IMPORTANT WORDS TO KNOW
UNIT 1
READ THESE WORDS
ALOUD THREE TIMES
WITH YOUR TEACHER!
Chapter 1
1. analysis
2. atmosphere
3. biome
4. boundary
5. cartographer
6. climate
7. culture
8. economy
9. environment
10. geography
11. hydrosphere
12. lithosphere
13. population
14. region
15. weather
Chapter 2
1. Appalachian Mountains
2. canyon
3. deciduous
4. hydroelectricity
5. manufacture
6. mineral
7. petroleum
8. plateau
9. tourism
10. tundra
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Chapter 3
1. constitutional republic
2. democracy
3. executive
4. foreign
5. free enterprise
6. Hanukkah
7. judicial
8. legislative
9. mosaic
10. separation of powers
Chapter 4
1. chinook
2. fertile soil
3. frontier
4. humid
5. maritime
6. migrating birds
7. taiga
8. territory
Chapter 5
1. Eskimo
2. federal
3. gross domestic product (GDP)
4. immigrate
5. Inuit
6. monarchy
7. nationalism
8. parliamentary
Chapter 6
1. avalanche
2. blizzard
3. deficit
4. identification
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GEOGRAPHY
UNIT 1
Do you like to . . .
see new places? _____ make new friends? _____
watch the Olympics? _____
Geography helps you know more about places and
people. Geography tells about Earth.
geo  earth
graphy  to write or describe
Five Main Ideas (Themes)
1. Location: Where are we?
Tells the exact place. Ex: a street address
Describes where something is. Ex: "The shop is in the mall."
2. Place: What kind of place is it?
Made by nature: mountains, rivers, soil, plants, and animals
Made by man: buildings, roads, clothing
3. People/Environment: How do people and the environment affect each other?
People adapt to the environment. Ex: We wear shorts in the summer.
People change the environment. Ex: When it is hot, we use air conditioning to change
the temperature.
People need the environment. Ex: We need rivers and lakes for water.
4. Movement: How does movement change our lives?
People are always on the move! Ideas, food, fads, goods, and information move from
place to place too.
5. Region (area): What is the same about this area?
Formal regions have boundaries. Ex: cities, states, counties, and countries
Business regions. Ex: the area that a radio station can be heard
Some regions have no real boundaries, but everyone knows where it is. Ex: the South
The Game: Write the example next to each idea.
the area of a TV station
mountains
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
trucking food across the country
using a heater to warm the temperature
1. Location: _____________________________________________________
2. Place: _______________________________________________________
3. People/Environment: ___________________________________________
4. Movement: ___________________________________________________
5. Region: ______________________________________________________
Geography is the study of where things are and why.
What does "geo" mean?
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TOOLS OF GEOGRAPHY
UNIT 1
A geographer is a scientist. Geographers study Earth and
how people act with the planet.
Geographers' tools are more than just equipment!
Tools also include the different ways geographers get
information.
Geographers' Tools
1. field study – looking at what is around you
2. mapping – showing information on maps, globes,
and GPS
3. interviews – asking people questions about how they interact with their
environment
4. analysis – finding hidden patterns, finding points that can't be measured, or
planning and exploring
5. scientific tools – fancy tools that get information or measure distances and
shapes that are hard to get to, or really big
Some people think a geographer makes maps. Wrong! A cartographer makes
maps.
Cartography means to draw or make maps.
cart  map or chart
graphy  to write or describe
The Game: Write the letters for the geographers' tool next to the example.
FS = field study
M = mapping
I = interviews
A = analysis
ST= scientific tools
1. The pirate drew a map and marked where the treasure was buried. _____
2. Joe saw fewer trees as he climbed higher up the mountain. _____
3. People in a flood area were asked if their homes washed away. _____
4. Planners mark the big trees to save before they build a park. _____
5. Doppler radar and satellites track tornadoes. _____
What does a cartographer do?
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EARTH
UNIT 1
Earth is the third planet from the Sun.
