5 THEMES

OF GEOGRAPH

Y

5 THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY

Geographers study the world by looking at LocationPlaceRegionMovementHuman-Environment Interaction

#1 LOCATION: WHERE IS IT?Absolute Location The exact place on the earth where a geographic feature is

found 3322 RR 620 South Austin, TX LTHS Room J206 Latitude   = 30 degrees,   19.7 minutes  North Longitude = 97 degrees,   58.2 minutes   West

Relative Location Describes a place in comparison to other places or landmarks

around it Across the street from LTHS 170 miles northwest of Houston

#2 PLACE: WHAT IS IT LIKE? Describes the physical features and

cultural characteristics of a location.

#3 REGION: HOW ARE PLACES SIMILAR OR

DIFFERENT? Describes an area of the earth’s surface with similar

characteristics, usually more than one Criteria for defining region depends on geographer’s purpose

Similar Characteristics• Physical• Political • Economic• Cultural

Three Categories of a Region• Formal• Functional• Perceptual

GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS: WHAT DEFINES A REGION?Physical (natural) characteristics

landforms, climate, vegetation

Human (cultural) characteristics language, religion, ethnicity,

population

FORMAL REGION

Defined by a limited number of related characteristics. Continents Climate Culture

Examples? United States and

Canada Latin America Europe Russia and the

Republics Africa Southwest Asia South Asia East Asia Southeast Asia,

Oceania, and Antarctica

FUNCTIONAL REGION Organized around interactions and

connections between places, especially around some central point.

Example: City and suburbs Highways Subways Bus lines

PERCEPTUAL REGIONSA region in which people perceive, or see, the

characteristics of the region in the same wayHow we stereotype them Is it always the same for everyone?

What are the perceptions of the following regions:TexasNew YorkHollywoodAfricaMiddle East

SUB-REGIONS Further classification of Regions based

upon physical features and human characteristics.Examples: The United States is in the North American Region. However, the U.S. has several sub-regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, etc.

#4 MOVEMENT How and why people, plants, animals, and ideas

move through time and place How do geographers analyze movement?

By looking at three types of distances: linear, time, and psychological

#5 HUMAN: ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION

People learn to use what the environment offers them and to change that environment to meet their needs.

WHAT IS HUMAN ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION?

There are two key human/environment interaction:

Humans adapt to the environment. They alter what they do and how they do it.

Humans modify the environment. They change the landscape to suit their needs.

Changes can be positive or negativePositive: Makes places safer or more livableNegative: Pollutes or destroys beauty

IMPORTANCE OF 5 THEMES???

They give us a “geographic lens” through which to view the world.

Every unit of study this year will focus in some way on these themes.