5 themes of geography
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5 Themes of geography. 5 Themes of geography. Geographers study the world by looking at Location Place Region Movement Human-Environment Interaction. #1 Location: Where is it?. Absolute Location The exact place on the earth where a geographic feature is found - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
5 THEMES
OF GEOGRAPH
Y
5 THEMES OF GEOGRAPHYGeographers 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.