Earth is mostly covered by oceans of salt water.
Continents cover the rest. What happens on
Earth affects us!
Inside Earth
Earth has layers like an onion.
• Crust – outside layer;
about 10 miles of rock and loose materials
• Mantle – a rocky layer;
most of the total weight and mass of Earth
• Outer Core – made up of super-heated molten
lava (iron and nickel)
• Inner Core – a solid ball (mostly iron and nickel)
The deep layers are hot, dense, and under a lot of pressure!
Outside Earth
Lithosphere  the crust and the upper part of the mantle
Hydrosphere  the part of Earth that is covered with water or ice
Atmosphere  the thin layer of air around Earth
We live in the biosphere!
That's where the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and
land come together. Life exists in the biosphere.
litho  stone
atmo  air
hydro  water
bio  life
The Game: Write T for TRUE or F for FALSE.
1. Most of Earth is covered by ocean. ___
2. The crust is a solid ball of iron and nickel. ___
3. Deep inside Earth's core is salt water. ___
4. We walk on the Earth's crust. ___
5. Fish swim in the hydrosphere. ___
What is the Greek word for water?
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SEASONS, CLIMATE, AND LIFE
UNIT 1
Earth goes around the Sun. It also spins
on its axis. The axis is an imaginary line
that goes through Earth's center and ends
at each pole.
Spring, summer, autumn (fall), and winter
happen because Earth does not sit up
straight! The axis is tilted, so the Sun shines
more on different parts of the world at different times of the year. One day in
late March and one day in late September all places on Earth get 12 hours of
sunlight. Day and night are equal! These two days are called equinoxes.
Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get!
Climate is the typical weather in a place. Climate is temperature, rainfall, and
wind. The climate of a desert is usually arid (dry). If you go to the desert and it is
raining, the climate will still be dry, but the weather is rainy that day.
What affects climate?
• latitude
• the tilt of Earth's axis
• Earth's wind belts
• the difference in temperatures of land and sea
• the shape of the land (mountains, valleys, flatlands)
• People! Pollution can really mess up climate!
To know which plants and animals can live in an area, check out the climate!
Biomes
A biome is a large area that has the same climate, plants, and animals.
There are about seven land biomes on Earth.
The Game: Draw a picture of the climate in each biome.
desert
grasslands
If the days are much longer than the nights, is it summer or winter?
_______________ Why? ______________________________
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PEOPLE AND PLACES
UNIT 1
Human geography is about people and places. It
is how people interact with the environment.
Different Kinds of Human Geography
Cultural how people live; how ways of life
change or stay the same from one place or
time to another
Urban  cities. Urban is another word for city.
It's important to study location,
size, land use, and problems when
building or planning cities.
Economic  how people make money in
different places
Political  government. People make
rules for their group. Some people
vote, but many do not have the right
to vote.
Population  the number of people living
in an area; patterns of population and
why people live in certain places
The Game: Write the letters for the kind of geography next to the examples.
C = cultural U = urban E = economic Pol = political P = population
1. planning how to use city land in a smart way ____
2. a group trades goods and services with another group ____
3. why some places have many people ____
4. the language, religion, and traditions of a group of people ____
5. a group of people make decisions by voting ____
Look at the population graph above.
About how many people were there in 1850? __________ billion
In 2000? __________ billion
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THE U.S. AND CANADA ARE A REGION
UNIT 1
A region is a large area. There is something
about that area that is the same. For example,
the United States of America (U.S.) and Canada
are a region because they both stretch from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. They share
mountain ranges and the Great Plains. The U.S.
and Canada are two huge countries!
Mountains and Grassland
The U.S. and Canada share mountain ranges and
grasslands. The Appalachian Mountains are along
the eastern side. They are really old mountains. The
Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Mountains are along
the western side. They are young mountains. In the
middle is a huge stretch of grassland called the Great Plains.
