Designed for 6th grade students in Michigan, this presentation allows students to apply their knowledge of the five themes of geography to the Great Basin Desert.

1. Using the 5
Themes of
Geography
Exploring the Great Basin
Desert

2. Outcomes
We will...
Use the fundamental themes of geography
(location, place, human environment
interaction,
movement, region) to describe regions or
places on earth. 1

3. Do Now:
-Which biome2 does
this appear to be?
-What types of
animals might live
here?
-What types of
vegetation might exist
here?
See Notes3 for citation

4. Do Now:
-This is a desert.4
-Snakes, vultures,
spiders, and more!
-Cacti, shrubs,
grasses, and more!
See Notes5 for Citation

5. A Refresher on the 5 Themes...
Remember MR. HELP!
M
is for Movement
is for Region
-the transportation of people, goods,
and ideas
-the unifying characteristic of an area
H/E
is for Human/Environment
Interaction
-how humans affect the earth, and
vice versa
L
is for Location
-the absolute and relative location of
an area
is for Place
-the human and physical
characteristics of an area
R
P

6. Absolute Location of the Great Basin
Desert
The desert is located
at about 40 degrees
north, 117 degrees
west. 8
9

7. Relative Location of the Great Basin
Desert
Great Basin
Desert, Western
United States 10

8. Movement in the Great Basin Desert
Looking at this map, and using your knowledge of the United States and its
technology, how are people, goods, and ideas transferred in the Great Basin
Desert?
11

9. Movement in the Great Basin Desert
12
Movement also deals with ideas. This map shows the cell phone coverage in the Great Basin Desert.
Do you think it is easy or tough to use your cell phone here?

10. Region of the Great Basin Desert
What region(s) does the Great Basin Desert13
belong to?
The Western United States. This area has
several common plants14 and animals.15

11. Human-Environment Interaction in
the Great Basin Desert
Las, Vegas,
Nevada lies in
the middle of
the Great
Basin Desert.
What issues
might this city
have?
See Notes for Citation 16

12. Human-Environment Interaction in
the Great Basin Desert
Much of Nevada uses strict water
conservation laws in order to preserve water,
even when no drought conditions exist.
In fact, they even have officers 17 whose job
it is to ticket people who are wasting water!

13. Place- Physical Characteristics
To the West of the
Great Basin Desert is
the Sierra Nevada
mountain range. To
the east are the
Rocky Mountains.
The Colorado River
runs north-south
through the region.
See Notes18 for Citation

14. Physical Characteristics- Why is the
Great Basin Desert a Desert?
The Great Basin Desert exists because of the
rainshadow effect.
19

15. Place- Human Characteristics
Remember FLARES to identify the Human
Characteristics!
F
is for Food
L
is for Language
A
is for Arts and Housing
R
is for Religion
E
is for Education and Jobs
S
is for Sports and Leisure

16. ExtensionUsing any available resource, identify at least
two examples for each human characteristic of
the Great Basin Desert.
-What foods might be eaten?
-What languages might be spoken?
-What arts, architecture, and housing might
exist?
-What religions might be practiced?
-What education and jobs might be present?

17. Notes
1.Michigan Department of Education "Social Studies Grade Level Content Expectations" http://michigan.
gov/documents/mde/SSGLCE_218368_7.pdf (accessed February 2, 2013).
2. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated "Biome-Definition and More From the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary "http://www.
merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biome (accessed January 25, 2013).
3. Moyan_Brenn "Untitled" http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6030/5952296478_17790f089f_q.jpg (accessed January 25,
2013)..
4. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated "Desert-Definition and More From the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary " http:
//www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desert (accessed January 25, 2013)..
5. Moyan_Brenn "Untitled" http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6030/5952296478_17790f089f_q.jpg (accessed January 25,
2013).
6.The Animal Spot. "Desert Animals" http://www.desertanimals.net/ (accessed January 25, 2013).
7. DesertUsa.com "Desert Flora-Cactus-Grasses-Shrubs-Trees-Wildflowers-DesertUSA" http://www.desertusa.
com/flora.html (accessed January 25, 2013).
8. Great Basin (n.d.) In Wikipedia. Retrieved October 30, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Basin
9. By Kmusser [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
`0. Exploratorium "What's New In the World #22 (Page 2)" http://www.exploratorium.
edu/learning_studio/news/january98/mainstory_jan98.html (accessed January 25, 2013).

18. Notes (Continued)
11. Federal Highway Administration "National Highway System" http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/images/nhs.pdf
(accessed January 25, 2013).
12. Erickson, David (2011). United States Cell Phone Dead Zone Map (Digital Image) Retrieved from http://www.flickr.
com/photos/daviderickson/5391276696/
13.. Lobur, Randall "Great Basin Desert" http://goo.gl/maps/Ef4MO (accessed January 26, 2013).
14. DesertUsa.com "Desert Flora-Cactus-Grasses-Shrubs-Trees-Wildflowers-DesertUSA" http://www.desertusa.
com/flora.html (accessed January 25, 2013).
15. The Animal Spot. "Desert Animals" http://www.desertanimals.net/ (accessed January 25, 2013).
16."Drought conditions grip Las Vegas." Youtube video, Posted by "koattv, " July 31st, 2012. http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Lh-B6P3vVRs.
17 de Hommel, Ronald "Water Cop Kevin Perry." Disputed Waters video February 8, 2011. http://www.disputedwaters.
com/video/08/02/2011/water-cop-kevin-perry.
18. National Park Service "Great Basin and Basin and Range Province." http://www.nps.
gov/grba/naturescience/images/Basin_and_Range_map.jpg (accessed January 25, 2013).
19. Bariot "Rainshadow Copy.jpg" 2007, Wikimedia Commons, http://upload.wikimedia.
org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Rainshadow_copy.jpg (accessed January 26, 2013).