The FIVE Themes of Geography

Region

Movement

Human-Environmental

Interaction

Location

Place

LocationAbsolute Location

-a specific location

-global location (latitude/longitude

)

-local location (street address)

Paris, France

48° N Latitude 2° E

Longitude

123 Fake St. Anytown, IL

LocationRelative Location

-a very general location

-described by landmarks, time,

direction, or distance

-may associate one place with another

“ just past the Taco Bell on the right”

“ I live right

around the corner”

Place- a description of what the

place is like, NOT where it’s located

PlacePhysical Characteristics

- things that occur naturally, such as

mountains, rivers, type of soil, wildlife, climate, etc.

PlaceHuman Characteristics

-things that have changed due to people, such as roads and

buildings

- how people live and their traditions, such as clothing and

food

Human-Environmental Interaction

- the relationship between people and their

environment and how they affect each other

1. How Humans ADAPT to the environment

2. How Humans MODIFY the environment

3. How Humans DEPEND on the environment

Human-Environmental Interaction

ADAPT to Environment

-how people have been changed by

environment

- wearing clothing suitable for cold, hot,

rainy, etc.

Human-Environmental Interaction

MODIFY the Environment

-how environment has been changed by

people to suit themselves

- watering your lawn or heating and cooling

buildings

Human-Environmental Interaction

DEPEND on Environment

-how people need the environment to live

- needing rivers for water and

transportation or cutting down a tree

for firewood

Movement

…of People Migrate, Immigrate, Emigrate

…of Goods Imports & Exports

…of Ideas Communication, Transportation

Movement … of PeopleMigrate

-moving from one area in country/state

to another area in same country/state

- moving seasonally from one area to

another

Immigrate

- to enter and settle in a

country or area to which one is

not a native

Emigrate

- to leave one country or area

to settle in another

Region- areas that can be

grouped together by set of things special

to that region

1. Formal Regions

2. Functional Regions

3. Vernacular Regions

RegionFormal Regions

- areas defined by government boundaries, physical characteristics

and are strictly maintained

- countries or continents

RegionFunctional Regions

- areas defined by a function or that serve a particular purpose

- school district or newspaper delivery area

RegionVernacular Regions

- areas that are loosely defined and grouped together in general terms

- The South, Midwest, Middle East

The FIVE Themes of Geography

1.Location – Absolute & Relative

2.Place – Physical & Human Characteristics

3.Human-Environmental Interaction – Adapt, Modify, Depend

4.Movement – People, Goods, Ideas

5. Region – Formal, Functional, Vernacular