“The Five Themes of Geography”A Basic Primer

Jeannine KuropatkinTeacher Consultant

Arizona Geographic Alliance

Evolution of the “Five Themes”

Written in 1984

Joint Committee on Geographic Education*National Council for Geographic Education*

*Association of American Geographers*

Guidelines for Geographic Education,

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Purpose of the “Five Themes”

For TeachersOrganizing framework for teaching

geography in the K-12 classroom

For StudentsValuable tool for developing

a “geographic perspective”

What are the“Five Themes of Geography?”

• Location

• Place

• Human-Environment Interaction

• Movement

• Regions

Location

Where is it?

Absolute Location

Relative Location

Absolute LocationTo pinpoint an exact position on Earth

Uses a grid systemStreet Address

Alpha-numeric

Latitude & longitude

Absolute Location• What is the global

address of Phoenix?

33.5 N and 112 W• What is the global

address of Tucson?

32 N and 111 W• What is the global

address of Page?

37 N and 111.5 W

Absolute Location

The Arizona state

capital building is

located at:

1700 West WashingtonPhoenix, Arizona 85007

Absolute Location

Your assigned seaton the airplane is 14-C.

Relative LocationGives a general sense of position on Earth

in relation to another position.

Uses descriptive phrasesPhoenix is located in

south-central Arizona,

100 miles NORTH of Tucson.

Relative Location• Describe the relative

location of Flagstaff.Flagstaff is located in

northern Arizona,125 miles NE of Phoenix.• Describe the relative

location of Yuma.Yuma is located in the SW corner of Arizona,

220 miles NW of Tucson.

Relative Location is frequentlyused in everyday situations.

“I live two blocks from the school”“The gas station is across the street from Taco Bell”“Meet you on the corner of Broadway & West 42nd !”

Times Square, New York City

PlaceThe special character of a

particular location that distinguishesit from all other locations

What is it like there?

Physical CharacteristicsHuman Characteristics

Physical Characteristicsof Place

Unique natural features;Due to “mother nature”

Climate Landforms Bodies of Water

Elevation Vegetation Wildlife

Physical Characteristicsof Place

The saguaro cactus, palo verde tree, and prickly

pear cactus grow wild in the Sonoran Desert.

Human Characteristicsof Place

Unique cultural features;Due to human beings

Language Food Cultural Landmarks

Religions Clothing Traditions

Human Characteristicsof Place

The Eiffel Tower and the

Cathedral of Notre Dame

are two popular tourist

spots in Paris, France.

Human-EnvironmentInteraction

What is the relationship between humans and their environment?

Humans depend on their environment.

Humans modify their environment.

Humans adapt to their environment.

HEIHumans depend on their environment.

Survival Needs: Water, Oxygen,

Food, Shelter, Warmth

HEIHumans depend on their environment.

Ex: One-fifth of the world’s oxygen supply

comes from the tropical rain forests.

HEIHumans modify their environment.

The environment can modify humans.

Modify means “to change.”Change can be positive or negative!

Pollution DeforestationUrban Sprawl Irrigation

Ozone Hole Global WarmingNatural Disasters Drought

HEIHumans modify their environment.

Urban SprawlPhoenix has experienced phenomenal

growth in the past decade.

HEI The environment can modify humans.

Tsunami TragedyMost Indian Ocean countries suffered horrendous death

tolls due to a lack of an adequate warning system.

HEIHumans adapt to their environment.

All the ways humans protectthemselves from the environment.

Protective clothing Protective shelterUse of natural resources

Medicines Emergency Evacuation Plans

HEI Humans adapt to their environment.

The Inuit of the ArcticThe Inuits wear clothing made out of animal pelts and fur and live in ice

block igloos to protect them from temperatures as low as -76F.

MovementWhat is the connection between

people and places?

Movement of People

Movement of Goods

Movement of Ideas

Movement of PeopleWhat is the connection between people and places?

Migration Immigration

Refugees Vacations

Job Relocations Transportation

Commuters Urbanization

Movement of People

Migration“Snowbirds in Arizona”

“Snowbirds,” aka senior citizens from the cold Midwest, migrate to

Arizona every winter.

Movement of GoodsWhat is the connection between people and places?

Trade: Imports & Exports

Smuggling Drug Cartels

International Shipping Routes

Interstate Trucking Routes

Outsourcing Maquiladoras

Movement of Goods

TradeThe United States imports

Honda cars, trucks, and motorcycles from

Japan.

Movement of IdeasWhat is the connection between people and places?

Fads Books Magazines

Newspapers Television Radio

Internet & Hi Tech Communications

Cultural Diffusion of foods, customs,

Holidays, religions, languages, etc.

Movement of IdeasFads: Book & Films

AnimeFrom Pokemon to Yugioh to Naruto,

Japanese anime has has been sweeping

the U.S. for the past two decades.

RegionsHow can an area be defined by

similar or unifying characteristics?

Political RegionsPhysical RegionsCultural Regions

Political RegionsAreas that share

similar government or similar treaty alliances.

Cities Counties StatesProvinces Countries TerritoriesTrade Alliances Free Trade Zones

Political RegionsCounties

The cities of Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Phoenix are in the political region

called Maricopa county since they share

The same countygovernment.

Physical RegionsAreas that share

similar physical (mother nature) features.

Bodies of Water: rivers, lakes, oceans

Climate Ecosystems Wildlife

Landforms: mountains, deserts, plains, plateaus

Physical RegionsLandforms

Arizona’s Grand Canyon is part of thegreater Colorado Plateau region, a physical region characterized by elevations ranging

from 5,000 – 8,000 feet above sea level.

Cultural RegionsAreas that share

similar cultural (human) characteristics.

Languages Religions HistoryAncestry Customs Traditions

Land Use Occupations

Cultural RegionsCommon History,

Ancestry, & TraditionsThe Hopis have retained their own distinctive tribal

practices, such as the sacred kachina danceceremonies, and theirnative Hopi language.

“Five Themes of Geography”

• Location

• Place

• Human-Environment Interaction

• Movement

• Regions

“Five Themes of Geography?”Postcard Analysis Activity

Directions: Study each postcard. Discuss the visual images portrayed as well as

any captions on the front or back of the card. For EACH of the postcards,

complete the following tasks: 1) Give it an appropriate title. 2) Decide which one

of the five themes of geography is BEST ILLUSTRATED. 3) Justify your choice,

using complete sentences.

Postcard: Class ExampleTitle:________________________________________________________________

Theme of Geography:__________________________________________________

Why ________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________