The 5 Themes of
Geography

This approach was first used by Geographers
to help study different areas on the earth’s
surface. By using this logical approach, it
helped Geographers stay focused.

The five themes were written in 1984 by the
Joint Committee on Geographic Education of
the National Council for Geographic Education
(NCGE) and the Association of American
Geographers (AAG). They are outlined in
greater detail in the NCGE/AAG publication
Guidelines for Geographic Education,
Elementary and Secondary Schools. (off the
internet-national geographic.com)
Notes on 5 themes review

Unit 4
Geography

Is the study of:
 -The earth
 -Its resources
 -How we use those resources
 -How we affect the environment
 -How the environment affects us.
Types of Geography

Physical-studies natural features (land, water,
etc)

Cultural- (Human) studies humans and how
they
impact the planet (language,
culture, etc)


Economic- studies how humans make a living
Strategic-studies how humans use their
environment
Key Geographic Terms

Resources- gifts from the earth,
are limited
Geographic terms
continued

Peninsula- body of land surrounded
by water
on three or
more sides
Key Terms continued
Water bodies
Ocean- the whole body of salt water that
covers nearly three fourths of the surface
of the earth.
http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/ocean
s.htm
 Sea- large body of salt water that is
partially or almost totally surrounded by
land. (pp 165 Don’t know much about
Geography)
 Gulfs- large deep inlets of the ocean or
sea surrounded by land or an extensive
inlet penetrating far into the land.
http://www.weather.com/maps/geograph
y/oceans/gulfofmexicosatellite_large.html

Terms continued
Bays- simply a large indentation into the
land formed by the sea. smaller than Gulfs.
Note: some gulfs and bays are larger than
Seas.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/N
ewImages/images.php3?img_id=17322
 Continent- large landmass (7) pp 81 Don’t
know….
Pangaea
 Globe- model of the earth


Map- flat representation of the earth
Key terms continued

Landforms- structures/formation of
land.
Types of Maps
Physical- Shows physical features
 http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopag
e/physical.htm

Political- Shows political features such as
boundaries, cities, countries, etc
 http://www.mapsofworld.com/africapolitical-map.htm

Road- Aids in transportation
 http://www.aaccessmaps.com/show/map/
oahu

Key Map Terms
Title
 Key / Legend
 Date
 Direction
 Scale
http://www.mapsofworld.com/afric
a-political-map.htm

Review Latitude and
Longitude
Latitude and Longitude
Continued
Time
Earth is 360 degrees/24 hrs in a
day(24 time zones)
 For every 15 degrees = 1hr
Going to the East you add an hour,
going to the West you subtract an
hour.


http://www.worldtimezone.com/da
tetime.html
Definition
Latitude- Lines that run East and
West but measure North and South.
 Longitude- Lines that run North and
South but measure East and West.

- Example (22° N, 153° W)

The Equator and Prime Meridian
split the earth into Hemispheres
(North, South, East and West) .
Helps find location.
Earth Quick Facts









Earth is 4 ½ billion years old
Circumference is 25,120 miles
Diameter is 8000miles
pole to pole is 27899 miles
equator is 27926 miles
Area is 196,800,000 sq miles
Rotation takes 23 hrs 56 minutes and 4
seconds
Speed on axis is 1000 mph
Speed of revolution is 67,000 mph (elliptical)
Takes 365 ¼ days to complete one year
Earth is tilted at 23 ½ degrees and slightly
wobbles
Climate and Weather
Climate: meteorological conditions of a region
over a long period of time. (Koppen)
 (13 Climate regions divided into 4
categories)
 - High lands – Sub arctic, Tundra, Ice Cap,

Highlands
 -Dry- Steppe, Desert
 -Mid Latitude- Mediterranean,
Humid Subtropical, Humid Continental (W S and CS)
and Marine West Coast
 Tropical- Tropical Rain forest, Savanna
Climate and Weather
Continued

Weather: day to day atmospheric
conditions of a region.
There are four Effects on Climate
and Weather
1. Earth/ Sun Relationship
http://esminfo.prenhall.com/scie
nce/geoanimations/animations/0
1_EarthSun_E2.html
Effects on Weather and
Climate
Key things to know:
-Solstices- two times during the year when the tilt of
the earth is closest or farthest from the sun. (Winter
is Dec 21st and Summer is June 21st for the northern
hemisphere)
Equinoxes- two times during the year when the earth
is as perpendicular to the suns rays as it will ever be.
During this time, there is equal amounts of sunlight
and darkness in both hemispheres. (Fall occurs
approximately Sept 22nd and Spring occurs
approximately March 21st)
Perihelion –when the earth is closest to the sun
(146.24 million Kilometers or 91 million miles)
Aphelion –when the earth is farthest away from the
sun (151.36 million Kilometers or 95 million miles)

Effects Continued
2 Location next to large
bodies of water.
Rule : Average temps don’t
fluctuate more than 40
degrees
Effects of Large Bodies of Water.
Sources: National Climatic Data Center and Wayne Barnes, Weather Services Corp.
From 70s to near 100 normal around Los Angeles
Normal summer days in the Los Angeles area bring cool, Pacific breezes and ocean clouds that help
hold high temperatures in the 70s near the coast. But as you go eastward from places such as Santa
Monica, away from the ocean, temperatures become warmer and warmer. For much of the region,
August temperatures are warmer than July's because the ocean continues warming up well into
August. But, San Bernardino is far enough from the ocean that its normal temperatures follow the
pattern of most inland places, July is warmer than August.
Western USA forecasts
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Effects continued
3. Landform features
Rule: Land heats up and cools down at a
much faster rate (depends on
latitude/location)
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tor
nadoguide.html
http://www.grc.k12.nf.ca/climatecanada/
images/oro_rain.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dese
rts
Effects Continued
4. Wind Patterns
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/wind1.htm
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cent
ennialofflight.gov/essay/Dictionary/Jet_Stream/DI68G1_
hi.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essa
y/Dictionary/Jet_Stream/DI68.htm&h=1034&w=841&sz
=231&hl=en&start=5&um=1&tbnid=9i7OaB_tSYNvKM:&t
bnh=150&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djet%2Bstr
eam%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2
005-21,GGLG:en%26sa%3DN
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/graphics/photos/
naairmass2.jpg
http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/Students_Teachers/pressure.s
html#high