Physical Regions of the United States

Physical Regions of the United States

Name______KEY______

Unit I

Unit Packet

Regions of the

Pacific Coast

A.Physical Makeup of Pacific Coast

1. Many rugged high __MOUNTAINS_, near coast and inland.

  1. Fertile __RIVER_ valleys.
B. Northern Coast
1.Rugged _COASTLINE__ with many mountains, nearby Cascades.
  1. Climate:
  2. Mild summers, COOL winters.
  1. Plentiful _RAINFALL__.
C.River Valleys

1. Large FARMING area.

  1. Eastern border: SIERRA NEVADA Mountains
D.Southern California Coast
  1. CITIES and MOUNTAINS near ocean.
  1. Climate: HOT OR MILD year round.
3.Large POPULATIONarea.
United States

Intermountain

A.Physical Makeup of Intermountain.

1.Many plateaus and CANYONS.

2.Contains the DESERTS of North America.

3.Area:“BETWEEN” Rocky Mts. and Sierra Nevada.

4.Basin : drains WATER , snow and rain from each side.

B. Climate:

  1. DRY
  1. Low ELEVATION: Cool to mild winters, very hot summers.
  1. High ELEVATION: Cold winters, hot summers

Rocky Mountains

A.Physical Makeup of the Rocky Mountains

1. Area: ALASAKA to Mexico

2. high, RUGGED mountains

3. some MOUNTAINSup to 14,000 feet high

B.Climate

  1. Varies by ELEVATION.
  1. Mountains: SNOW and COLDalmost year round.
  1. Valleys : Cold winters, mild warm

SUMMERS.

  1. Low POPULATION area.

Interior and Great Plains

A. Great Plains

1. Area: Canada to Mexico (Central part of NORTH AMERICA)

2. dry, GRASSY land.

3. large RANCHINGand grazing area.

4. gently ROLLINGand flat land.

  1. Climate: HOT summers and

very COLDwinters.

B. Interior Plains

1. Area : Mississippi and Ohio

RIVER Valleys, Great Lakes.

  1. Large FARMING area.
  1. Rivers for TRANSPORTATION.
  1. Climate:
  1. SOUTH : cool winters, hot summers
  1. NORTH: cold winters, warm/hot summers.

= Great Plains

= Interior Plains

Appalachian Highlands

A. Appalachian Highlands

1. Area: Eastern CANADA to Georgia.

2.mountains :lower and

ROUNDER than Rockies.

  1. many VALLEYSand plateaus

B. Climate:

1.NORTH: cold winters, mild summers

2.SOUTH: cool/cold winters, warm/hot summers.

Coastal Plains

  1. Gulf Coast
  1. along Gulf of MEXICO.
  1. contains many marshy

CREEKSand deltas.

  1. Climate:

HOT summers and

MILD winters.

3. Plentiful RAINFALL.

B.Atlantic Coast

1. Massachusetts to FLORIDA.

  1. FLATsandy beaches
  2. good NATURAL HARBORS.

3.Climate:

NORTH: cold winters, warm summers

SOUTH: mild/warm winters, hot summers.

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United States Physical Map – Labels

Label the following locations on your map. Use a textbook or atlas to complete.

Mountains:

  • Cascades
  • Sierra Nevada COLOR BROWN
  • Rocky Mountains
  • Appalachian Mountains

Rivers:

  • Mississippi
  • Hudson
  • Ohio
  • Missouri
  • Snake
  • Columbia
  • St. Lawrence
  • Rio Grande
  • Colorado

COLOR ALL WATER BLUE

Lakes:

  • Superior
  • Huron
  • Michigan
  • Erie
  • Ontario

Oceans/Gulf:

  • Atlantic
  • Pacific
  • Gulf of Mexico

Misc:

  • Great Plains (color green or yellow)
  • Mojave Desert (color orange or red)



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New York State Map --

label the following

Cities

Buffalo

Hamburg

Rochester

Syracuse

Albany

New York City

Niagara Falls

Landforms

Adirondack Mts.

Catskill Mts.

Rivers

Niagara

Mohawk

Hudson

Allegheny

Genesee

St. Lawrence

Lakes & Ocean

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

Finger Lakes

Lake Champlain

Atlantic Ocean

Borders

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Vermont

Massachusetts

Connecticut

Canada

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New York State Physical Regions

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What county do we live in??

How does Lake Erie impact Buffalo?

Use words and pictures to describe

WEATHER/CLIMATE / RECREATION / DRINKING
WATER
POWER / TRANSPORTATION

Name______

New York State Questions

Use your notes to answer the following. Write the answer using a complete, detailed sentence.

  1. What are the differences between the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains?

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2. How does Lake Erie impact Buffalo? (at least 2 ways)

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  1. How do New York State’s waterways impact our state?

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4. a. What is New York State’s Capital? ______

b.What is the largest city(population) in NYS? ______

5. What types of physical landforms does New York State have?

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Name ______

Assignment

Your task: Create a postcard for one of the Physical Regions of the U.S. The postcard should show your knowledge of one of the regions by showing or describing the region’s landforms and climate.

On the reverse side you will creatively produce the “Front” of the postcard.

  • This side should be a picture or pictures of the land of the region chosen.
  • It should include words/graphics in a “post card” style.
  • Of course the name of the region should appear!

`On this side will be the message to family/friend/teacher.

  • It should include a description of the land and climate.
  • Write in a letter/postcard format.

Rubric: 19-20 pts Superior effort and design, accurate and detailed descriptions.

17-18 pts Good effort and design, accurate and somewhat detailed.

15-16 pts Average effort and design, accurate, but lack of detail.

<= 14 pts. Lack of effort or detail or inaccurate.


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Your full name here

Physical Regions Questions

Use your notes,any physical atlas and what you learned in class.

All answers must be written using complete sentences.

1. Describe the land of the GREAT PLAINS.

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2. Describe the physical differences between the Atlantic Coast and the Pacific Coast.

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3. Describe the physical differences(Shape of land)between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.

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4. Describe the land of the Intermountain Region.

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5. What physical region of the United States would be the most difficult to travel across?

WHY?

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