U.S. GeographySocial Studies: Ch. 1

States

50 states in the U.S.

48 are contiguous Next to each other

Which 2 states are separated?

States

Alaska and Hawaii are separated

Regions

States are grouped into regions An area where many of the features are

similar 5 regions

West Southwest Midwest Southeast Northeast

Regions

How do you think the regions got their names?

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 16-17)

Continents

There are 7 continents▪ Large land masses

Asia Africa North America South America Antarctica Europe Australia

Continents

The United States is in North America

3 largest countries in North America—U.S., Canada, Mexico

Which country has thelargest population?

Which country has themost square miles? (Berson et. al, 2007, pg. 19)

Check up!

Mastery: What are the 5 regions of the United States?

Interpersonal: What other continent would you like to live on and why?

Check up!

Understanding: Find a statement in your notes that disproves this statement: There are 50 contiguous states in the U.S.

Self-Expressive: Finish this analogy: (Example: up is to down as left is to

right) The United States is to North America as

_______________ is to ______________.

Landforms

Regions can be identified by landforms Plains Mountains Plateaus Hills Valleys

Climate

Regions can be identified by climate Weather that lasts over a long period of

time in a certain place Types of climate

Dry Tropical Moderate Polar

How would you classify GA?

The Coastal Plain

How would you describe the Coastal Plain?

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 24)

Coastal Plain

The Coastal Plain is the flat, low area of land along the Atlantic Ocean.

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 24)

Appalachians

The Piedmont is the region of valleys and hills at the base of the Appalachian Mts.

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 24)

Appalachians

The Appalachian mountains are covered in trees

The oldest mountain range in the U.S.

Their peaks, or tops, were affected by erosion Wearing away of Earth’s surface by

wind, rain, and glaciers. Have you ever been to the

Appalachian Mts? (Great Smoky, Blue Ridge, Catskill, White

Mts.)

The Interior Plains

The center of the U.S., the land is flat and rolling.

The western part is called the Great Plains

Covered by prairies Flat land with lots of grass a very few

trees

The Great Plains

Rocky Mountains

The largest and longest mountains in the U.S.

They stretch from Mexico to Canada

Between the Rockies and the mountains along the west coast is the Great Basin in Nevada Basin—Low, bowl-shaped land with

higher land surrounding it.

Great Basin

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 24)

Plateau

A plateau is a level area of land, but it is raised above the land around it

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 24)

Check up!

Mastery: Where is the Coastal Plain located?

Interpersonal: Suppose you are on a train through the Interior Plains. What would you see when you look out the window?

Check up!

Understanding: Compare and Contrast the Appalachian and the Rocky Mountains (think about age, size, and location).

Self-Expressive: Draw a symbol that would represent the word basin.

Bodies of Water Inlets are areas where water extends into

the land from a larger body of water. Gulf—A LARGE inlet Sound—a LONG inlet

Can you locate the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of California, and Gulf of Alaska? (next slide or pg. 32)

Can you locate Puget Sound and Albermarle Sound? (next slide or pg. 32)

Bodies of Water

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 32)

Bodies of Water

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 32)

Lakes

Great Lakes—the 5 largest lakes in North America on the border of U.S. and Canada Lake Superior Lake Michigan Lake Huron Lake Erie Lake Ontario

Most U.S. lakes consist of freshwater, except the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Rivers

Rivers begin at a source and empty into a large body of water at its mouth. Can you make a connection between the

mouth of a river and the mouth on our face?

The Mississippi and its tributaries (other rivers that flow into it) create the largest river system in the U.S.

Rivers

People built cities near rivers because it made it easier to travel and transport goods. Name 3 jobs that people have near the

river. What types of food can you find near a

river?

Dividing the Rivers

The Continental Divide splits the river systems in the U.S. into two groups:

Runs north and south through the highest points of the Rocky Mts.

West EastRivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Oceans

Rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean

and the Gulf of Mexico

Check up!

Mastery: What was the cause for people building cities near rivers?

Interpersonal: If you lived near a river, what types of activities would you do most often?

Check up!

Understanding: Compare and contrast the Gulf of Mexico and Puget Sound (think about size/shape, Continental Divide location, and vocabulary similarities).

Self-Expressive: Create a pneumonic device that will help you remember the 5 Great Lakes. (ex. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos helps remember the order of the planets.)

Climate

Climate is determined by the type of weather that occurs in a place over a long time

Places closer to the equator are warmer

Climate

The sun shines more directly on the places near the equator

(Berson et al, 2007, pg. 37)

Climate

Can you explain why Montana is colder than Florida?

What else affects climate? Distance from the ocean Elevation (height of the land compared to sea level)

Climate

Weather in the contiguous states moves from west to east.

If mountains block rain clouds, which side of the mountains receives the most rain?

West East

Vegetation

Natural vegetation—native plant life—grows easily in its home place.

Plant life is different in certain places based on temperature, soil, and MOST IMPORTANTLY precipitation.

Vegetation

4 Vegetation Regions:

Forest

Grassland

Desert

Tundra

In which region

would you classify

Georgia?

Vegetation 4 Vegetation Regions:

Forest—lots of precipitation for trees to grow—Eastern US and parts of the West

Grassland—moderate precipitation—Great Plains and part of Central Plains

Desert—Arid, or dry, climate with low bushes and cactus

Tundra—cold and dry, no trees, covered often with snow

Check up!

Mastery: Name 3 factors that affect climate.

Interpersonal: Which vegetation region do you think a squirrel likes best? Why?

.

Understanding: Name two states that have opposite climates. Briefly describe their climates. (Think about places to which you have traveled.)

Self-Expressive: Draw a fictional creature that could live/survive in a tundra region.

Check up!

Settling the Land

300 million people in the U.S. Why people settle/make a home in a

certain place

Climate (good living conditions) Soil (good for farming) Water (good for fishing, transportation) Landforms (good land for building

homes)

Settling the Land

Air conditioning helps people live comfortably in desert climates.

What inventions help people live comfortably: in In the tundra (cold)? Near rivers?

Using the Land

½ of U.S. land is used for farming Coastal and Interior Plains Fertile soil and enough water

Most mining done in the mountains

Cities take up large areas of land

Changing the Land

People modify, or change, the land to make it livable.

Modify water: Dig wells Build dams on rivers and streams Irrigation—systems that move water

Use water Dams create water reservoirs for

drinking/cooking Electricity

Changing the Land

Modify the Land Cut down trees Dig wells Plow Land

Use the Land Build homes on cleared land Pump oil through wells Plant crops on plowed land

Land Resources

Natural resources—something useful found in nature (renewable and non-renewable)

Renewable resources—can be made again and again Soil, plants, water, light, wind

Non-renewable resources—cannot be made again or take thousands of years Minerals, oil, gas

Non-renewable Resource

Did you know that oil is a resource used in everything that is plastic?

Plastic cups

Plastic toys Plastic

water bottle

Plastic chairs

Plastic containers

Plastic bags

Check Up!

Mastery: In your own words, give the meaning for the word modify.

Interpersonal: What do you feel are good ways to eliminate the waste of non-renewable resources?

Check Up!

Understanding: Identify some possibly causes for people choosing to settle land near water.

Self-Expressive: Discuss what would happen if air conditioners were never invented.

Resources

Berson et al (2007). The United States: Making a new nation. Orlando: Harcourt.