By: Marcia Timmel / Art by: Phillip Martin

Human / Environment Interaction Movement Regions Geography identifies 5 ways of looking at our world. These are called: “The Five Themes of Geography” Location Place Human / Environment Interaction Movement Regions

Location Location asks the question: Where is it? Location can be thought of in two ways: Absolute location – what is the EXACT location – using longitude and latitude or precise addresses Relative location – what is the relationship of one place to another. Relative location uses words like: near beside next to under

Place Physical Characteristics: Human Characteristics: Place asks the question “What is it like there?” Place can be described in terms of Physical Characteristics: landforms bodies of water climate soil / minerals vegetation animal life Human Characteristics: those aspects of a place that have been made by humans such as buildings, roads, and farms. Can you think of some other ways humans change a place?

Human-Environment Interaction H-E Interaction asks the question: “What is the relationship between humans and where they are?” Humans DEPEND on their environment for all their basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and transportation Humans ADAPT to their environment, for example by choosing appropriate clothing and housing Humans MODIFY their environment, through construction, pollution, and other human activity.

Movement Movement asks the question: “How do people, products, information and ideas move from one place to another?” People interact with each other through movement because we are social beings.  The import and export of goods, and mass communication have played major roles in shaping our world.  We live in a global village and global economy. Ideas move; fashions move; fads move.  What is an example of an idea that moves?  Fashion?  Fad?

Regions physical natural human or cultural Region asks the question: “ How is an area defined by certain similar characteristics?” The characteristics that can define a region can be: physical natural human or cultural 

So what are The Five Themes of Geography? Location Place Human- Environment Interaction Movement Regions