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As you read this week’s
lesson, circle or highlight all
proper nouns with any color
pen or highlighter. This will
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crossword answers and get
ready for this week’s test.
ACROSS
3. place in the north where the Rocky
Mountain range begins
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crossing the Atlantic
7. scientists think this region may
have once been a large sea:
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WEEK 2
Vol. 10 Issue 1
First Quarter
DOWN
1. sometimes causes earthquakes
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2. our 49th state
4. our 50th state
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ANCIENT AMERICA TO RECONSTRUCTION
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agazine f
or young students of U.S.
U.S. States
and Regions
Click … Travel … and Learn!
As you read this week’s lesson, use any color
to circle or highlight all of the conjunctions.
(CC ELA L.5.1)
N
0
300
600
Scale of Miles
T
he Mississippi River is a major water source in the
United States. Let’s learn more about why it is so
important by looking at the geography of the Mississippi
River and its major tributaries. Using maps in your
classroom, atlases or other resources, complete this
DFWLYLW\3OHDVHODEHO\RXUDQVZHUVRQWKHPDSDQGZULWH
all other answers on a separate piece of notebook paper.
1. The Mississippi River forms part of the border for
how many states?
_______________________________________
2. List these states using their names or postal
abbreviations.
3. Label the major tributaries of the Mississippi River.
4. About how many miles long is the Mississippi
River? _____________________________________
5. In which state does the Mississippi River begin?
_______________________________________
1.'HÀQHHDFKRIWKHIROORZLQJZRUGVSK\VLFDO
feature, diversity, Lower 48, abroad, economy
2. What is a region?
3. How many regions are in America?
4. What are some of the special features in the
3DFLÀF&RDVWUHJLRQ"
5. What is another name for the Western Plateau?
6.:KDWPDNHVWKH&RORUDGR3ODWHDXDVSHFLDO
place?
7.:KDWLVWKHORQJHVWPRXQWDLQUDQJHLQ1RUWK
America?
8.:KDWLVWKHSXUSRVHRIWKH&RQWLQHQWDO'LYLGH"
9. Where are the Interior Plains?
10. :KHUHLVWKH$WODQWLF&RDVWDO3ODLQ"
11. The Appalachian Mountains stretch from which
northern state to which southern state?
12. Where are the Ozark Highlands located?
13. List at least two ways the caravel was
different from other boats of its time.
6. In which state does the Mississippi River end?
_______________________________________
7. Label the bodies of water bordering the United
States on the east and the west.
8. Label the large body of water into which the
Mississippi empties.
9. Which tributary of the Mississippi is the longest?
_______________________________________
10. Using the mileage scale, calculate approximately
how long the Mississippi River’s longest tributary
is in miles.
H
ECONOMIC NEWS
Weather is an unpredictable
economic factor across the United
States. If rain comes as scheduled,
the farmer has an abundant crop. If
QRWKHPD\KDYHGLIÀFXOW\JURZLQJ
his crops. If your business depends
on the weather, you must save when
the weather is good for times when
the weather is bad. Do you save for
things you want? Where do you keep
the money you save?
up, the woman was gone! Alana looked
HYHU\ZKHUHEXWVKHFRXOGQ·WÀQGKHU
“Alana talked to other villagers, but
no one had seen or heard of her. She
didn’t know what to do. Like a good
citizen, Alana reported the incident to
the local authorities. The police said
the woman must have meant to give
her the camera as a gift, and they
told her to keep it. Alana made
herself a promise to honor
the woman’s wish and take
great care of it.”
“And I have kept
that promise. Jackson
and I later discovered
that this was not
an ordinary camera.
The date was not set
to the present year.
While trying to change
it to the correct year,
we accidentally snapped
a picture. We heard a click
… and suddenly we were
transported back in time! From
then on, we’ve been able to set
the date in the camera and visit not
just different places but also different
times. Each time, Jackson records our
travels in his journal. We are so lucky to
get to experience history for ourselves.
And now we’re sharing our adventures
with you! Today, we’ll be traveling from
sea to shining sea, so hold on and … ”
Click!
Mapping the News
_______________________________________
What if a natural disaster
happened while your were at
school? What would you do?
Think about a natural
disaster that might happen
in your region. Depending
on where you live, you might
write about a hurricane,
tornado, earthquake, landslide, avalanche or
ÁRRG1RZZULWHWRH[SODLQZKDW\RXZRXOGGR
at school during a storm.
“W
elcome back! As we promised,
this week Jackson and I will take
you to visit different places in the United
States and other parts of the world. But
not just places—we’ll also visit different
times! You’re probably wondering what
we mean. Well, we’ll let you in on our
secret. We can travel through time! You
might think we’re crazy, but we’re not!
