Unit 1 United States and Canada Geography

Lessons Review Maps Graphic Organizer Unit 1 United States and Canada Geography How do people adapt to where they live? United States and Canada Geography

Lessons Review Maps Graphic Organizer Lessons Lesson 1 Major Landforms Lesson 2 Major Waterways Lesson 3 Natural Resources Lesson 4 Climate Regions Lesson 5 Environmental Challenges Lesson 6 Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans

Major Landforms Lesson 1 Vocabulary tundra megalopolis prairie Continental Divide canyon Reading Skill What are some of the major landforms of North America? Compare and Contrast

The United States and Canada Major Landforms U.S. and Canada share most of North America. In the north, tundracovers Arctic lands where only grasses and mosses can grow. In the South, lush grasses grow on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Canada is divided into 13 provinces and territories and is the second largest country in the world after Russia. U.S is the world’s third largest country.

Lowlands and Highlands Major Landforms The Atlantic Coastal Plain runs along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf Coastal Plain lies along the Gulf of Mexico. Natural harbors along the Atlantic coast have led to the growth of shipping ports. The Appalachian Mountains run from eastern Canada to Alabama and divide the Northeastern states from the Midwestern states.

Interior Lowlands Major Landforms The Canadian Shield wraps around Hudson Bay. It has rocky hills, lakes, and evergreen forests, poor soil, and a cold climate. The Central Lowland lies south of the Canadian Shield and west of the Appalachian Mountains. It has grassy hills, rolling flatlands, thick forests, and fertile farmland. The Great Plains are west of the Mississippi River. In some parts, farmers grow grains in their fertile soil. In other parts, ranchers raise cattle on the land.

Mountains and Plateaus Major Landforms The Rocky Mountains begin in Alaska and run south to New Mexico. They are divided into the Canadian Rockies and Northern Rockies, the Middle Rockies, the Southern Rockies, and the Colorado Plateau. The Continental Divide is an imaginary line in the Rockies. East of the divide, rivers drain into the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. West of the divide, rivers flow into the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California. In the Colorado Plateau lies the Grand Canyon. It was carved out by the Colorado River during the last 6 million years.

Major Waterways Lesson 2 Vocabulary navigable tributary glacier wetland Reading Skill Compare and Contrast How do people use some of the region’s major waterways?

The Mississippi River Major Waterways Native Americans were the first to travel and trade on the North American waterways. Mississippi River Basin drains over 1 million square miles of land and the surrounding land is suitable for farming. Products from port cities such as St. Louis and Memphis are shipped down the river to other ports because the river is easy to navigate.

The Great Lakes and the Everglades Major Waterways The Great Lakes are the world’s largest group of lakes. St. Lawrence Seaway – a series of canals that helps ships navigate from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. It carries raw materials and manufactured goods from cities like Chicago, Cleveland, and Toronto to the rest of the world. The Everglades are a large area of wetlands in southern Florida that depend on both water and land to support diverse, sometimes endangered, plant and animal life including alligators.

Natural Resources Lesson 3 Vocabulary hydroelectric power renewable resources scarcity economy irrigation Reading Skill How do the United States and Canada use natural resources? Compare and Contrast

Mineral and Energy Resources Natural Resources Iron ore is used to make steel and is found in parts of eastern Canada and the northern United States. The Rocky Mountains have gold, silver, and copper. The Canadian Shield (also called Canada’s Storehouse) has iron ore, copper, nickel, and gold. U.S. uses nearly three times the amount of oil that it produces. Canada’s oil and natural gas reserves lie in or near the province of Alberta (second largest oil reserves of oil in the form of oil mixed with sand). Renewable energy resources include ethanol (a fuel made from corn), solar energy, and wind power.

Scarce Resources Natural Resources Renewable resources such as trees and fish can become scarce resources. Forests used to cover much of the United States and Canada but today cover less than half of Canada and about a third of the United States. Lumber and wood products, such as paper, are major exports of Canada. Great Banks, located off Canada’s southeast coast, were once one of the world’s richest fishing grounds, but because these waters were overfished, the number of fish decreased.

