This document outlines the 5 themes of geography that are used to study the earth: location, place, region, movement, and human-environment interaction. It provides examples of each theme and explains how geographers use these themes to ask where things are located and why they are located there. Some key points made about each theme are that location examines relative and absolute positions, place looks at physical and human characteristics, region identifies areas with common traits, movement considers how and why people and items are transported, and human-environment interaction explores the relationship between humans and their surroundings.

1. 5 Themes of
Geography
Ms. Whitworth
6th Grade Western Hemisphere Studies

2. I can….
 I can use the 5 Themes of
Geography to study the Earth.
 Location, Place, Human-Environment
Interaction, Movement, Region
 I can use the five themes of
geography to describe regions or
places on Earth.
Michigan GLCEs

3. How do geographers study the Earth?
They ask two MAJOR
questions
1. Where are things
located?
2. Why are they there?
Spinning earth

4. FIVE THEMES OF
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION
PLACE
REGION
MOVEMENT
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION

5. LOCATION: Where something is
 Where is it?
Relative location is
where it is
compared to places
or things.
Absolute location is
exactly where it is
in the world based
on latitude and
longitude
coordinates.
Copy of map from
local phone book
Latitude/Longitude map of Michigan

6. Examples
 Toledo, OH is just south of
Michigan.
 Am I using RELATIVE or ABSOLUTE
location?
 There is a spot in Gaylord that is
45⁰N 85⁰W
 Am I using RELATIVE OR
ABSOLUTE location?
Sign in Gaylord, MI

7. PLACE: The physical & human
characteristics of a place
 What is this area like?
Physical: Describe the
landforms, bodies of
water, climate, soil,
plant and animal life,
etc.
Human: Describe the
people, settlement
patterns, beliefs,
languages, government,
transportation,
communication, etc.

8. Geographers use special purpose MAPS to
show the human and physical
characteristics of a PLACE
Physical
Characteristics
Human
Characteristics
Google Images Results Texas Maps
 Rivers
 Population

9. REGIONS: Areas that share
common characteristics
 What region is it a part of?
Geographic areas may
be considered regions if
they share
characteristics such as:
landforms, government,
language, religion,
industry, climate,
vegetation, industry….

10. Why are we not in the same
REGION as China?
 We don’t have
the same:
1. Population
2. Physical
features
3. Government
4. Language
5. Religion
6. Climate
 China Statistics on
Culture Grams
 United States
Statistics on Culture
Grams

11. MOVEMENT: How and why people,
things, and ideas move.
 How did they/it get here?
Trade: imports/exports,
trade partners
Migration: People often are
pushed from one location by
negative circumstances like
war or famine. They are
pulled to other locations
hoping for better living
circumstances.

12. Watch and Respond:
• Why is it impossible for people to live
in the Sahara Desert?
• How does this connect to the theme of
MOVEMENT?
YouTube video: Flight over the Sahara

13. HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION: How people interact
with their environment
How do we change our
environment & how do we
adapt to it?
Some interactions are
positive: Animal sanctuaries,
parks, farming….
Some interactions are
negative: Pollution,
deforestation….
People may disagree about
some interactions: highways,
dams, cities, malls….
Hoover Dam

14. Review
 5 Themes of Geography
1. LOCATION – relative and absolute
2. PLACE – human and physical
characteristics
3. REGIONS – share characteristics
4. MOVEMENT – how and why people
move
5. HEI – how do we positively and
negatively impact the environment

15. References
Prentice Hall. World Studies. Foundations of
Geography. New Jersey: Pearson, 2005. Print.