Landforms of the United States and Canada

Physical Geography of the United States & Canada

Ch. 1 ~ Blue Book ~ Social Studies Unit

Name: ______

Section: 6 - ______

0 Lesson 1 ~ Land and Water ~ Outline ~ Pages 9-14

Where in the World Are We? The United States and Canada are located in ______. The ______borders them to the east, the ______borders them to the west, and the ______Ocean borders Canada to the north. Mexico and the ______border the United States to the south. Hawaii and ______are also part of the United States. ______has more land that the United States and is the ______-largest country in the world. The United States is the ______largest country but has more ______than Canada.

Landforms of the United States and Canada The ______are the largest mountain chain in North America, extending about ______miles along the western section of the continent. The ______Mountains are the second largest, and stretch about ______miles. The Appalachians meet the ______Highlands in Canada. Between these two mountain chains lies a huge ______area. In Canada, these lowlands are called the ______Plains and in the United States they are called the ______Plains and the ______Plains. Most of this area has rich ______for farming.

1 Special Features of the United States The United States has a ______area along the eastern and southern coast, which attracted many settlers to this area. This area is flat and has ______land, as well as access to the sea. West of the Rockies lies a region of ______and ______. The ______Salt Lake is located in the northeast section of this valley. ______is in the southwestern section and most of his area is below ______level. This is also the ______place in North America, where temperatures climb to ______. Two additional mountain ranges to the west of Death Valley are ______Nevada in ______and the ______in Washington and Oregon. The Cascades were formed by ______. Mount ______erupted in 1980.

Special Features of Canada Mount ______, Canada’s highest peak is found in the ______Territory. It is part of the ______Mountains. Beyond the Interior Plains, lies the ______Shield. This large area covers about ______of Canada. Few people live here because the land is ______(rocky soil, no fertile soil, can’t farm). Southeast of the Shield are the ______. These are located along the ______River, and are the smallest region in Canada. They are home to more than half of the country’s ______, and this region is also Canada’s manufacturing center. The farmers in this region produce ______of the country’s crops because of the fertile soil.

2 Major Bodies of Water There are important lakes and rivers in both the U.S. and Canada for ______, recreation and ______.

The Great Lakes The world’s largest group of fresh-water ______, is made up of Lake ______, Lake ______, Lake ______, Lake ______, and Lake ______. Lake ______is the only one entirely in the U.S. The other four are part of a ______between the two countries. These lakes formed by ______, which dug deep trenches in the land.

Mighty Rivers Canada’s two major rivers are the ______River and the ______River. The Mackenzie River, which is the country’s ______river, forms in the Rockies and flows north to the ______Ocean. The St. Lawrence ______connects the Great Lakes to the ______Ocean, which makes it one of North America’s most important routes. The St. Lawrence River is called the ______. In the United States, the longest river is the ______. It begins in ______and flows south of the Gulf of ______. Two major rivers, the ______River and the ______River are tributaries of the Mississippi. A tributary is a ______or river that flows into a ______river.. The Fraser, ______, and the ______rivers flow ______from the Rockies. The Platt and the ______rivers flow ______from

3 the Rockies. The Rockies form the ______, which is the boundary that separates rivers flowing towards ______sides of the continent.

Lesson 1 ~ Land and Water ~ Review ~ Pages 9-14

Introduction ~ p. 9 1. What is the purpose of this passage? To recall ______knowledge and the reader’s ______experiences. Where in the World Are We? ~ p. 10 2. What does the word border mean in paragraph one? A ______refers to where two ______meet. 3. Give two examples of how physical features have affected life in the U.S. and Canada. 1) ______area – good soil to grow ______2) ______- rugged, not a good ______region 4. Why did so many people coming to the U.S. settle along the coastal plains? Many settled along the coastal plains because of the rich, ______. 5. In the chart below, identify the borders of the United States and Canada. 4 United States Canada

North

South

East

West

6. In the chart below, identify the landforms of the United States and Canada.

Mountains Plains Name Where? Name Where?

United States

Canada

Special Features and Bodies of Water of the U.S.

Special Features and Bodies of Water of Canada

8 Chapter 1 ~ Section 1 ~ Key Terms

Use the references in the back of your textbook to define each of the following. glacier: a huge, ______-moving mass of ______and ______tributary: a river or stream that ______into a ______river Continental Divide: the ______that separates rivers flowing toward ______sides of a continent; in North America, in the ______Mountains (p. 14) Rocky Mountains: the major mountain ______in western North America, extending south from ______, Canada, through the ______United States to ______(p. 10) Appalachian Mountains: a mountain system in ______North America (p. 11) Death Valley: the______, driest ______of North America, located in southeastern ______(p. 11) Great Lakes: a group of five large lakes in central North America (p. 13) Lake ______H Lake ______O Lake ______M Lake ______E Lake ______S St. Lawrence River: a river in ______North America; the ______- longest river in ______(p. 12) Mississippi River: a large river in the ______United States flowing south from ______to the Gulf of ______(p. 14)

9 10

Canadian Regions Map Activity

Using a color code key on your map label and color the 6 main regions of Canada. Place the names of the regions in the key.

