5 Themes of Geography

Geography 12Activation Assignment

Ms. Inden

The Five Themes of Geography

• Geography is the study of the earth and everything on it.

• When geographers study the earth, they examine or look at it through a five lenses:1. location2. place3. human/environment interaction4. movement5. regions

1. Location – Absolute position

• Every point on Earth has a specific, absolute, location

• Geographers use– parallels of latitude – measured north

and south of the equator– meridians of longitude – measured east

and west of the Prime Meridian

• …to determine absolute location

Every point on earth corresponds to a number showing latitude, plus

a number showing longitude.

http://www.lakelandsd.com/tutorial/instructions.html

Use the link to find the specific location of the

following places• http://

www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com/

1. The border between Canada and the United States in BC, east of Vancouver

2. Your town3. The most southern point of Canada’s border with the US4. The farthest east you can get in Canada5. The farthest west you can get in Canada6. The farthest north you can get on this map in Canada

Location can also be relative – that is relative to

another place• Relative location – how one place is

connected to another• The relative location is not a specific

designation, but a general description based on where it exists compared to another landmark or place– Where are you, relative to Prince George?

• Fort St. James is Northwest of Prince George, both are located on the Interior Plateau

Assignment

• Using the three maps provided, complete the following questions

• The World Map1. Which line of longitude runs through Greenland2. Which line of latitude is the Equator?3. Canada’s territories (Nunavut, Yukon, Northwest Territories) are located north of which line of

latitude?4. Antarctica is located south of which line of latitude?5. Oceana is south of the Equator, and what of the Prime or Greenwich Meridian

• Antarctica Map1. The Amery Ice Shelf is located at approximately 70°S and 75°E. Thurston Island is located:

2. The coordinates of the South Pole are:3. The coordinates of the Magnetic South Pole are:

• Pakistan1. The Indus River enters Pakistan from China at which coordinates? Explain in relative terms,

where it exits Pakistan2. Afghanistan is located where, relative to Pakistan? 3. The capital city is what, and is located at which coordinates? What is the capital city’s

relative location?4. India is located where, relative to China?

2. Place

• All places have characteristics that give them meaning and character different from other places – – Physical– Human (or cultural)

Place

http://weathersavvy.com/A-Climate.html

http://www.the-labs.com/Lightbox/mountain.jpg

• Physical Characteristics– animal life– plant life– geographical

characteristics

• Question: Briefly describe how these two places are different based on the three items above.

Human Characteristics

• shaped by religious, political, cultural, social, economic ideas– Architecture – the style of buildings– What people do for a living– Land use and ownership

• How people use the land for economic and recreational purposes, and who and how land is owned

– Town planning– Communication and transportation

networks

http://www.uva.co.uk/wp/wp-content/projects/onTheRoad/tokyo/tokyo01.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/u48/rvision/upload/30747180.HollandBikingHollandBiking09.jpg

Place: shaped by religious, political, cultural, social, economic ideas and history

Describe how these two places are different:

1. Architecture – the style of buildings

2. What people do for a living

3. Land use and ownership - how people use the land for economic and recreational purposes

4. Communication and transportation networks

3. Human/Environment

Interaction • Positive and

negative consequences of human impact

http://web.uvic.ca/malahat/supporters.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Deepwater_Horizon_offshore_drilling_unit_on_fire_2010.jpg

• The way humans depend on, adapt to and modify the environment

From Wikipedia: Anchor-handling tugboats battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon. A Coast Guard MH-65C dolphin rescue helicopter and crew document the fire aboard the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, while searching for survivors. Multiple Coast Guard helicopters, planes and cutters responded to rescue the Deepwater Horizon's 126 person crew.

University of Victoria

BP Oil Spill

Human/Environment Interaction

• Looking at the images of the BP oil spill and the University of Victoria, write about the following:1. How do people

• Modify or change the environment in which they live?

• How do people depend upon the environment?• How do people change their activities to

survive and thrive in the environment?2. What are the positive and negative impacts on

the environment in each photo? On people?

4. Regions

• A region is a basic unit of study with certain unifying characteristics– physical– cultural– and how this changes over time

This map shows language regions. Examine the map. Tell one thing you notice or are surprised by.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Percent_poverty_world_map.png

1. What is this map showing?2. Where are most of the richer countries located?3. Where are most of the poor countries located?4. Give some reasons you think a place might be rich or poor.

http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/mideast/info/maps/religions-map.gif

1. What is this map showing?2. Make a comment about one aspect of this map that is interesting or

surprising to you.

5. Movement

• Movement of life forms, including people, ideas, products – travel– communication– reliance on products, information, ideas

from other places

• How are we connected to other places, people?

Go to the Geography 12 Website

• Read through the pages on the flood in Pakistan. As you read, answer the following questions1. Give a brief description of what has caused this natural

and human catastrophe2. Describe some of the key problems that have been

created for the environment, the people in Pakistan, the people outside of Pakistan

3. Thinking about the idea of movement in geography, answer the following questions:• How are people in Pakistan moving in response?• How has the world responded, or communicated, or helped the

people of Pakistan? What goods and supports are moving from different countries to Pakistan?

• What impact could this disaster have on people outside of Pakistan. In other words, how are we connected to the people there?