When we found out, we were just as
surprised as you are now. It’s true! Tell
them what happened, Jackson.”
“Once, while traveling abroad
(overseas) on one of her big family trips,
Alana and her family visited a small
village in a far-off corner of the world.
Alana scoured (searched) the stands in a
small market looking for exotic treasures.
One woman from the village called to
Alana and asked her what she wanted to
buy. Alana thought it was odd the woman
seemed to have nothing to sell, but Alana
said she liked photography. The woman
whispered, ‘I have something you will
like.’ The woman reached in a large
pocket and handed Alana a faded box.
When Alana opened the lid and looked
inside, she saw a camera. Alana asked
how much it cost. The woman smiled a
very strange smile and said, ‘You must
take care, for it is worth the world’s
fortune.’ Thinking this was probably
going to start a tough bartering session,
Alana tucked the box under her arm
and began searching through her bag
for some local money. When she looked
Geography Games
http://kids.
nationalgeographic.
com/kids/games/
geographygames/
ave you ever heard or
read a news report about
a certain place and wondered
where it is? Mapping the news
can help. This is a fun way to
learn geography and keep up
with things that are going on
in the world at the same time.
Here’s how it works: Your
teacher will put a world map
on a bulletin board in your
classroom or in the hall. Once
a week, students can bring in
news articles to share with the
class. (Ask your parents to help
you with that part, especially
if you get your news articles
from the Internet. Also, do some
research before you get to class
to get a general idea of where
the place is located.) In class,
talk about each article and the
place where the event happened.
Find that place on the world map
and mark it with a pushpin or
a sticker.
For example, let’s say your
friend brings an article about a
mountain climber who reaches
the top of Mount Everest on the
border between Tibet and Nepal.
She already found out that those
two countries are in south Asia.
7KDWZLOOKHOS\RXÀQG0RXQW
Everest more quickly.
Try mapping the news for
several weeks. Then get into
groups and make up a game that
involves the places you mapped.
3OD\LQJWKHJDPHZLOOKHOS\RX
remember what you learned.
Have fun mapping the news!
USA’s Seven
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Minnesota
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Park, Lake Superior
The United States can be divided into seven major areas, or regions. Each
region has unique physical features. Each region also has its own climate,
economy (the way people make, spend and save money) and industry. Each
has other characteristics that set it apart from the other regions, too.
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WKDQLQDQ\RWKHUUHJLRQLQWKH/RZHU7KHWZRPDLQPRXQWDLQ
ranges are the Cascade Mountains in the north and the Sierra Nevada
Mountains in the south. The western valleys have fertile and rich
land. Many high-quality fruits are grown there. Giant redwoods are
an interesting feature in the northern Californian mountains. The
San Andreas Fault, another feature of this region, sometimes causes
earthquakes.
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is located in the center of the country. The western part of this region
has good grasslands for grazing cattle and rich soil for farming. Other
parts of the region have oil and coal deposits. Today, the Mississippi
5LYHUÁRZVWKURXJKWKHUHJLRQEXWLWPD\VXUSULVH\RXWRNQRZWKDW
scientists think this area was once a large sea.
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This region extends from New England along the Atlantic coastline
and the Appalachian foothills, down through Florida to the Gulf of
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and natural gas deposits. The southern states also have good farmland.
(DVWRIWKH3DFLÀF&RDVWDO3ODLQVDQGZHVWRIWKH5RFN\0RXQWDLQV Farmers grow tobacco, peanuts, cotton and many other products.
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This region begins in Maine and continues down into Alabama.
mountains, deserts and the Grand Canyon. Many places in this region
Although the Appalachian Mountains are not as rugged as the
are very dry, so not many crops grow there. In the north, farms are
5RFNLHVWUDQVSRUWDWLRQWKURXJKWKH$SSDODFKLDQVFDQVWLOOEHGLIÀFXOW
able to produce good crops through irrigation. Other areas have
Fortunately, large rivers cutting through the mountains have made
forested mountains, fertile farmlands and orchards. One famous part
some good places for people to build railroads and highways.
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Up in the mountains, minerals and coal are
of the world’s most unusual and beautiful landforms.
produced. In the valleys, farming is a major
5RFN\0RXQWDLQV
activity. Because forests cover these
The Rocky Mountain range is the longest mountain range in
mountains, the lumber industry is a big part
North America. It begins in Canada and extends through central New
of the economy in this region.
