Transcript Georgia Regions and Habitats - Polk County School District

Georgia
Regions
and Habitats
Gathered from the internet and adapted for use from another teacher.
I apologize for not seeing a name to credit.
Before we get
started, where in the
world is Georgia?
Do you know?
Georgia is in the Southeastern
part of the United States, on
the continent of North America.
There it is!
Georgia itself is
divided into
different regions.
Each region is
different from the
others in their own
special ways.
The northern-most
part of Georgia is
called the
Mountain Region.
The central part of
Georgia is called
the
Piedmont
Region.
The southern-most
part of Georgia is
called the
Coastal Plain
Region.
Georgia borders
the Atlantic Ocean,
so it also has a
coastline and an
abundance of
barrier islands.
Neat!
Are you ready to find
out what makes each
region special?
Do you want to know
what kinds of plants
and animals might be
found in each?
Let’s start in
Georgia’s Mountain
Region!
Have you ever
been to the
mountains?
Let’s take a little
field trip, shall we?
The Georgia
Mountains…
The Georgia
Mountains…
The elevation is higher, and it’s
shaded by trees. These things
make the temperature cooler.The
terrain also makes it harder to get
around. Some people live in the
mountains, but it’s not highly
populated. Can you think of some
reasons why few people live in
this region?
In the mountains, you
might see…..
beautiful
waterfalls.
This is Amicola
Falls in the North
Georgia
Mountains.
In the mountains, you
might see…..
really tall trees like the Tulip
Poplar and the Hemlock.
You might also see
some cool animals
that call the Georgia
Mountains their home.
Let’s see what
we can find!
Mudpuppies and
American Toads are
two amphibians
which live in this
habitat.
Both need to live by
mountain streams,
but they love to
hang out in the
woods!
Box Turtles and
Copperhead
Snakes are two
reptiles which live
in this mountain
habitat.
Can you think of a
reason why these
two would be
perfectly at home
in the woods?
Lots of animals love to
be high in the trees of
the Georgia Mountains!
Can you name these
three?
Black Bears,
Mountain Lions,
and Coyotes are
major predators
in the mountains!
They’re so furry!
Why??
The Black Vulture is a
scavenger that keeps
this habitat clean- they
have an important job
here! Sadly, they were
almost wiped out due
to DDT- it made their
eggs too soft to hatch.
Now they are on the
Threatened List, so
they are making a
comeback.
Humans’ use of DDT changed this
habit just enough to almost kill
off an entire species of bird.
Can you think of other ways
humans could possibly change
this habitat, thus affecting the
plants and animals that thrive
here?
Hop back on the bus! It’s time to
leave the Mountain Region!
We’re heading
south to the
Piedmont
Region of
Georgia! Let’s
go!
The Piedmont
Region…
The Piedmont
Region…
•It’s farther south, so the temperature
is warmer than in the mountains.
•The land consists of rolling hills,
lakes, and rivers.
•Atlanta is in the Piedmont, making it
the highest populated region of
Georgia. Why do so many people like
this region?
In the Piedmont, you
might see…..
lots of tall
buildings and
twisting
highways.
Hey… what’s that
building with the
gold dome?
Pretty!
In the Piedmont, you
might see…..
Dogwood, Sweet
Gum, and Hickory
Trees!
Let’s see what animals
we can find here!
No hiking boots
needed this time!
We could use a canoe
though! Let’s check
out the lakes and
rivers first!
Near the Chattahoochee River and
Lake Lanier, we might find some
interesting critters! Water makes a
great habitat!
Snapping Turtles
and River Otters
thrive in the
Piedmont
Region.
Can you think of
some reasons why
these two would be
perfectly at home
in the water?
The Piedmont is home
to the Red-Cockaded
Woodpecker and the
Mourning Dove.
Peck, peck, peck,
peck, peck, peck,
peck…..
The Piedmont is also
home to White-tailed
Deer. They prefer wooded
areas, but as we continue
to populate the area, we
force them into unsafe
territory.
Don’t do it little
guy!
Look both ways!