1. Interior Plains 2. Canadian Shield 3. Appalachian Highlands 4. Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Lowlands 5. Arctic Islands 6. Western Mountain Region

Also include and label the following items on your map. 1. Compass Rose 2. Arctic Ocean 3. Pacific Ocean 4. Atlantic Ocean 5. Ottawa 6. Hudson Bay 7. Great Lakes

11 Lesson 2 ~ Climate and Vegetation ~ Outline ~ Pgs. 15-20

I. Climate Zones A. Climate zones in the United States and Canada range from the ______climate in the north to the ______climate of the Southwestern United States. B. Climate zones are affected by the ______of the region as well as ______, mountains, and ______. C. Canada’s Climates – Braving the Cold 1. Generally the farther a location is from the ______, the colder its climate. 2. Much of Canada lies north of the ______line of latitude. 3. Areas of Canada that are near the ocean generally have fairly ______climates year round. 4. Being far from the ocean also affects climate. Inland areas, such as ______, often have climate extremes with very cold winters and very warm summers. 5. Mountains also affect Canada’s climate, especially its ______. Winds blowing from the ______Ocean rise as they meet mountain ranges in the west. This causes the winds to ______and drop their ______on the mountains. 6. The area on the side of the mountains away from the wind is a ______, which is an area on the dry, sheltered side of a mountain that receives ______rainfall.

12 D. Climate of the United States 1. Latitude also affects climate in the U.S. ______is cold most of the year because it is far from the equator. 2. Florida and Hawaii, on the other hand, lie near or within the ______, where it is almost always hot. 3. The ______Ocean and mountains in the west also affect climate in the United States. 4. Parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona that are in the rain shadow are semiarid or ______. 5. East of the Great Plains, the country has ______climates. a. The ______– summers are warm and winters are cold and snowy b. The ______– summers tend to be long and hot while winters are mild c. The ______– violent weather in summer and fall (tropical storms and hurricanes)

II. Natural Vegetation Zones A. There are ___ major kinds of natural vegetation or ______life. 1. ______2. ______3. ______4. ______

13 B. Northern Tundra 1. The ______is found in the far north. 2. It is a ______, ______region that is covered with snow for more than half the year. 3. The Arctic tundra contains ______, or permanently frozen soil. 4. Few people live in the tundra, although some ______, a native people of Canada and Alaska, do.

C. Prairies 1. Prairies are regions of ______or rolling ______covered with tall ______. 2. They are located in areas that have ______climates. 3. The world’s largest prairie lies in the plains of ______. 4. The three Canadian provinces of ______, ______, and ______are sometimes called the Prairie Provinces. 5. A province is a ______. 6. Pioneers describe the prairies as a “______.” 7. The grass on the prairies is good for ______and ______.

D. Desert Scrubs 1. With little rainfall, desert and semiarid regions have few ______. 2. The Great Basin is a large, very dry region between the ______and the ______.

14 E. Forests 1. Forests cover nearly ______of the United States and Canada. 2. Many ______trees grow near the Pacific Coast, as well as in the Rockies and Appalachian Mountains. These trees have ______that carry and ______their ______. 3. From the Great Lakes across southeastern Canada and New England and down to the southeastern U.S., you will find both ______and ______trees. Deciduous trees shed their ______in the Fall.

15 16 Lesson 2 ~ Climate and Vegetation ~ Review ~ Pgs 15-20

1. What does it mean by “great Variety” of climates found in the U.S. and Canada? (p.15) wide ______in climates 2. Besides the size of a region, name the 3 factors which affect the climate found in a region. (p.15) Complete the chart below. Factor How it affects climate

3. What are the 4 major types of vegetation found in the United States and Canada? Complete the chart below. (pages 18-20) Type of Vegetation Description

17 Lesson 2 ~ Climate and Vegetation ~ Key Terms

Use the references in the back of your textbook to define each of the following. rain shadow: an area on the ______of a mountain ______from the wind that receives little ______(p. 17)

tropics: the area on the ______between ______°N and ______° S lines of latitude, where the climate is almost always hot (p. 17)

tundra: a______, dry region covered with ______for more than ______the year; a vast, ______plain where the subsoil is always

______(p.19)

permafrost: permanently ______layer of ground ______the top layer of ______(p. 19)

Prairie: a region of ______or rolling ______covered with tall

______(p. 19)

province: a political division of land in ______, similar to a ______in

United States (p. 19)

Vancouver: a ______in southwestern ______,

Canada (p. 16)

Winnipeg: the ______city of ______, Canada (p. 16)

18 Complete each response. 1. Describe the climate and vegetation of the American prairie. They have ______climates. Today ______grow fields of ______and ______here. Further west, the Great Plains receive less ______, therefore only ______grasses will grow. These grasses are ideal for grazing ______. The land is suitable for growing ______. The Prairie Provinces have many wheat ______and cattle ______too.

