The Geography Of The United States

Name: ______Assigned Region: ______The Geography of the United States Project

Overview Your goal for this unit is to explore the geography of our great nation and become familiar with the places and features that make up the United States of America. Part of this unit, as you have discovered, will be presented to you by Mr. Novak, but a large component will be work you do independently and in groups. With this in mind I present to you your first geography project.

Task Your task is to research the geographic region that is assigned to you by exploring the history, geography, importance, and environmental issues of that particular geographic region. You will be partnered with another student in the room who has been assigned the same region. Good Luck!

Procedures 1. Determine the region that has been assigned to you 2. Find one person in the room who has been assigned to that region 3. Pay close attention to the briefing given by Mr. Novak. This will provide some background knowledge of each region. 4. Use the atlas, which will be distributed by one of the class geographers, to answer the background questions found on your research page. 5. Record your answers to the background questions found on your research page. 6. Investigate the importance of this feature to the United States economy. 7. Investigate environmental issues related to this feature and how these are being dealt with. 8. Write a short argument piece which seeks to convince your classmates of the importance of preserving this geographic region. Remember to make a claim, a warrant, and use data when making your argument. Name: ______Assigned Region: ______

Background Research 1.) Is this region found in the eastern, western, or central United States? Circle one. HINT Remember your cardinal directions. If you don’t just reference the Compass Rose on the map. Eastern Central Western

2.) What types of physical features are found in this region? List these below. HINT You may need to use an atlas, and or dictionary to determine the meaning of physical feature.

3.) Which states make up this region? List them below. HINT You will need to utilize your atlas and maps of the United States to determine the answer to this question.

4.) What types of activities does this region allow people to participate in? HINT Certain physical features provide different types of leisure activities. For example rivers provide a place for fishing, swimming, and sailing.

5.) Create a map of the United States and use shapes and symbols to identify where your region is in the United States. Be creative, neat, and make your map colorful and interesting to look at, but most of all make certain your map is accurate. HINT Use your atlas to ensure the accuracy of your map.

Part One Score /50 Name: ______Assigned Region: ______This is the “meat and potatoes” of the project. You will now use your higher level thinking and research skills to explore and document the importance this region has to the economy of the United States of America. In other words how is this region used to earn money for the United States? For example a river might provide a shipping route for goods to be imported into the United States or exported out to other countries.

The economic activities of this region include: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Due to the industrialization of the Earth our natural resources have become, in some places, polluted and at times overused. The region you are researching is no different. You must determine what the specific environmental issues are that your region is faced with and list these below. The environmental issues this region is faced with are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Part Two Score /25

Make an environmental argument for the region you researched.

Claim: The government and citizens of the United States should work to pass legislation to protect the ______. Name: ______Assigned Region: ______

Warrant

Data Find data that supports your claim that the region is in danger and that the United States should pass legislation that further protects this region. Data Point One Data Point Two

Final Draft Write a one page speech that argues your claim. Attach this one page speech to this packet.

Part Three Score /25

Final Project /100 Grade