Do you like bread? _____
Bread is made with wheat, which is a kind of grass. Most wheat is grown in the
U.S. on the Great Plains. Grain from the Great Plains is shipped all over the
world! The U.S. Midwest is known as the Breadbasket of the World.
The Game: Draw a map of North America. Label the U.S. and Canada.
A continent is a huge chunk of land. There are seven continents:
Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South
America. Which continent do you call home?
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REGIONS OF THE U.S.
UNIT 1
The U.S. has four main areas or regions.
1. Northeast
• smallest region
• a lot of people!
• U.S. political and financial center
• Boston, New York, Washington, D.C.
2. Midwest (Central)
• farming center of the U.S.
• Corn Belt, Wheat Belt, and Dairy Belt
• Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis
3. South
• large region
• from Virginia to Texas
• called the Bible Belt
• farming, manufacturing, and tourism
• home to 1/3 of the U.S. population
• Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Virginia Beach, Nashville, New Orleans
4. West
• largest region
• raise livestock (cattle, sheep, hogs)
• gold and silver mining • manufacturing and computers
• most people here live along the Pacific coast
• Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver
The Game: Write the letter for the region next each characteristic.
N = Northeast M = Midwest S = South W = West
1. produces the most milk and dairy products ____
2. has the capital of the U.S. ____
3. produces gold and silver ____
4. stretches from Virginia to Texas ____
5. smallest region ____
Which region do you live in?
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U.S. NATURAL RESOURCES
UNIT 1
The U.S. is a rich country. There are many natural resources.
A natural resource is anything from nature that people can use.
Natural Resources
air
sunlight
water
soil
trees
minerals and metals (oil, natural gas, coal,
iron, gold, copper, nickel, silver)
Natural resources are used to make things people
need and want, such as food, fuel, manufactured goods,
and fun!
From this resource
Forests
Farmland
Rivers
Mines
We get
• Lumber to build homes and furniture and to make paper
• Crops, such as wheat, corn, fruit
• Livestock, such as cattle and hogs
• Drinking water! Water for hydroelectric energy and water sports
• Fish
• Petroleum to make plastics and fuel for cars
• Gas for heating homes
• Metals, such as nickel (to make coins and electric guitar strings)
FYI: Refined oil is not a natural resource because people make it from petroleum.
The Game: Write two fun things to do in each natural resource.
1. Water ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
2. Air __________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Sunlight ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. Soil (beach) ___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
5. Trees ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Flowers, wild animals, birds, and other living things are natural
resources. List one more natural resource.
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The U.S. has lots of water. North America has more lakes and rivers than any
other continent. Long ago, giant sheets of ice made most of these lakes. The
U.S. has many different landforms. A landform is a special shape in the land.
Kinds of Landforms
plains mountains plateaus canyons hills mesas volcanic islands
Old Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains stretch along the eastern
side of Canada and the U.S. down to the middle of
Alabama. This chain of old mountains is so worn that
in many places they are just rolling hills.
Young Mountains
The Rocky Mountains stretch along the western side
of Canada and the U.S. through these states:
Washington Idaho
Montana Wyoming
Utah
Colorado
New Mexico
The Rockies are the largest mountain system in North
America. The Rockies are young! You can tell they are
young mountains because they have steep sides,
deep canyons, and active volcanoes.
Coastal Ranges
Along the western coast are two mountain ranges
that stretch side-by-side from Alaska to Mexico.
Valleys are between them. One range goes from
Oregon to California along the ocean. It includes the
Olympic Mountains. The other range is farther inland.
It includes the Alaska Range, the Cascade Range,
and the Sierra Nevada.
Between the old Appalachians and the young Rockies lie the
Great Plains. This land is mostly flat with good soil. There are rolling hills in some
places. The Great Plains stretch from south-central Canada into Texas and Mexico.
The Game: Look at the maps. Follow the directions.
1. Write the names of the mountain ranges on the maps above.
Appalachian
Rocky
Coastal
2. Mount McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. It is in the Alaska
Range. Draw an X on Alaska.
