A Five-Theme Tour

Geography can be broken down into two parts geo and graphy.  The word part geo comes from a Greek word meaning "earth."  Graphy means "science of."  People who are interested in geography are very curious about our world.  They often ask questions based on five themes: location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and regions.  In their work, geographers are guided by two basic questions.  (1) Where are things located? and (2) Why are they there?

Introduction

Task

You and your team of geographers have been assigned the task of comparing two different regions within the United States of America.  You will gather, organize, and analyze geographic information with the help of the five geographical themes and then present your information in a well organized written and oral report.

Process

You will need to answer the following questions: 1.  Where is this region located? 2.  What is this place's climate and physical feature like? 3.  How do people use the land? 4.  How and why have people changed the land? 5.  How has this region been affected by the movement of people, goods, and      ideas in and out of the region? 6.  How are the two regions similar and different from each other?

First select two of the following regions:           New England     Middle Atlantic     Southern     Midwestern                     Southwestern     Pacific                 Rocky Mountain Paragraph 1:  Research your two chosen regions so you can describe its relative location.  That is, you will be able to write down descriptions such as "Canada is north of the United States."  This is an example of the theme of location, which answers the question "Where is this place?"

Now write a few paragraphs describing each of the regions.  Use the following outline to help you write the paragraphs. Paragraph 2:  What are the physical features of the region? Paragraph 3:  What is the climate like in this region? Paragraph 4:  How do people use the regions' land?  How and why have people changed the regions?

Movement helps explain how people, goods, and ideas get from one place to another.  For example, when people from other countries came to the United States, they brought traditional foods that enriched the American way of life.  Research how the two regions' cultures have changed. Paragraph 5:  How have these regions been affected by the movement of people, goods, and ideas?

Finally, you will need to compare the two regions by using the research you have gained so far and further research if needed.  Than, complete the final paragraph. Paragraph 6:  How are these regions similar to and different from each other?