The Five Themes of
Geography
A Framework for Studying the
World
Based on National Geography Standards
Created by Ms. Panasyan, Instructional Coach
for 7th grade students
Theme 1: Location
• Where is it?
• Why is it There?
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
CALIFORNIA
Absolute Location
• Sacramento: (capital city)
38º 34' N, 121º 29' W
• Los Angeles: (largest city)
34º 03' N, 118º 14' W
Let’s practice
Relative Location
• Where a place is
in relation to
another place
• Uses directional
words to describe
– Cardinal and
intermediate
directions
California
• California is bordered by Oregon
on the north, Mexico south, and
Nevada and Arizona on the east.
• The Pacific Ocean forms
California’s west coast.
• California is one of the
Southwestern States of the US.
Theme 2: Place
Physical Characteristics
• Land Features
• Mountains, plains,
and plateaus
• Climate
• Bodies of Water
CALIFORNIA:
Physical
Characteristics
Mt. Shasta
Redwood Forest
Theme 2: Place
Human Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
People
Culture
Language
Religion
Buildings and
Landmarks
• Cities
California: Human
Characteristics
GETTY MUSEUM
Downtown LA
Disneyland
Theme 3: Human
Environment Interaction
How People Interact With Their
Environment
People . . .
• Adapt to Their Environment
• Modify Their Environment
• Depend on Their Environment
http://www.fotosearch.com/comp/corbis/DGT119/BAG0017.jpg
California: HumanEnvironment Interaction
Theme 4: Movement
The Mobility of
• People
• Goods
• Ideas
How Places are
linked to one
another and the
world
California: Movement
Theme 5: Regions
What Places Have in Common
• Political Regions
• Landform Regions
• Agricultural Regions
• Cultural Regions
California: Regions
Steve Pierce
Assignment
• “What does each theme look like?”
1. Create pictures, drawings, or symbols to visually
represent each of the fives themes of geography.
– Your picture should clearly describe the theme.
– Be creative, and thoughtful.
2.On page 7, write a paragraph explaining which theme
is the most important for geographers to teach
people about geography and why?
3. On page 8, write a paragraph explaining which
theme is your favorite in learning about geography
and why?
Criteria for completing 5 themes of Geography
Booklet
In order to get an “A” on the assignment I should have the
following information :
Vista Heading, Creative title of the project,
____/5
Movement tab ( description, colored picture, sentence) ____/5
Place tab (description, colored picture, sentence)
____/5
Location tab (description, colored picture, sentence)
____/5
Interaction (description, colored picture, sentence)
____/5
Region (description, colored picture, sentence)
____/5
My opinion page ( complete paragraph 5-7 sentences); ___/10
correct grammar & punctuation
The most interesting theme page(complete paragraph, ___/10
5-7 sentences) ;l correct grammar & punctuation
Total points:
____/50