Pre-Geography WritingPre-Geography Writing

5 minutesRespond to the following question in 4-5

complete sentences. Prepare to discuss!

• What can we learn from a map?

5 Themes of Geography5 Themes of Geography

LocationLocation

• Absolute Location

• Relative Location

Absolute LocationAbsolute Location

Absolute LocationAbsolute Location

• The exact location of a place using latitude/longitude coordinates or street address

• BrainPop!

Relative LocationRelative Location

• Relative location is the location of a place in relation to other landmarks.

One way to describe relative location is using distance.

For example – Lexington is about 11 miles away from of the city of Boston.

Relative LocationRelative Location

• Another way to describe relative location is by using close by land marks.

Example: Lexington is near the historic town of Concord

Relative LocationRelative Location

• You can also describe relative location using time.

Example: Lexington is about a thirty minute drive from Boston

Relative LocationRelative Location

• Lastly, relative location can be described using direction.

Example: Lexington is west of the Atlantic coast.

Group Activity - Relative LocationGroup Activity - Relative Location

• Describe the relative location of Lexington. • Keep adding to your list until I ask you to

share.

Physical and Human Physical and Human CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Physical Characteristics: The characteristics describing a place that are found in nature

Human Characteristics: The characteristics describing a place that have been created by humans

On a piece of scrap paper, jot down the human characteristics and the physical characteristics that you notice in each picture.

PlacePlace

PlacePlace

PlacePlace

PlacePlace

• Examples of physical characteristics– climate, landforms, bodies of water, plants

and animal life• Examples of human characteristics

– Man-made objects like buildings or cars, languages, religions, industries, government systems, political boundaries (like the borders of a city)

Human or Physical Human or Physical Characteristics?Characteristics?

• The Gulf of Mexico• Sugar Maple Trees in a forest• A Maple sugar house in a forest• Wind and snow at the top of Mount Everest• Smog in Los Angeles, CA• The Nile River• A man-made dam on the Nile River

Place ActivityPlace Activity

• Take out blue worksheet in the bin• Think of a place outside of Lexington that

you have visited.• Please read the directions and complete

the activity. Color pencils are in the bins too!

• Once you complete, please share with your tablemates and describe your place.

RegionRegion

• A Region is an area that has common characteristics.

• These characteristics may be physical or human

Physical RegionsPhysical Regions

• Physical regions can be deserts, mountains, grasslands, and rain forests.

Examples:-White Mountains of New Hampshire-Amazon rain forest.

Human RegionsHuman Regions

• Human regions may have to do with aspects of culture such as religion, language, or industry.

Examples:-Islamic countries of north Africa (religious region)-The French-speaking Canadian province of Quebec(language region) -Silicon Valley, California (industrial region)

Are these regions human or Are these regions human or physical?physical?

• The Great Lakes region• The Rocky Mountains• Fishing towns on the coast of Maine• Chinatown in Boston• The Nile River valley• Milan, Italy: the fashion capital of the world• Red Sox Nation

MovementMovement

• Goods, ideas, and people can move.

GoodsGoods

• When goods move, it is called trade. • Trade is the action of buying and selling

goods and/or services.

• Exports are goods or services that are sent out of a region to other places in the world.

• Imports are goods or services that are sent into a region from other parts of the world.

Common U.S. Exports• Machinery, engines, oil, electronic

equipment, medical equipment, food products

Common U.S. Imports• Oil, foreign cars, electronics,

drugs/medicines, spices, food products

Movement of IdeasMovement of Ideas

• When ideas spread from one culture to another, it is called cultural diffusion.

How do the following pictures picture show movement of ideas or cultural diffusion?

Movement of PeopleMovement of People

• A person who leaves their native homeland to move somewhere else is called an immigrant.

• BrainPop!

Human/Environmental InteractionHuman/Environmental Interaction

• People can adapt to the environment • People can change the environment• People can depend on the environment

Which type of interaction?Which type of interaction?

Which type of interaction?Which type of interaction?

Which type of interaction?Which type of interaction?

Human/Environmental InteractionHuman/Environmental Interaction

• What are some ways you adapt to your environment?

• What are some ways you change your environment?

• What are some ways you depend on your environment?