1. WELCOME TO SOCIAL STUDIES!!!

2. Why Study Social Studies?
Who cares about the past anyway?

3. Why do you think it’s important to study Social Studies?
OK, it’s time to think!!!!!
Why do you think it’s important to study Social Studies?

4. Reasons why Social Studies is important
Cause it’s way cool

5. Welcome to the World!!!!!
We will learn about the world and many of its regions this year by studying its geography, history, economics, government, and culture.

6. The World’s Culture Regions
The world has seven culture regions:
U.S. and Canada
Latin America
Europe and former U.S.S.R.
North Africa and Southwest Asia
Africa south of the Sahara
South Asia
East Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands

7. Before we move on, can you name the continents?7 5 2 3 1 4 6

8. Europe Latin America Canada Australia & the Pacific Islands
This year we will learn about the History, Geography, Government, Economics, and the Culture Of only 4 regions in the entire World!!!!
Europe Latin America Canada Australia & the Pacific Islands

9. The 4 regions we will learn about

10. What is Social Studies About?
What I want to Know
What are the 5 fields of Social Studies?
What is history?
What is geography?
Define government.
Define economics
What I Know

11. The Peoples of the World
Getting Along with Each Other
Knowledge of other countries is the key to understanding them
Five Fields of Learning
Social studies teaches about the world; The 5 fields of Social Studies include:
Geography
History
Economics
Government
Culture

17. History and Geography What is it?
History is a record of the past
the past shapes the present
Geography is the study of people, places, and the environment
The study of geography focuses on five themes:
- location – where the place is
- region – several countries with the same features
- place – an area’s characteristics
- movement – study of the migrations of people and animals
- human-environment interaction – how people change and are changed by the Earth

18. Government How do Countries Govern?
Every country has laws—rules that govern behavior
Government makes and enforces laws
A Citizen is a legal member of a country with rights and duties
Limited and Unlimited Governments
Limited—everyone obeys laws, including rulers
Unlimited—rulers have absolute authority over everyone, everything

19. Economics
Economics is the study of how people manage resources like money
Economists identify three types of resources:
natural: gifts of nature like water
human: production skills
capital: goods and services produced

20. Culture
Ways of Living
Culture—shared beliefs, customs, laws, art, ways of living
Culture traits—those specific things people share

21. The Five Themes of Geography
How do Geographers Think About the World?
Geographers study five themes:
- location
- place
- region
- movement
- human-environment interaction

22. Location Location describes where a place is located
Geographers locate places on Earth using system of imaginary lines:
latitude—lines parallel to equator; show distance north and south of Equator
longitude—lines between North and South Poles; show distance east and west of prime meridian

25. Place An Area’s Distinguishing Characteristics
Physical characteristics of an area include an area’s climate, landforms, bodies of water, plant and animal life
Human characteristics of an area include cities, towns, governments, cultural traditions
Why might a place change?

26. Which is it?

27. Which is it?

28. Which is it?

29. Which is it?

30. Region Common Characteristics
A region is a group of places with common characteristics
common physical features
common human characteristics
Geographers compare regions to understand differences and similarities
World has ten natural regions
Natural region has unique climate; combination of plant, animal life

31. Movement A Planet on the Move
People, goods, ideas, plants, animals, and physical features move!
Migrate—to move from one place and settle in another
Reasons for Moving
Push factors make people leave home
- poverty, overcrowding, lack of jobs, war, political oppression
Pull factors draw people to an area
- employment, education, rights, freedom, peace

32. Human-Environment Interaction
Earth is a unified system
humans depend on, adapt to, and modify their environment
Environment influences human life
- environmental influences can be harmful: hurricanes, earthquakes
People interact with the environment through everything they do
In the past, how did people adapt their ways of life to the environment?

33. Human-Environment Interaction
Adaptation
Humans often adapt their way of life to the local environment
learn to fish near water; farm on fertile land
build dwellings using local materials
wear clothing suitable for local conditions
Technology has lessened the need to adapt to local environments