2. What is the climate and vegetation like in Canada’s Pacific Coast? Since Canada is further from the ______it generally has a ______climate. There are great forests of ______trees, such as fir and spruce. Coniferous trees have cones that ______and protect their ______.

3. What geographic features might lead someone to settle in Vancouver, rather than in Winnipeg? Vancouver is close to the ______Ocean which may make it ______, but Winnipeg is ______and the ______are very cold.

19 Lesson 3 ~ Natural Resource ~ Outline ~ Pages 21-25

I. Natural Resources of the United States A. Soil 1. The United States has vast amounts of ______. 2. Two types of soil are: a. ______, ______soils b. ______soils 1. Alluvial soil is deposited by ______; they are ______topsoil left by rivers after a ______. 3. ______are large companies that run huge farms.

B. Water 1. Water is a vital resource all over the United States. People need water to: a. ______b. ______c. ______d. ______e. ______1. Hydroelectricity is ______generated by ______.

20 C. Energy and Mineral Resources 1. The United States is the ______largest producer of ______, ______, and ______. 2. North America’s biggest ______reserves are along the northern coast of ______. 3. Mining accounts for a small percentage of the United States’ economy. The major minerals found in the U.S. are: a. ______b. ______c. ______d. ______e. ______D. Trees 1. America’s ______are an important resource. 2. Found in the Pacific ______, the ______, the Appalachians, and areas around the Great ______. 3. Forests produce the following: ______, wood pulp for ______, and fine hardwoods for ______.

II. Natural Resources of the Canada A. Farmland 1. About ____% of land is suitable for farming. 2. Regions of the Prairie Provinces produce most of Canada’s: ______and ______. 3. The St. Lawrence Lowlands area produces: ______, ______, ______, and ______.

21 B. Minerals and Energy Resources 1. Much of Canada’s mineral wealth is in the ______. 2. About ____% of the nation’s ______comes from mines near the Quebec – Newfoundland ______. 3. Other minerals found in this area include: ______, ______, ______, ______and ______. 4. In the Prairie Provinces ______and ______can be found. 5. The province of ______harnesses its rivers to make ______. Some of the power is exported to the ______.

E. Forests 1. ______of Canada’s land is covered in forests. 2. Canada is the leading producer of ______. These products include: ______, ______, ______, and ______.

23 Lesson 3 ~ Natural Resources ~ Key Terms

Use the references in the back of your textbook to define each of the following. 1. Alluvial: deposited by ______, relating to the ______topsoil left by ______after a ______(p. 22) 2. Agribusiness: a large ______that runs huge ______to produce, process, and ______agricultural ______(p. 22) 3. Hydroelectricity: ______power produced by moving ______, usually generated by releasing water from a dam ______a river (p. 23) 4. Imperial Valley: a valley in the ______, extending from southeastern ______to ______(p.22) 5. Grand Coulee Dam: a dam on the Columbia ______in the state of ______(p. 23) 6. St. Lawrence Lowlands: a major ______region in the ______Provinces of Canada (p. 12)

7. List the major natural resources in the United States and Canada.

United States Canada

8. Why is water an important resource? Humans need it to ______and it can used to generate ______.

9. Give three examples of how water is used in the United States and Canada. a. ______b. ______c. ______d. ______

25 Classification Chart Natural Resources of the United States

Soil Water

 Vast expanses of ______soils  Vital ______all over the US  Rich, dark _____ (Midwest & South)  Needed for ______, crops,  ______(along ______, transportation, Mississippi & other rivers) hydroelectricity  Suitable for ______ Examples: ______routes –  ______now Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri Rivers own the farms (Imperial Valley)  ______Dam  Imperial Valley has vast (WA) largest hydroelectricity area ______fields

Minerals & Energy Resources Trees

 Second largest producer of______,  Found in the Pacific NW; the south, ______, natural gas the Appalachian Mts. & in areas  Largest ______reserves are in around the Great Lakes northern coast of Alaska  ______ ______resources (fueled  ______for paper industrial expansion and provided  Fine ______used to high standards of living) make furniture  Gold, copper, granite, ____ ore, lead  ______employs 1% of its workers

26 Classification Chart Natural Resources of the Canada

Minerals & Energy Farmland Resources Forests

 9% suitable for  Most found in Canadian  ½ of land covered by ______ Prairie Provinces –  Quebec/Newfoundland  Leading producer of ______& ______border – ______products  St. Lawrence  85% of the ____ ore  ______-  ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ Zinc  ______ ______ Copper  British Columbia  ______ uranium  Quebec  Alberta –  Ontario  ______ ______ Rivers of Quebec –  ______

27 28 29