The Five Themes of Geography

Theme 1: Location Where is it? Where is it? Why is it There? Why is it There? Two Types of Location Absolute Relative Two Types of Location Absolute Relative

Absolute Location - A specific place on the Earth’s surface - Uses a grid system - Latitude and longitude - A global address Prime Meridian Equator Tropical Temperate Polar

Absolute Location What is the approximate Longitude and Latitude of Smithtown, N.Y.?

Find the Absolute Location Lima, Peru Shanghai, China Sydney, Australia Cairo, Egypt 12° S Lat, 77º W Long 31° N Lat, 121º E Long 34° S Lat, 151º E Long 30° N Lat, 31º E Long Relative Location Where a place is in relation to another place. Where a place is in relation to another place. Uses directional words to describe location. Uses directional words to describe location. Described by landmarks, time, direction or distance. From one place to another. (Go 1 mile west on main street and turn left for 1 block.)

Theme 2: Place Land Land Features Mountains, Mountains, plains, and plateaus Climate Climate Bodies Bodies of Water Human Characteristics Physical Characteristics People People Culture Culture Language Language Religion Religion Buildings and Landmarks Buildings and Landmarks Cities Cities

Landforms

Theme 3: Human Environment Interaction How People Interact With Their Environment People... Adapt to Their Environment Adapt to Their Environment Modify Their Environment Modify Their Environment Depend on Their Environment Depend on Their Environment - People heat and cool buildings for comfort. - People use the Tennessee River for water and transportation. - People wear clothing suitable for summer (shorts) and winter (coats), rain and shine.

Theme 4: Movement How are Places linked to one another and the world How are people, goods, ideas moved from place to place?How are people, goods, ideas moved from place to place? –Human and Product Movement Trucks, Trains, PlanesTrucks, Trains, Planes –Information Movement Phones, computer ( ), mailPhones, computer ( ), mail –Idea Movement How do fads move from place to place?How do fads move from place to place? TV, Radio, Magazines

Theme 5: Regions What Places Have in Common? Political Regions Political Regions Landform Regions Landform Regions Agricultural Regions Agricultural Regions Cultural Regions Cultural Regions Vernacular Regions (Perceptions) Vernacular Regions (Perceptions) States, Countries, Cities Rocky Mountain region, the Caribbean, the Amazon Chinatown, Little ItalyMiddle East, the South, Scandinavia Corn Belt, Gangetic Plain (Indus-Ganges and the North Indian River Plain), Fertile Crescent

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