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UNIT 1
LAND AND WATER IN THE U.S.
U.S. CLIMATE
UNIT 1
The U.S. has almost every kind of climate.
The Game: Draw a picture showing the climate in each area.
Rocky Mountains
Southern U.S. States
Hawaii
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Southwestern U.S.
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Most Americans live along the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Great Lakes shores.
More than 80% live in cities and suburbs. California and Texas are the states
with the most people. New York City is the city with the most people.
The U.S. is the third largest country in the world in population. Only China and
India have more people. About 90% of Americans were born in the U.S.
However, their ancestors came from almost every part of the world.
Population: U.S. Census Bureau Report
2000
281,421,906 people
2010
308,745,538 people
Gender
Females: 51% Males: 49%
Race
Whites (including Hispanics): 72% African Americans: 13%
Native Americans: 1% Other groups: 9%
Asian: 5%
How long do Americans live? Longer than people in most countries.
Females: 80 years Males: 75 years
Is the U.S. a melting pot, a salad bowl, or a mosaic?
Melting Pot – different groups blend to make an "American" culture
Salad Bowl – different groups keep the culture of their race; America is a mix
of different groups living together
Mosaic – cultures of different groups are valued and should not blend
The Game: Look at the map. Follow the directions.
1. Draw an X on each of the two states with the most people.
2. Circle the name of the city that has the most people.
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UNIT 1
WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN THE U.S.
U.S. ECONOMY
UNIT 1
No one can beat the U.S. economy. Economy
is how people produce and sell goods and services.
The U.S. can produce a huge amount of goods and
services. Why? Because the U.S. has
• a lot of natural resources
• skilled workers
• stability; there is not a lot of fighting in the U.S.
These things make the U.S. a superpower.
Important! The U.S. economy is based on free enterprise. People own and run
most businesses. The government does not have much control over businesses.
Americans have one of the world's highest standards of living. Standard of
living is the wealth, comfort, and things of a person or a group.
• how much money you make
• how good your house is
• how good your education is
• how good your health is
• how many hours you have to work to buy what you need
Quality of life is very important too. It includes many things Americans take for
granted, such as
• freedom from slavery and torture • equal protection of the law
• freedom of religion
• free choice of employment
• the right to vote
• the right to fair pay
• the right to education
• the right to human dignity
• the right to marry
• the right to have a family
• the right to be treated equally no matter what your gender, race, language,
religion, political ideas, where you are from, or if you are rich or poor
The U.S. produces everything from coal to gold. U.S. exports include aircraft,
electronics, cars, medicine, machinery, chemicals, telecommunications, wheat,
corn, rice, soybeans, natural gas, and more. But even strong countries
sometimes have trouble. In 2008, the stock market crashed, and most
Americans had serious money problems.
The Game: Underline three rights or freedoms that are important to you.
Is the U.S. money the euro, the dollar, or the peso?
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If you're American . . .
 You believe deep down that people have
rights guaranteed by the First
Amendment, and perhaps by God.
 You love sports!
 Your laws are written in English.
 You probably live in the city or suburbs.
 You own a pair of blue jeans.
 You are part of the middle class.
 You like computers and new gadgets!
 You eat out and have used a credit card.
 You measure things in feet, pounds, and gallons.
 You celebrate freedom on July 4th with a picnic and fireworks, Thanksgiving
with a turkey dinner, and Christmas or Hanukkah by giving gifts.
 You own a phone and a TV. Your home is heated in the winter and has a
bathroom. You don't have a dirt floor. You eat at a table and sit on chairs.
 You don't eat bugs, dogs, cats, or monkeys.
 It seems normal that companies are owned by people, not the government.
 You think most problems could be solved if people would work together.
 You take a strong court system for granted. You know that if you had
problems with someone, you could take them to court.
 You know that kids must go to school at least until age 16 (or 18). School is
free. College isn't.
 You expect to marry for love, not have your marriage arranged by someone.
 You don't pay bribes to the police.
