5 Themes of Geography Reflection

Analyzing the world with the five themes of geography help you better understand connections between people and the earth because you can make your life easier by having the knowledge of how and why people build bridges, change themselves, use compasses and atlases, and read map keys. You can also use these skills to help yourself because you never know when you’ll need it. (examples: You want to figure out why there’s a bridge built in San Francisco, you want to know how far away Budapest is from where you live, or you want to know what characteristics make Canada united. Region is the hardest theme of geography to understand because you need to understand Place first because it connects to region by using physical and human characteristics. However, if you understand both concepts, you can piece the information together better. For example, you can’t figure out what unites Canada unless you know the human and physical characteristics already. To know that there’s typically a cold climate in Canada, and that maple syrup is produced there, and that people usually speak French or English there would make it easier to understand region.

Basic Map Skills

I found learning about oceans, continents, and titles were easy because I’ve learned about it before and now we can go more in depth. In basic map skills, I found it difficult to learn coordinates and be accurate while trying to find them without any references. On the other hand, it’s also logical because if you use your cardinal directions to help you figure out coordinates when you can’t remember, it becomes less challenging.

Basic map skills are necessary because it’s a life skill. For example, you could be walking through the Amazon Rainforest on vacation, and you lose your tour guide! What will you do now? Use your references, like your map, compass, phone, or look up at the stars. These skills help you learn geography better by giving you a sense of where a certain country, continent, ocean, etc. is located, understanding current events, (ex: Hurricane Harvey, Irma, Jose) or how to find out where you are if you get lost anywhere.