location Examples: Rome is located at 41 N, 12 E
Argentina is located in the southern hemisphere.
Leland is located in San Jose, CA.

5. Relative Location Examples:
Rome is located near the Mediterranean Sea.
Argentina is near Brazil.
Ecuador is south of Mexico.
San Jose is 50 miles from San Francisco.

6. Place A place is defined by it’s unique characteristics.
Physical characteristics
Human characteristics

7. Physical Characteristics
Specific to THAT place, not generic.
The way a place physically 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.

8. Human 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.

9. Movement Places do not exist in isolation. Examples
Interconnectedness of the world changes the way places“look”.
Today: “globalization”
People, goods & ideas move from place to place. (internet, shipping, trains, planes, trucks)
Examples
Immigration from Latin America to US.
War in Iraq (troops, supplies, ideas, people)
Twitter, Facebook (ideas)

10. Movement Places change or are developed by Movement of land. Examples
Plate Tectonic forces
Physical distinctiveness
Examples
Hawaiian Islands, Rocky Mts, Grand Canyon

11. Region
The world is divided into different regions based upon similarities & differences.
Climate
Location
Beliefs
Languages
Ethnicity/Race
Types:
Formal
Functional
Perceptual

12. Formal Region Most common/familiar.
Determined by the distribution of a uniform characteristic (physical or cultural)
Location
Climate
Religion
Examples
Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama)
Latin America (spanish-speaking nations)
Tropics (countries located near equator)

13. Functional Region Serves a purpose that affects places around it.
Distributes goods/people
Serves specific purpose
Examples:
Panama Canal
Amazon River Basin
Hollywood
Havana, Cuba

14. Formal & Functional Regions
Fig. 1-11: The state of Iowa is an example of a formal region; the areas of influence of various television stations are examples of functional regions.

15. Perceptual Region
Perceptual Region, or vernacular region, is a place that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity.
Insert a picture of the head leader of your country.

16. Perceptual Regions
Fig. 1-12: A number of features are often used to define the South as a vernacular region, each of which identifies somewhat different boundaries.

17. Perceptual Region
Groups of areas that provoke a certain stereotype or feeling.
Examples:
The Bronx
The “ghetto”
China town

18. THE USA how “Others” see us

19. HEI The environment & people are interconnected.
Consequences to those actions depend upon how people choose to interact with the world and use their resources.
Positive/Negative
Intentional/Accidental
Favorable/Destructive

20. HEI Current Environmental Issues: Global Climate Change
Energy Resources
Water Conservation
Deforestation

21. Assignment Can you apply the 5 themes to a Fairy Tale story?
How would the story of Little Red Riding Hood be different if it took place in Egypt Or China OR Brazil?