Skill: Physical Features
Essential Element 2: Standard 4
A Physical Map: Washington
Introducing the Map
Share with students that a political map shows borders between countries
or states, locations of cities and towns, roadways, or other human-made
features.
ANSWER KEY
Monday
1. ocean, river, sound, and
strait
2. Mt. Rainier or Mt. St. Helens
Tuesday
1. Columbia River
2. Snake River or the Yakima
River
Wednesday
1. Mt. St. Helens
2. Canada, Idaho, and Oregon
Thursday
Ask students what kinds of features are shown on a physical map.
Students will probably name such features as mountains, valleys,
plains, oceans, and rivers. Discuss that physical maps show the natural
landforms and waterways on Earth's surface.
Show students the physical map of the state of Washington. Talk about
the different landforms and waterways that are labeled. Students may be
unfamiliar with the terms sound and strait. Define those and point out
the Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Have students look at the legend, inset map, and compass rose to help
them. Read the caption to discuss additional information about some
of the physical features of Washington.
You may choose to further explain what a geopolitical map includes.
As they study Washington, share with students that names of cities
were added to the physical map to show points of reference.
1. more than one-half
2. Strait of Georgia and Strait
of juan de Fuca
Friday
1. Mount Rainier, an inactive
volcano 14,410 ft. (4,392 m)
2. Pacific Ocean into the Strait
of Juan de Fuca and into the
Puget Sound
Challenge
Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay
are located on the Pacific Ocean,
Grays Harbor is west of Olympia,
and Willapa Bay is southwest of
Olympia. The San Juan Islands
are the group of islands directly
southeast of the Strait of Georgia.
Introducing Vocabulary
bay a portion
of the ocean that is pardy enclosed by land
forest a large area thickly covered with trees and plants
harbor a sheltered body of water where ships anchor
landform natural land feature on Earth's surface, such as mountain
or hill
mountain range a chain of mountains
physical features natural landforms
and waterways on Earth's
surface
physical map shows natural landforms
and waterways on Earth's
surface
port a harbor where ships can dock or anchor safely
river a large natural stream of fresh water that flows into a lake
or an ocean
sound a long, wide body of water, larger than a strait or channel
strait a narrow passage of water joining two larger bodies of water
valley an area of low ground between two hills
volcanic mountain a mountain
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EMC 3714 • Daily Geography Practice, Grade 5
formed by molten lava and ash
©2004 by Evan-Moor Corp.