Mexico. Many of the peaks are more than 12,000 feet high. Mount
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The Ozark Highlands are not very
Crossing the Rockies was a major problem for settlers moving west in
high at all! This area, including Missouri,
the 1800s.
Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, is best
An imaginary line called the Continental Divide passes through
described as a plateau. The land is not
WKH5RFNLHV2QWKHZHVWVLGHRIWKHOLQHULYHUVDQGVWUHDPVÁRZ
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Underground caverns are an interesting feature
The lower parts of the Rocky Mountains are covered with trees.
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However, in the upper parts of the Rockies, only plants like grasses,
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water reservoirs in this area.
mosses and lichens can grow.
Diversity
J
ust as there are many diverse regions in the United States,
there are also many diverse kinds of people living here. The
United States is home to people from many different countries.
Why? People from around the world have decided to come
here because they want to be Americans. Sometimes America
is described as a large salad bowl. The different cultures and
backgrounds of the people in our country are like the ingredients
LQDODUJHVDODG$VDODGZLWKRQO\OHWWXFHLVQ·WYHU\H[FLWLQJ%XWD
salad with a combination of
tomatoes, cucumbers,
lettuce, carrots and other
ingredients is delicious.
The more ingredients,
or diversity, the more
ÁDYRUIXORXUFRXQWU\ZLOO
be! Here in America, we
value the differences we
have with others and
learn from them. This
diversity makes our
country a unique and
special place to live.
Which is the
most important
river in
America?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
This question is meant as an enrichment activity.
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more than 650,000 square miles, it is our largest state. It
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Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. It is the
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n the 1400s, the Portuguese built a ship that would carry
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Ocean. The ship they created was called a caravel. This
boat was different from other boats of its time
because it could sail very fast, it could sail into
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shallow water. It also had a
unique feature: its sails were
VKDSHGOLNHWULDQJOHV&ROXPEXV
used a caravel when he went
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and the Pinta were both
caravels. The caravel was
important because it
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to journey almost
anywhere they
wanted to go.
A
USA’s Seven
Natural Regions
USA
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Park, Washington
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region has unique physical features. Each region also has its own climate,
economy (the way people make, spend and save money) and industry. Each
has other characteristics that set it apart from the other regions, too.
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WKDQLQDQ\RWKHUUHJLRQLQWKH/RZHU7KHWZRPDLQPRXQWDLQ
ranges are the Cascade Mountains in the north and the Sierra Nevada
Mountains in the south. The western valleys have fertile and rich
land. Many high-quality fruits are grown there. Giant redwoods are
an interesting feature in the northern Californian mountains. The
San Andreas Fault, another feature of this region, sometimes causes
earthquakes.
7KH,QWHULRU3ODLQVLVWKHODUJHVWUHJLRQLQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVDQGLW
is located in the center of the country. The western part of this region
has good grasslands for grazing cattle and rich soil for farming. Other
parts of the region have oil and coal deposits. Today, the Mississippi
5LYHUÁRZVWKURXJKWKHUHJLRQEXWLWPD\VXUSULVH\RXWRNQRZWKDW
scientists think this area was once a large sea.
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This region extends from New England along the Atlantic coastline
and the Appalachian foothills, down through Florida to the Gulf of
Mexico. The gulf area has farms and grasslands. It also has large oil
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and natural gas deposits. The southern states also have good farmland.
(DVWRIWKH3DFLÀF&RDVWDO3ODLQVDQGZHVWRIWKH5RFN\0RXQWDLQV Farmers grow tobacco, peanuts, cotton and many other products.
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This region begins in Maine and continues down into Alabama.
mountains, deserts and the Grand Canyon. Many places in this region
Although the Appalachian Mountains are not as rugged as the
are very dry, so not many crops grow there. In the north, farms are
5RFNLHVWUDQVSRUWDWLRQWKURXJKWKH$SSDODFKLDQVFDQVWLOOEHGLIÀFXOW
able to produce good crops through irrigation. Other areas have
Fortunately, large rivers cutting through the mountains have made
forested mountains, fertile farmlands and orchards. One famous part
some good places for people to build railroads and highways.
RIWKLVUHJLRQLVFDOOHGWKH&RORUDGR3ODWHDX+HUH\RXFDQVHHVRPH
Up in the mountains, minerals and coal are
of the world’s most unusual and beautiful landforms.
produced. In the valleys, farming is a major
5RFN\0RXQWDLQV
activity. Because forests cover these
The Rocky Mountain range is the longest mountain range in
mountains, the lumber industry is a big part
North America. It begins in Canada and extends through central New
of the economy in this region.
