Geography
8th Grade Social Studies
The 5 Themes of Geography
1.1
1. Location- Where something is located.
– Absolute location: the absolute or specific
location as in using coordinates of a map
with latitude and longitude.
Example: 40 degrees North and 74 Degrees
West. (More to come on this)
– Relative location: General location of
where something is at.
Example: next door to or around the corner.
5 Themes of Geography
1.1
2. Place- A place is an area that is
defined by everything in it. All places
have features that give them personality
and distinguish them from other places.
– Example would be this school- What would
we include?
– Everything in it, walls, desks, gym, cafeteria,
classrooms, people, maps, brooms, mops,
computers…. You get it everything.
5 Themes of Geography
1.1
3. Region- A region is an area that is
defined by certain similar
characteristics. Those unifying or similar
characteristics can be physical, natural,
human, or cultural.
– Example of this would be the Great Lakes
Region. Every city around the Great Lakes
would be considered part of the region.
(Places or locations)
5 Themes of Geography
1.1
4. Movement- Refers to the way people,
products, information, and ideas move
from one place to another.
– Example- How food is grown and then moved
from a farm in Illinois to New York City.
5 Themes of Geography
1.1
• Human-environment interaction looks
at the relationships between people
and their environment; how people
adapt to the environment and how they
change it.
– Example of adapting would be the soil of
Midwest is very good for growing, so we grow
a good supply of the worlds corn and
soybean.
Reading a Map 1.5
Compass Rose
• A compass rose is a model of a compass. It tells
the cardinal directions, which are north, south,
east, and west.
Scale
• The scale on a map tells you the relative distance
on the map to the real world. For example, a
map’s scale may tell you that one inch on the map
equals one mile in the real world.
– Relative Location- the location of one place in relation
to another place. Look for a reference point, a place you
already know
Key
• The key, or legend, on a map explains what the
symbols on a map represent, such as triangles
representing trees.
Grids
• Some maps use a grid of parallels and meridians.
On a map of a small area, letters and numbers are
often used to help you find your absolute location
(global address- 36°N and 140°E is Tokyo, Japan).
OwlTeacher.com
Physical Maps
• Physical maps show
location and topography
(shape of physical
features)
– Earth’s Landforms
(mountains and forests),
Water Features (rivers and
lakes), and Relief and
Elevation (the difference in
height, often shown with a
key).
Political Maps
• Political maps show the boundaries and locations
of political units
– Countries, cities, towns
• A political map has features human-made, or
determined by humans
– Capitals, highways, railroads
Thematic Maps
• Thematic maps can represent a variety of
information including things like climate,
precipitation, vegetation, elevation,
population, life expectancy, etc.
• Thematic maps are generally used when
you are looking at a single piece of
information.
Latitude 1.5
What is Latitude?
• Lines of Latitude run
horizontally (Across Right and
Left).
• Latitude is measured in degrees.
• The Equator is 0 degrees
Latitude.
• Lines of Latitude locate places
North or South of the Equator.
• The North Pole is 90 degrees N
Latitude, and the South Pole is
90 degrees S Latitude.
Longitude 1.5
• Lines of Longitude run vertically.
UP and DOWN
• They are also called Meridians.
• The Prime Meridian is found in
Greenwich, England.
• The Prime Meridian is 0 degrees
Longitude.
• Lines of Longitude locate places
East or West of the Prime
Meridian.
• There are 180 degrees of east
Longitude, and 180 degrees of
west Longitude.
Now putting latitude and longitude
together to find and absolute
location (1.5)
In order to find an absolute location
we need to utilize both latitude and
longitude together.
It is like using a grid.
Lets practice this on the globe to the
right and then in your curriculum
guides.
Hemispheres, Continents and
Oceans (1.2)
• The earth is split up into
– 4 Hemispheres Western, Eastern, Northern
and Southern.
– 7 Continents- Africa, Asia, Europe, Antarctica,
North America, South America, Australia
– 5 Oceans Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Southern,
and Indian
• Where are these located in the world?
The Hemispheres 1.2
Countries of the World (1.6)
• Lets label some very important countries of
the world that we will be covering over the
course of the year.
United States
Great Britain
France
Germany
Russia
Italy
Iran
Japan
China
North and South Korea
Vietnam
Iraq
Afghanistan
Mexico
States and Capitals (1.6)
• Lets review the states and the capitals
• Label the states and capitals on your blank
U.S. Map.