NIE ACTIVITY
GEOGRAPHY Connections
HAWAII
This year-long series is presented in collaboration with the Connecticut Geographic Alliance.
DID YOU KNOW?
By Kasey Carta
Behind the natural beauty that blossoms from every
crevice of the Hawaiian Islands, there is a rich history.
There are six main islands that make up the island chain
we call Hawaii. This island chain is merely the visible
portion of a series of volcanoes that formed millions of
years ago.
TAKE 5
Archaeologists agree the first settlers appeared between
1-600 AD, and were Polynesians from the Marquesas
Islands. 500 years later, settlers from Tahiti arrived
bringing beliefs of gods and demigods. Hawaiian culture
flourished over the centuries. Today it is known for the art
of the Hula dance and the sport of surfing.
In 1778, British Explorer Captain James Cook landed on
the islands. After Cook arrived, Hawaii began to rapidly
change. Hawaii unified the five islands into one royal
kingdom, protestant missionaries arrived, and western
influence grew until it overthrew the Hawaiian kingdom.
In 1898 Hawaii became a United States territory, and in
1959 Hawaii became the 50th State.
Today Hawaii is synonymous to paradise. Many tourists
choose this location because each island carries a type of
beauty and identity that is unique from the others.
The Island of Hawaii called the “Big Island,” is nearly
twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian Islands. Visit here
to see an active volcano erupting, the lava tubes it created,
or the black sand beaches.
Oahu is known as “The Gathering Place.” It is home to
the majority of Hawaii’s population. There is a fusion
of eastern and western cultures rooted in the values and
traditions of Native Hawaiian people.
Kauai is known as the “Garden Isle.” It is the oldest and
northernmost island draped in emerald valleys, sharp
mountains and jagged cliffs. It is aged by time and the
elements.
Imagine Hawaii in the past, unspoiled country and
untouched beaches. No skyscrapers or stoplights. If you
want to truly live as the locals did then you should visit,
Molokai.
45278-01
Stand above a sea of clouds high atop an extinct volcano,
and watch whales jump up in the ocean off the coast.
Lose count of waterfalls along the road as you maneuver
hairpin turns on the highway. It’s easy to see why Maui is
called “The Valley Isle.”
●Every branch of the United States military has a base on the island of Oahu; Army, Marines,
Navy, Coast Guard, and Air Force.
●There are no snakes in Hawaii. Snakes have no effective predators living on Hawaii and would
quickly kill all the native birds and animals. Because of this it is illegal to bring snakes to the
islands, and you will be sent to prison if you do!
●Hawaii is the only US state with a tropical rain forest.
●The language Hawaiians speak is called ‘Olelo Hawai’i and it has only 13 letters.
●Hawaii state’s nickname is the “Aloha State’, because the word ‘Aloha’ is one of the most
commonly used words in Hawaiian Language. Based on the context, Aloha can mean ‘hello’,
‘welcome’, ‘love’, ‘best wishes’ or even ‘goodbye’
●Hawaii’s state fish is the humuhumunukunuku’pua’a, otherwise known as the reef triggerfish.
Mapping Activity
Location: The Hawaiian Islands
are located in the middle of
the Pacific Ocean between
California and Japan.
Place: Hawaii is a chain of
archipelago islands with active
volcanoes and tropical climate.
Human-Environment Interaction:
Hawaii grows a lot of fruit,
such as pineapple and other
tropical fruits, farming is a big
industry.
Movement: Nearly 8 million
tourist travel to Hawaii each
year. The islands also have
a growing population. Cities
are getting bigger as the
population grows.
Region: Hawaii has a variety
of regions within the five
main islands including plains,
mountains, cities, and coastal
regions.
Directions: Use a physical map to answer the questions.
How do you think the Hawaiian islands were formed?
How many visible islands are there in the chain?
Name highest peak on the Hawaiian island chain
How do you think Geography might influence trade and
travel between Hawaii and main land USA?
Using the News
If you did not know our President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born and raised
in Hawaii. Today the Obama family vacations on the islands during the holiday season. The
government has future plans to build the presidential library in Honolulu or in the runner up cities
of Chicago and New York. There are, however, some potential drawbacks to Honolulu. It is set apart
from the U.S. mainland, and some feel it may not be a convenient place to preserve presidential
documents. Opponents argue that presidential libraries are intended for researchers and historians,
not foreign tourists and families on vacation. Acknowledging Hawaii’s long odds to win the selection
process, the Governor is suggesting an alternative proposal of splitting Obama’s post-presidential
home, with the official library in either Chicago or New York and a separate presidential center in
Honolulu. The final decision will be made soon. In your opinion, do you think Hawaii is the best for
the presidential library for President Obama’s archives? Why or why not?
Online Resources:
http://www.gohawaii.com/en/ This website gives a detailed overview of that the islands are like.
http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/hawaii-facts/ Gives fast facts about Hawaii, and includes images
http://countrystudies.us/united-states/geography-23.htm This is a great resource to use when observing the geography of the land
Common Core Curricular Connections
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
http://www.hawaiihistory.org Gives a detailed description of the history of the Hawaiian Islands from ancient times to current.
http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=141 details about the snake population in Hawaii
http://countrystudies.us/united-states/geography-23.htm map of the geography of Hawaii and highest elevation
For students who are blind, learning disabled or print challenged, visit CRIS Radio at
http://www.chrisradio.org and click Kids On-Demand for a free audio version of Geography Connections.