The Five Themes of Geography What is Geography

The Five Themes of Geography

What is Geography? Geography is the study of the earth and everything on it!

What is a “THEME”? …it is the topic/idea Geography is a BIG subject! We will divide geography into 5 different THEMES/topics

What is the purpose of the 5 themes? The 5 Themes of Geography were developed as a method for studying geography. The themes help us categorize/organize geographic information Geography = noun Geographic = adjective

The 5 themes of Geography:

THEME 1: LOCATION Question investigated/examined: Where is it? Two categories of location: 1. Absolute location 2. Relative location

Absolute Location A specific place on the Earth’s surface Ø Uses a grid system Ø Latitude and longitude (global address) Ø

Relative Location Where a place is in relation to another place Uses directional words to describe

THEME 2: PLACE Question investigated: What is it like? Ø The 2 categories are: 1. 1. physical places 2. 2. Human places

Physical Place Physical characteristics of the environment Eg. Resources, climate, landforms, water features, natural vegetation, wildlife… Note: anything distinct and comes from nature!

Human (cultural) Place Human characteristics of a place Eg. Occupations, recreation, settlement types and patterns, political, economic, religious beliefs, ideas, language…etc Note: features must be distinctive and manmade!

THEME 3: HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION Question investigated: How does the physical place influence/affect human activities? How do human activities influence/affect the physical place? Two Categories of interaction. . . Human adaptation (root word = adapt/adjust) Human alteration (root word = alter/change) http: //www. fotosearch. com/comp/corbis/DGT 119/BAG 0017. jpg

Human Adaptation Humans adapt to their environment Examples: adapt to climate (shelter, clothes…)

Human Alteration Humans alter their natural environment using technology

THEME 4: MOVEMENT Question investigated: How do people, goods and ideas move from place to place? Two categories of interaction. . . 1. Material movement (can see) 2. Non-material movement (cannot see)

Material Movement This involves obvious movement using land, water, or air vehicle Example: Moving people, animals, or other material things

Non-Material Movement This involves less obvious forms of movement Examples: movement of energy and information through electric wires Movement of ideas/beliefs from one place/culture to another

THEME 5: REGION Ø Question investigated: What areas have unifying/common features? Ø We identify ‘areas’/’regions’ according to the existence of unifying/common features Three categories of region. . . 1. Formal region 2. Functional region 3. Vernacular region (skip)

Formal Regions Many features can be used to define regions ‘formal regions’ Formal regions share one or a number of unifying/common features. Eg. Landform, climate, language, politics, religion, culture…etc Formal regions include… Landform regions (eg. Mountain areas, flat lands) Political regions (eg. provinces, countries, cities) Cultural regions (eg. Chinatown, Little India) Language regions (eg. French neighbourhood) Note: one region may various common features… 80% speak French as their first language 85% are practicing Roman Catholic Christians This area is in a mountainous area

Functional Regions Functional regions are defined by a function (an interactive system). The defining characteristics are the interconnected parts. Example: newspaper service area, cell phone coverage area, urban area (CBD), ecosystems (natural functional region)

Vernacular Regions Vernacular regions are defined by ordinary people’s (subjective) perceptions. These perceptions reflect their feelings and images about places. Eg. ‘the south’, ‘the west’…

…remember all 5 themes! Mr. Help! M R HE L P Movement Region Human Environment Interaction Location Place

ACTIVITY: Describe a place you love by addressing all 5 themes of geography.

location region CHINATOW N