As we increase the human population in
this region, we continue to push animals
out of their natural habitats. Here are some
coyotes in downtown Atlanta- if caught,
they are most likely re-released outside of
the state. They are not a threat to humans,
but they do prey upon family pets now that
we share a habitat with them.
Can you think of other ways
humans could possibly change
this habitat, thus affecting the
plants and animals that thrive
here? How can we protect the
environment?
Load up! Let’s head farther south
into the Coastal Plain Region! It’s
a big region, so we have lots to
explore!
Coastal Plain
The Coastal Plain
Region…
The Coastal Plain
Region…
•It makes up southern Georgia, so it’s
the warmest region of the state.
•The land is flat, and the soil is mostly
sandy. This creates a unique
environment for many different plants
and animals.
•It’s a great region to vacation in. Can
you think of some reasons why?
In the Coastal Plain,
you might see…..
a lack of hills and
an abundance of
water. Actually,
most of the water
is on the east
side of the state.
The western side
is pretty, but flat.
In the Coastal Plain,
you might see…..
marshes and
swamps. The
Okefenokee Swamp
one of the largest
swamps in the U.S.
and is a habitat for
many different
species of plants and
animals. Want to see
some?
The
Okefenokee
Swamp is
obviously a
very wet,
mucky place
to be!
Most trees
would drown in
this habitat, but
not the Cypressit loves all that
muck!
That muck is
also a great
habitat for
American
Alligators. They
call the swamps
home!
Want to go for a little swim???
(I’ll pass!)
Since mosquitoes
need warm
temperatures and
water in which to
lay their eggs….
The swamps are a
perfect habitat for
the little bloodsuckers! Ouch!
Closer to the
coast, there are
lots of tall pines
and Saw
Palmettos.
Georgia’s
state bird, the
Brown
Thrasher,
might nest in
trees like
these!
If I were a bird, I’d
make my home in
one of Georgia’s
Live Oaks! (It’s
the Georgia State
It has lots of huge Tree!)
branches to
choose from, and
the moss that
grows on them
would make
perfect nesting
material!
Wire grass and sea
weed are two types
of vegetation that
abound near the
coast.
Southern Toads love the
nestle among the vegetation
and catch mosquitoes!
Yummy!
Double-crested Cormorants, Snowy
Egrets, and Blue Heron love to live near
the coastal waters.
Can you guess why?
This region is also home to the
venomous Coral Snake!
Red on black, friend of Jack.
Red on yellow, kill a fellow!
The Little Grass
Frog is one of the
tiniest critters that
live in this coastal
habitat.
The armadillo is one of
the most unique
animals that make this
region their home.
(They just don’t fare so
well with the traffic!)
Can you brainstorm some things
that humans might do to try to
conserve this habitat for all of the
plants and animals that live here?
Where the warm, salty waters of
the Atlantic Ocean meet our state,
a very unique habitat is created.
Welcome to the beaches and
barrier islands of Georgia!
Jekyll Islalnd and St.
Simon’s Island are
two of many barrier
islands along
Georgia’s coast.
Let’s make our field
trip a bit more
interesting!
Want to?
To see some of Georgia’s coolest
animals, we’ll need one of these!
Sub=Below Marine=Water
The Right Whale is Georgia’s State
Mammal!
They were named “Right” because when
they were hunted long ago, they were
easy to catch, they floated when killed,
and they held lots of oil and meat. They
were just right for hunting. Sadly, they
were almost hunted to extinction.
Pilot Whales
and
Bottlenose
Dolphins also
live in this
habitat!
Ok, so this habitat
extends beyond our
state, but we are
lucky enough to
have these animals
call Georgia waters
home.
Loggerhead Sea
Turtles and Manatees
can also be found in
waters off of
Georgia’s coast!
Both are also
considered
endangered.
Manatees like to
swim close to the
surface, and so
many get killed or
injured by boats. Sea
turtles are caught in
fishing traps and
nets quite often.
Can you think of other ways that
humans put the sea creatures in
danger?
Can you think of some ways we
can try to protect them?
I hope you enjoyed our field trip
through Georgia’s Habitats!