Soil Resources Natural Resources Central Valley of California is located between two mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada and the Coast Ranges. Irrigation brought water to the dry land through ditches and pipes. Canada’s heartland is known as the “Prairie Provinces.” Wheat is a major farm crop. Dairy farms are also important. United States produces corn, soybeans, and grains in the Midwest. Dairy products and livestock are also important to the economy of the Midwest. In the South’s warm, wet climate, farmers in Louisiana and Arkansas grow rice and sugarcane. Farmers in Florida and Texas grow citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.

Climate Regions Lesson 4 Vocabulary temperate climate current precipitation drought arid Reading Skill How does climate affect how people live? Compare and Contrast

Cold Climates Climate Regions Climate is mainly determined by latitude, but also by landforms such as mountains and large bodies of water. Most people in Canada and the United States live in a temperate climate. In Northern Arctic parts of Alaska and Canada, winters are long and cold while summers are brief and cool.

Warm Climates Climate Regions Ocean currents in the South and the Pacific Northwest provide humid, warm, or even tropical climates. Air over large bodies of water is warmer in winter and cooler in summer. In the Pacific Northwest, ocean currents keep this area’s climate mild and wet, whereas southern California has a climate of warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Areas near the Tropic of Cancer are warm all year round.

The Desert West and Midwest Climate Regions The desert of the southwestern United States gets less than 10 inches of precipitation each year. The Great Plains receive moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and from the Arctic. The Dust Bowl was caused by poor farming methods and drought.

The East Climate Regions North America’s climate is divided into arid and humid areas of precipitation. Northeast experiences a humid continental climate. Southeast has a humid subtropical climate. Forests in the Northeast have two types of trees: broadleaf trees that change color in autumn and needleleaf evergreens that stay green all year.

Environmental Challenges Lesson 5 Vocabulary tornado hurricane blizzard plate tectonics global warming What environmental challenges do people in the region share? Reading Skill Compare and Contrast

Tornadoes, Hurricanes and Blizzards Environmental Challenges TornadoAlley is an area where tornadoes are common from Texas north to Nebraska. Hurricanes generally develop from June to September and often strike along the southeastern Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Blizzards are severe winter storms that last for hours and combine high winds with heavy snow that limits how far people can see.

Earthquakes and Volcanoes Environmental Challenges Plate tectonics is a theory that states that the surface of the Earth is made up of moving parts. Movements take place along faults, and shifts can cause earthquakes or volcanoes to erupt. Along the coast, earthquakes can cause huge waves called tsunamis. Volcanoes are found in the Pacific Coast Mountains, southern Alaska, and Hawaii.

Global Warming Environmental Challenges Global warming is the overall rise in the temperature of the Earth. Greenhouse effect is heat that is trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and ozone).

Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Lesson 6 Vocabulary levee water table Reading Skill Compare and Contrast Why was New Orleans heavily damaged by a hurricane?

The Storm Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States. Wind, waves, and rain caused flooding from Louisiana to Mississippi and Alabama. Katrina killed 1,800 people and caused $81 billion of property damage. Katrina is considered one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

Review Vocabulary A long period without rain is a _________. A treeless plain where only grasses and mosses can grow is called _______. A ________ is a high wall built to protect areas from flooding. A _________ is a giant blanket of ice. _______________ is the overall rise in the temperature of the Earth. drought tundra levee glacier Global warming tundra levee glacier global warming drought

Review 6. Name two ways in which the United States and Canada are alike. 7. Why did the U.S. and Canada build the St. Lawrence Seaway? 8. Name two renewable resources and why they are renewable. 9. Name two nonrenewable resources and why they are nonrenewable. 10. What causes earthquakes and volcanoes to occur?

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Unit 1 United States and Canada Geography