Chapter 1

Lesson 1

Vocabulary

1. Contiguous: next to each other {picture} 2. Region: area which many features are similar {example} 3. Relative location: where something is compared to other places {example} 4. Continents: landmasses {example} 5. Population: number of people

5 Regions of the United States

West Mid West North East South East South West

• • Three countries in North America 1. Canada 2. USA 3. Mexico The relative location of USA is between Canada and Mexico

Chapter 1

Lesson 2

Vocabulary

1. Latitude: lines that RUN east and west 2. Longitude: lines that RUN north and south

3. Landform region: region that has similar landforms {example} 4. climate: kind of weather a place has over a long period of time {example} 5. Mountain range: group of connected mountains {picture} 6. erosion: wearing away of Earth’s surface {picture of App. Mtn}

7. prairie: area of flat or rolling land covered mostly by grasses {picture} 8. environment: surroundings in which people, plants, and animals live {picture}

Landform Regions

1. Coastal Plain – Flat, low land along Atlantic Ocean – South East region 2. Appalachians – Tree covered mountain range – Oldest mtns in U.S. (peaks worn down by glaciers) – Made up of smaler mtn ranges that run together – Eastern side of U.S.

3. Interior Plains – – center of the country from Appalachian Mtns to Rocky Mtns Eastern part=Interior Plains – Great Plains (Texas) 4. Rocky Mountains – – – Western U.S.

Largest and longest mtn range in U.S.

Mexico  Canada  Alaska 5. Great Basin – – Low, bowl shaped land w/higher land all around it Nevada & parts of five neighboring states 6. Pacific Coast – Coast ranges (low mtns rocky, rugged look) – Drop sharply into the ocean – Very little flat land compared to Atlantic coast

Chapter 1

Lesson 3 Bodies of Water

Vocabulary

1. inlet- any area of water extending into the land from a larger body of water {picture} 2. Gulfs-largest form of inlet {Gulf of Mexico; picture} 3. Sound-long inlet that separates offshore islands from the mainland {picture} 4. Tributary- stream or river that flows INTO a larger stream or river {picture} 5. River system- river + tributaries; drains or carries water away from the land around it {picture} 6. Drainage basin- land drained by a river system {identify in river system picture} 7. Fall line- place where land drops sharply forming waterfalls or rapids {picture}

• • • • •

Bodies of Water

Gulf of Mexico – Largest gulf bordering U.S. to the south Gulf of Alaska – Lies south of Alaska along Pacific Coast Great Lakes – Largest freshwater lakes in U.S.

– H.O.M.E.S.

Great Salt Lake – In Utah – Salty like oceans Mississippi River – M.R. + tributaries= largest river system in U.S.

• Arkansas River, Missouri River, Ohio River – Drains most land b/w Rocky and Appalachian Mtns

Continental Divide

• • • Found along Rocky Mtns Rivers EAST of it flow into the Atlantic Ocean & Gulf of Mexico Rivers WEST of it flow into the Pacific Ocean & Gulf of Alaska