Purpose

This lesson aims to help students understand the differences between geographic LOCATION and PLACE. If you’ve been trained in geography or have an old textbook laying around, you probably have heard about the Five Themes of Geography. LOCATION and PLACE are two of its OG’s. Even though the Five Themes of Geography have been largely replaced by the Geography for Life Standards to help teachers guide their students, students will benefit from understanding the differences between the spatial concepts of LOCATION and PLACE and their geographic nuances. These are important terms as they are spatial concepts that help us describe where a phenomenon is positioned in space, while describing its characteristics.

Use or Refuse 🙂

APHG Topics:

Topic 1.4: Spatial Concepts include absolute and relative location, space, place, flows, distance decay, time-space compression, and pattern.

National Geography Standards:

• Geography Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, geospatial technologies, and spatial thinking to understand and communicate information.
• Geography Standard 4: The physical and human characteristics of places

(Heffron & Downs & (GENIP), 2012, 17).

Use or refuse 🙂

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Relevant Terms: AP Human Geography, Absolute Location, Relative Location, Site, Situation, Place, Spatial Perspective, Unit 1, Topic 1.4