 You get good medical care. You expect doctors and nurses to work hard to
save sick babies and old people.
 Your country has never been conquered by a foreign nation.
 You drive on the right side of the road. You stop at red lights even if
nobody's around.
 The police are armed, but not with submachine guns.
 You think people should earn a living and not take handouts.
 When you talk to someone, you stand about two feet away.
The Game: Read each statement above. If you agree, check the box.
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UNIT 1
WAY OF LIFE IN THE U.S.
THE BORDER OF THE U.S. AND CANADA
UNIT 1
The longest border in the world is between the U.S. and
Canada.
Facts About the U.S./Canadian Border
• 5,525 miles long
• called the International Boundary
• crosses through forests, mountains, farmland, the
St. Lawrence River, and the Great Lakes
• includes the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans
Four airports are partly in the U.S. and partly in Canada.
The border even cuts through buildings in Vermont and Quebec. They were built
before the border lines were set. On the Maine/New Brunswick border, it divides
a golf course!
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is an awesome waterfall on the border between Ontario and New
York. It's a U.S. family vacation spot. About 20 million people visit every year!
• Water going over the Falls could fill 50 Olympic-size pools in one minute!
• There are three falls; Horseshoe Falls is the most beautiful.
• The Falls began forming when glaciers melted at the end of the last ice age.
• You can see a rainbow almost every day!
• The water does not freeze.
• Fish go over the Falls all the time.
• Niagara Falls is a romantic honeymoon spot!
The Game: Draw an ad about Niagara Falls.
What word is the same as a boundary line?
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ALIKE AND DIFFERENT
UNIT 1
The U.S. and Canada are alike in many ways.
Both countries were once European colonies.
People from all over the world make the U.S.
and Canada their home. Many languages are
spoken, but English is the main language. Most
people live in the city, but they have the freedom
to live anywhere they want. People in both
countries respect values, such as hard work
and following the law.
Detroit, U.S.
The governments represent their people. Their laws
give people freedom and rights. For example, people
have the right to be treated fairly in a court of law.
Also, both governments provide free education for
young people.
Who lives longer? Canadians! The Canadian
government gives everyone health care. In the U.S.,
hospitals and clinics are businesses. They are
generally set up to make money.
Toronto, Canada
Both Americans and Canadians have a high standard of living. Most American
and Canadian homes have indoor plumbing, heat for the winter, phones, and
TVs. Americans and Canadians eat the same kinds of food. Both love sports.
Some holidays, such as New Year's Day, are celebrated by both countries.
The Game: Look at the pictures of the row houses. List three things that
are alike about the houses.
Toronto, Canada
Philadelphia, U.S.
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
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THE U.S. AND CANADA ARE RICH
UNIT 1
The U.S. and Canada are both rich superpowers! Both countries
are huge. Both have many natural resources. They get along
and do a lot of business with each other. The North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) made trading easy.
Both countries have a free market system, so people can own businesses. There
are laws that protect the health and safety of workers. In Canada, the
government owns and runs some services, such as radio and TV stations. The
government does not run businesses in the U.S.
The U.S. has a trade deficit. That means the U.S. spends more money than it
earns. The U.S. buys more goods from other countries than it earns from the
goods it exports. Not smart!
Canada has a trade surplus. That means Canada is making money! Canada
makes more money on exported goods than it spends on goods bought from
other countries.
Big Mac Index
The Big Mac Index is a funny way to see how
strong an economy is. It shows how much a
McDonald's Big Mac costs in different countries.
Look at the chart.
A Big Mac is cheaper in the U.S. than in Canada.
This is one way to show that Americans have
about 20% more buying power than Canadians.
The Game: What is the cost of a Big Mac?
1. U.S. $__________
2. Canada $__________
3. Britain $__________
4. Japan $__________
5. Switzerland $__________
You have $10. How many Big Macs can you
buy?
1. in India ___
2. in Brazil ___
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3. in the U.S. ___
4. in Canada ___
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