Mexico. Many of the peaks are more than 12,000 feet high. Mount
2]DUN+LJKODQGV
(OEHUWLQ&RORUDGRLVWKHWDOOHVWSHDNLQWKHUDQJHDWIHHW
The Ozark Highlands are not very
Crossing the Rockies was a major problem for settlers moving west in
high at all! This area, including Missouri,
the 1800s.
Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, is best
An imaginary line called the Continental Divide passes through
described as a plateau. The land is not
WKH5RFNLHV2QWKHZHVWVLGHRIWKHOLQHULYHUVDQGVWUHDPVÁRZ
GRZQWRZDUGWKH3DFLÀF2FHDQ2QWKHHDVWVLGHRIWKHOLQHULYHUVDQG good for farming but there are many forests
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Underground caverns are an interesting feature
The lower parts of the Rocky Mountains are covered with trees.
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However, in the upper parts of the Rockies, only plants like grasses,
1DWLRQDO3DUN
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water reservoirs in this area.
mosses and lichens can grow.
Diversity
J
ust as there are many diverse regions in the United States,
there are also many diverse kinds of people living here. The
United States is home to people from many different countries.
Why? People from around the world have decided to come
here because they want to be Americans. Sometimes America
is described as a large salad bowl. The different cultures and
backgrounds of the people in our country are like the ingredients
LQDODUJHVDODG$VDODGZLWKRQO\OHWWXFHLVQ·WYHU\H[FLWLQJ%XWD
salad with a combination of
tomatoes, cucumbers,
lettuce, carrots and other
ingredients is delicious.
The more ingredients,
or diversity, the more
ÁDYRUIXORXUFRXQWU\ZLOO
be! Here in America, we
value the differences we
have with others and
learn from them. This
diversity makes our
country a unique and
special place to live.
Which is the
most important
river in
America?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
This question is meant as an enrichment activity.
© USA Studies Weekly—Ancient America to Westward Expansion‡7ROOIUHHSKRQH‡)D[‡)RUSULFLQJLQIRUPDWLRQJRWRZZZVWXGLHVZHHNO\FRP‡)RURUGHULQJLQIRUPDWLRQRUTXHVWLRQVHPDLOVHUYLFH#VWXGLHVZHHNO\FRP‡
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more than 650,000 square miles, it is our largest state. It
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n the 1400s, the Portuguese built a ship that would carry
H[SORUHUVDQGWUDGHUVDOOWKHZD\DFURVVWKH$WODQWLF
Ocean. The ship they created was called a caravel. This
boat was different from other boats of its time
because it could sail very fast, it could sail into
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shallow water. It also had a
unique feature: its sails were
VKDSHGOLNHWULDQJOHV&ROXPEXV
used a caravel when he went
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and the Pinta were both
caravels. The caravel was
important because it
DOORZHGH[SORUHUV
to journey almost
anywhere they
wanted to go.
A
:HHNRI‡3DJH
As you read this week’s
lesson, circle or highlight all
proper nouns with any color
pen or highlighter. This will
KHOS\RXÀQGVRPHRIWKH
crossword answers and get
ready for this week’s test.
ACROSS
3. place in the north where the Rocky
Mountain range begins
5. ÀUVWRFHDQJRLQJVKLSFDSDEOHRI
crossing the Atlantic
7. scientists think this region may
have once been a large sea:
_______ Plains
8. VWDWHZKHUH\RXZLOOÀQG*UHDW
6PRN\0RXQWDLQV1DWLRQDO3DUN
WEEK 2
Vol. 10 Issue 1
First Quarter
DOWN
1. sometimes causes earthquakes
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Andreas _________
2. our 49th state
4. our 50th state
4. VWDWHZKHUH\RXZLOOÀQG*UDQG
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SMART
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ANCIENT AMERICA TO RECONSTRUCTION
A we
y
ekly m
Histor
agazine f
or young students of U.S.
U.S. States
and Regions
Click … Travel … and Learn!
As you read this week’s lesson, use any color
to circle or highlight all of the conjunctions.
(CC ELA L.5.1)
N
0
300
600
Scale of Miles
T
he Mississippi River is a major water source in the
United States. Let’s learn more about why it is so
important by looking at the geography of the Mississippi
River and its major tributaries. Using maps in your
classroom, atlases or other resources, complete this
DFWLYLW\3OHDVHODEHO\RXUDQVZHUVRQWKHPDSDQGZULWH
all other answers on a separate piece of notebook paper.
1. The Mississippi River forms part of the border for
how many states?
_______________________________________
2. List these states using their names or postal
abbreviations.
