This section focuses on identifying and applying the six essential elements of geography. The material presented is designed to help you meet the following objective.
- Identify and apply the six essential elements of geography (i.e., the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and uses of geography), including the specific terms for each element.
The resolution in support of geography education adopted by the Association of American Geographers states, in part, that "geography education is central to preparing students to be informed citizens of the United States and economically competitive in a rapidly globalizing world; [that]… geotechnologies… have been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the three most important emerging and evolving fields, with job opportunities growing and diversifying rapidly, creating substantial workforce growth…; [and that] employers in all sectors, including private companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have indicated that there is a pressing need for more students graduating today with the geographic science and geospatial skills needed to support a rapidly growing field….(AAG Resolution, n.d., pars. 4-6).
Geographic knowledge is not just important for geography professionals. When students understand the spatial relationships of physical systems and how human systems interact with them, they will have taken a necessary step to meeting challenges in a world that will in all likelihood continue to become increasingly globalized. Geography's 18 national standards are organized into six essential elements. These elements can be considered the building blocks for understanding geography; they comprise geography's central ideas.
