The Five Themes of
Geography
SSWG1 The student will
explain the physical aspects of
geography.
SSWG2 The student will
explain the cultural aspects of
geography.
Geography
The study of the earth and its
features and of the distribution of
life on the earth, including human life
and the effects of human activity
Location
Location EQ
– “Where is it?”
Every place on Earth has a location.
Location is defined in terms of absolute
and relative location
– Absolute location: the exact spot on Earth
where something is found i.e. latitude &
longitude
– Relative location: the position of a place in
relation to other places i.e. landmarks, etc.
Examples
Marietta, Georgia is
located at 33N 84W
Yosemite National
Park is located north
of Los Angeles,
California, and east
of San Francisco, CA
Place
Place EQ
– “What is it like?”
The special characteristics that make a
place different from every other place
Every place can be described in terms
of its physical features
Every place can be described in terms
of its human features
Place
The Sahel is a hot
and dry place along
the southern edge
of the Sahara in
Africa
Yosemite National
Park has several
hotels and
campgrounds to
accommodate
tourists
Human-Environment Interaction
HEI EQ
– “How do people relate to the physical world?”
To survive, people must use their environment
– People sometimes use the environment as is—fishing in a
river
– People sometimes alter the environment positively—creating
a dam to control flooding on a river
– People sometimes alter the environment negatively—creating
industrial pollution in a river
People also must learn to live with aspects of the
environment that don’t change
– Climate, soil, etc.
Interaction between people and their environment
can shape cultures.
Examples
People who live in
the Sahel wrap their
heads with heavy
material to keep the
hot sun and sand out
of their faces
People build roads to
make travel easier
Movement
Movement EQ
– “How do people, goods, and ideas more from one
location to another?”
Distance
– Linear distance-how far across the earth something travels
– Time distance-amount of time it takes for something to
travel
– Psychological distance-how far away we think things are
People, goods, and ideas move continuously
– The movement of people, goods, and ideas is called
spatial interaction
Globalization has influenced movement in the
21st century.
Examples
Open markets
provide centers
where herders and
farmers can trade
their goods
The movement of
tourists into
Yosemite National
Park has created a
need for a shuttle
bus service
Region
Region EQ
– “How are places similar and different?”
A region is an area defined by common
characteristics
A region can be defined by more than one
characteristic
3 main types of regions
– Formal-defined by limited characteristics
(Southwest Asia, Latin America)
– Functional-organized around connections and
interactions (Atlanta Metro Area)
– Perceptual-defined differently by different people
(American Midwest)
Examples
The Sahel can be
defined as a dry
grassland region in
Africa because of its
physical characteristics.
Many people in the Sahel
speak Arabic, so it also
can be defined as a
region by language. And
the Sahel can be defined
as a region by religion
because many people are
Muslims.
5 Themes of Geography
Assignment
In groups of 2-3 come up with your own
examples of each of the 5 themes of
geography
Be prepared to share some of your
examples