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American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > The Five Themes of Geography Through Historical Maps

The Five Themes of Geography Through Historical Maps

Details

Author
Beaulieu Scott
Topic/Subject Area
Land, Environment, Geography
Historical Era
Early Indigenous and European contact, 1565–1619, Colonial settlement, 1620–1762, Revolutionary America, 1763–1783, The New Nation, 1784–1815, National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5), Middle School (6–8)
Creation Date
2009
Last Revision Date
2024

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About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

After this lesson students will understand that there are Five Themes of Geography. They will achieve this outcome by an in-depth discussion and note-taking session that will introduce the Five Themes of Geography. Through close inspection of historical maps, they will experience the basic concepts of the Themes. Lastly, they will prove mastery of the subject by engaging in a hands-on performance assessment that will provide a product that will support their learning and provide proof of their mastery.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items
Websites

Teaching Plan

  1. The teacher should define and explain the 5 Themes of Geography needed for the lesson. Access the websites in the Materials & Resources section for additional information.
  2. When explaining the concept of Location (absolute) in the Five Themes of Geography, the instructor can use the Map of Europe 1822 and log on to Google Earth to explain the idea of longitude and latitude. The instructor will use Google Earth’s grid lines portion to explain what latitude and longitude are and how they are used. It is suggested that the instructor navigate through this portion of the lesson, prior to teaching the lesson, as to become comfortable with the use of Google Earth. Secondly, to explain Location (relative) the instructor can use the “Map of New-England”. This map can be used for perspective and will allow students to give directions to a location. The instructor should not tell the students how to hold the map.
  3. To explain the Theme of Place the instructor can look at the maps of Deerfield, South Hadley, and Westfield listed in the Materials & Resources section. Students can explain how these places are different. Google Earth could also be used in this activity.
  4. The third Theme of Geography to discuss is Human-Environment Interaction. How have humans interacted with the environment? Use the Lot Survey of Deerfield and the Plot plan of land owned by Joseph Barnard to start discussions on this topic. The town maps of South Hadley and Westfield could also be used to discuss this theme.
  5. The fourth Theme of Geography is Movement. This is the movement of people, goods, and ideas. In terms of goods, the instructor can use a map to show the triangular trade routes of the 18th Century. In terms of people moving from place to place, the route map of Lewis and Clark can be used to show the movement of people towards people. Lastly, the concept of ideas moving can be explained through a discussion on communication changes since the 17th Century. The instructor could explain how long it has taken communications to travel from one spot to another from colonial times to present day.
  6. The fifth Theme is Region. This theme can be introduced and explained through the Lewis and Clark map. This map can explain the different areas and regions that the expedition went through, and prompt a discussion about what makes the different areas different regions – mountains, plains, coastlines.
  7. To prove mastery of the Five Themes of Geography the teacher may use a culminating activity. An activity such as the building of an informational poster using the topics, definitions, graphics and writing. The teacher will need to write the required elements portion and rubric for this activity.