3. Label the major tributaries of the Mississippi River.
4. About how many miles long is the Mississippi
River? _____________________________________
5. In which state does the Mississippi River begin?
_______________________________________
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feature, diversity, Lower 48, abroad, economy
2. What is a region?
3. How many regions are in America?
4. What are some of the special features in the
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5. What is another name for the Western Plateau?
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place?
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America?
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9. Where are the Interior Plains?
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11. The Appalachian Mountains stretch from which
northern state to which southern state?
12. Where are the Ozark Highlands located?
13. List at least two ways the caravel was
different from other boats of its time.
6. In which state does the Mississippi River end?
_______________________________________
7. Label the bodies of water bordering the United
States on the east and the west.
8. Label the large body of water into which the
Mississippi empties.
9. Which tributary of the Mississippi is the longest?
_______________________________________
10. Using the mileage scale, calculate approximately
how long the Mississippi River’s longest tributary
is in miles.
H
ECONOMIC NEWS
Weather is an unpredictable
economic factor across the United
States. If rain comes as scheduled,
the farmer has an abundant crop. If
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his crops. If your business depends
on the weather, you must save when
the weather is good for times when
the weather is bad. Do you save for
things you want? Where do you keep
the money you save?
up, the woman was gone! Alana looked
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“Alana talked to other villagers, but
no one had seen or heard of her. She
didn’t know what to do. Like a good
citizen, Alana reported the incident to
the local authorities. The police said
the woman must have meant to give
her the camera as a gift, and they
told her to keep it. Alana made
herself a promise to honor
the woman’s wish and take
great care of it.”
“And I have kept
that promise. Jackson
and I later discovered
that this was not
an ordinary camera.
The date was not set
to the present year.
While trying to change
it to the correct year,
we accidentally snapped
a picture. We heard a click
… and suddenly we were
transported back in time! From
then on, we’ve been able to set
the date in the camera and visit not
just different places but also different
times. Each time, Jackson records our
travels in his journal. We are so lucky to
get to experience history for ourselves.
And now we’re sharing our adventures
with you! Today, we’ll be traveling from
sea to shining sea, so hold on and … ”
Click!
Mapping the News
_______________________________________
What if a natural disaster
happened while your were at
school? What would you do?
Think about a natural
disaster that might happen
in your region. Depending
on where you live, you might
write about a hurricane,
tornado, earthquake, landslide, avalanche or
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at school during a storm.
“W
elcome back! As we promised,
this week Jackson and I will take
you to visit different places in the United
States and other parts of the world. But
not just places—we’ll also visit different
times! You’re probably wondering what
we mean. Well, we’ll let you in on our
secret. We can travel through time! You
might think we’re crazy, but we’re not!
When we found out, we were just as
surprised as you are now. It’s true! Tell
them what happened, Jackson.”
“Once, while traveling abroad
(overseas) on one of her big family trips,
Alana and her family visited a small
village in a far-off corner of the world.
Alana scoured (searched) the stands in a
small market looking for exotic treasures.
One woman from the village called to
Alana and asked her what she wanted to
buy. Alana thought it was odd the woman
seemed to have nothing to sell, but Alana
said she liked photography. The woman
whispered, ‘I have something you will
like.’ The woman reached in a large
pocket and handed Alana a faded box.
When Alana opened the lid and looked
inside, she saw a camera. Alana asked
how much it cost. The woman smiled a
very strange smile and said, ‘You must
take care, for it is worth the world’s
fortune.’ Thinking this was probably
going to start a tough bartering session,
Alana tucked the box under her arm
and began searching through her bag
for some local money. When she looked
Geography Games
http://kids.
nationalgeographic.
com/kids/games/
geographygames/
ave you ever heard or
read a news report about
a certain place and wondered
where it is? Mapping the news
can help. This is a fun way to
learn geography and keep up
with things that are going on
in the world at the same time.
Here’s how it works: Your
teacher will put a world map
on a bulletin board in your
classroom or in the hall. Once
a week, students can bring in
news articles to share with the
class. (Ask your parents to help
you with that part, especially
if you get your news articles
from the Internet. Also, do some
research before you get to class
to get a general idea of where
the place is located.) In class,
talk about each article and the
place where the event happened.
Find that place on the world map
and mark it with a pushpin or
a sticker.
For example, let’s say your
friend brings an article about a
mountain climber who reaches
the top of Mount Everest on the
border between Tibet and Nepal.
She already found out that those
two countries are in south Asia.
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Everest more quickly.
Try mapping the news for
several weeks. Then get into
groups and make up a game that
involves the places you mapped.
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remember what you learned.
Have fun mapping the news!