Study Guide Latin America

Week 1 Please bring your colored pencils to class this week! Latin America Middle America Mexico Central America Caribbean Islands Bahamas Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola & Puerto Rico) Lesser Antilles (smaller Caribbean Isles) South America ______

Mental Map (2 points) Draw on back of this page

Reason for name (Latin America): Treaty of Tordesillas 1494

Why Learn about Latin America?

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Week 1 Assignments Map Rubric Points Map of Latin America due: All Countries Labeled 25 1. Label these features: Capital of Mexico 1 Nicely colored 5 Middle America Panama Canal Labeled 1 Mexico Mexico Physical Features 8 The Capital of Mexico Labeled Baja California Total 40

Physical Features Bodies of Water: o The river the forms the border between Mexico & the U.S. o Gulf of Mexico Mexico Plateau Mountain Ranges: o Sierra Madre Occidental o Sierra Madre Oriental Yucatan Peninsula

Central America The Seven Countries that make up Central America o Belize o Honduras o Nicaragua o Guatemala o El Salvador o Costa Rica o Panama The Panama Canal Caribbean Islands Bahamas Greater Antilles o Cuba o Jamaica o Hispaniola o Puerto Rico Lesser Antilles Bodies of Water: Caribbean Sea South America The 12 countries that make up South American o Venezuela o Colombia o Ecuador o Peru o Chile o Argentina o Paraguay o Uruguay o Brazil o Guyana o Suriname o French Guiana Bodies of Water o Amazon River o Pacific Ocean o Atlantic Ocean Physical Features o Andes Mountains o Llanos o Pampas

2. After your map is labeled it’s time to color! Please neatly color each country a different color.

3. Crossword Puzzle (Middle America) 18 points Due:

Climate & Vegetation of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America

Text: pgs. 202-203, 208-211

(20 points)

Mexico Half of Mexico lies south of the ______. The driest part of Mexico is in the ______. Tropical rain forests thrive in this part of Mexico ______. These types of vegetation grow at high elevations in Mexico ______& ______. Central America What area of Central America receives the most precipitation? ______What type of vegetation grows in the drier areas on the Pacific Side of Central America? ______The Caribbean Islands What body of water keeps the Caribbean Islands warm year round? ______South America Climate in the mountains of South America depends largely on ______. You would find the ______climate at the height of the Andes. The ______and the ______are used for grazing cattle. The ______is an example of a hot desert; ______is a cold desert. The average temperature in Brazil’s ______is 80° F, but it often seems much warmer because of the humidity.

Putting it all together Look at the map on p. 201. What landforms do Mexico, Central America, & The Caribbean Islands have in common. How do these landforms affect the climate of these areas?

What similarities do you see between the climates of South America and the rest of Latin America?

Latin American Country Comparison Chart (18 pts.)

Visit: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/

Pick two Latin American countries and fill out the chart below to compare their histories, geography, and cultural elements.

Country #1: Country #2: Physical Features Bodies of water Landforms (mtns., deserts, etc.)

Nature Animals Vegetation

History Explorers/settlers Conflicts

Government Type

Sports/Recreation

Economy Crops/Exports

Population

Size

Language

Done early? Explore this site on Puerto Rico http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/map/