Lesson 1

Guided Notes- US National Geographic

United States
The United States of America is the world's
_________largest country in size and nearly the third largest
in terms of population.

FAST FACTS
 OFFICIAL NAME: _________ _________ ____ __________
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitution-based federal republic
 CAPITAL: Washington, D.C.
 POPULATION: 329,256,465
 LANGUAGES: English, Spanish (no official national language)
 MONEY: U.S. _________
 AREA: 3,794,083 square miles (9,826,630 square kilometers)
 MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: ___________Mountains,
_______________Mountains
 MAJOR RIVERS: _____________, _____________, _______________
GEOGRAPHY
The United States of America is the world's third largest country in size
and nearly the third largest in terms of population. Located in North
_________, the country is bordered on the west by the ________ Ocean
and to the east by the __________ Ocean. Along the northern border
is Canada and the southern border is Mexico. There are ______ states and
the District of Columbia .

More than twice the size of the European Union, the United States has
high mountains in the West and a vast central plain. The lowest point in
the country is in Death Valley which is at -282 feet (-86 meters) and the
highest peak is Denali (Mt. McKinley) at 20,320 feet (6,198 meters).

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Throughout its history, the United States has been a nation of

____________. The population is diverse with people from all over the
world seeking refuge and a better way of life.

The country is divided into ______ regions: ________ ________, the _____
___________, the ________, the________, the ___________, and the
________. European settlers came to New England in search of religious
freedom. These states are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The mid-Atlantic region includes ___________, __________, _____ ______,

______ _______, _____________, and the city of ___________, _____
These industrial areas attracted millions of European immigrants and
gave rise to some of the East Coast's largest cities: New York, Baltimore,
and Philadelphia.

The South
includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missis
sippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West
Virginia, all of which struggled after the Civil War, which lasted from 1860-
1865.

The Midwest is home to the country's agricultural base and is called the
"_____________ ______________." The region comprises the states
of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebrask
a, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The Southwest is a beautiful stark landscape of prairie and desert. The

states of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas are considered the
Southwest and are home to some of the world's great natural marvels,
including the Grand Canyon and Carlsbad Caverns.

The American West, home of rolling plains and the cowboy, is a symbol of
the __________ __________ of the United States. The West is diverse,
ranging from endless wilderness to barren desert, coral reefs to Arctic
tundra, Hollywood to Yellowstone. The states of the West
include Alaska, Colorado, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Ore
gon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

NATURE

The landscape varies across the large country from tropical beaches in
Florida to peaks in the Rocky Mountains, from rolling prairie lands and
barren deserts in the West to dense wilderness areas in the Northeast and
Northwest. Interspersed throughout are the__________ ________,
the________ ___________, the majestic ___________ Valley, and the
mighty ____________River.

The wildlife is as diverse as the landscape. Mammals such

as _______ once roamed freely across the plains, but now live only in
preserves. Black bears, grizzlies, and polar bears are the
largest___________. There are over 20,000 flower species and most came
from Europe. There are more than 400 areas which are protected and
maintained by the National Park Service, and many other parks in each
state.

The ________ ___________ is the national bird and symbol of the United

States and is a protected species.
LEFT: UNITED STATES FLAG, RIGHT: U.S. DOLLAR
PHOTOGRAPH BY AP IMAGES, U.S. DEPT. OF THE TREASURY (RIGHT)

GOVERNMENT & ECONOMY

Citizens over the age of ____ years old vote to elect the President and Vice
President of United States every ______ years. The president lives in the
_________ House in the ________ city of Washington, D.C.

There are _______ houses of Congress: the __________ and the

__________ ___ _____________. There are 100 _________, two from each
of the 50 states and each serves a six-year term. There are 435
______________who must be elected every two years.

The Supreme Court is made up of ________ justices who are picked by the
president and must be approved by Congress.

For the _______ time in the nation's history an African American, Barack
Obama, was elected President of the United States in 2008. He was
reelected for a second term in 2012.
Advances in the past hundred years have established America as a world
leader ______________, _____________, and ______________. America
has the largest ________ reserves in the world.

HISTORY

For centuries native peoples lived across the vast expanse that would
become the United States. In the early 17th century, settlers moved from
Europe to the New World, established colonies, and displaced the native
peoples.

The settlers fought for their independence from Britain in the late 18th
century and formed a union of states based on a new constitution. The
nation continued to expand westward and although the country is a
relatively young nation, it has become a global power since declaring
independence from Britain on July 4, 1776.

** Answers are found on the National Geographic Website linked in the lesson plan**.
 United States Geography- ELL Translation Card
Spanish English Picture
North America
Norteamérica Exit Slip
Things I learned today…….
3
United States
Estados Unidos

Things I found Interesting……….

2 sur South

50 estados 50 states

Question I still have…………..

1
border
frontera

situado located

regiones regions
Lesson 2

Map of US Regions
 Graphic Organizer- The US Regions
Region 1: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

Region 1: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

Region 1: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

Region 2: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

Region 2: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

Region 2: State: Fact 1: Fact 2: Fact 3:

 Rubric- Pen Pal Activity
Feature 4 3 2 1 Score
Strong Developing Emerging Beginning
Ideas Establishes a Develops a focus Attempts focus Lacks focus and
clear focus on development
the regions of Details support Ideas not fully
the US idea developed

Provides Communicates
relevant original ideas
information

Communicates
creative ideas
Organization Has a five- Has a four to Has a three to Has a one to two
sentence three sentence two sentence sentence
paragraph. paragraph. paragraph. paragraph.

Expression Uses effective Diverse word Limited word No sense of

language choice choice sentence
structure
Use of sentenceSentence variety Basic sentence
variety structure
Conventions Few or no Some errors in: Has some Little or no
errors in: grammar, difficulty in: evidence of
grammar, spelling, grammar, correct grammar,
spelling, capitalization, spelling, spelling,
capitalization,punctuation capitalization, capitalization or
punctuation punctuation punctuation
Legibility Easy to read Readable with Difficult to read No evidence of
some due to spacing/forming
Properly spaced spacing/forming spacing/forming letters
errors letter
Proper letter
formation
 Name________________________________ Date_________________________
US Regions Quiz

1. According to the maps, which states are included in the

Northeast region of the United States?

2. According to the maps, which states are included in the

Southeast region of the United States?

3. According to the maps, which states are included in the Midwest

region of the United States?

4. According to the maps, which states are included in the

Southwest region of the United States?
5. According to the maps, which states are included in the West
region of the United States?

Visually Impaired Modified Version

Name___________________________ Date_____________________
US Regions Quiz

1. According to the maps, which states are

included in the Northeast region of the United
States?
2. According to the maps, which states are
included in the Southeast region of the United
States?

3. According to the maps, which states are

included in the Midwest region of the United
States?

4. According to the maps, which states are

included in the Southwest region of the United
States?

5. According to the maps, which states are

included in the West region of the United States?
 Answer Key for US Regions Quiz

*Students can also put the abbreviations of states**

1. Connecticut (CT), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), New

Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), Pennsylvania
(PA), Rhode Island (RI), and Vermont (VT).

2. Alabama (AL), Arkansas (AR), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL),

Georgia (GA), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maryland (MD),
Mississippi (MS), North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC),
Tennessee (TN), Virginia (VA), and West Virginia (WV).

3. Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Michigan (MI),
Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), Ohio (OH), North Dakota (ND),
Nebraska (NE), South Dakota (SD), and Wisconsin (WI).

4. Arizona (AZ), New Mexico (NM), Oklahoma (OK), and Texas (TX).

5. Alaska (AK), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Hawai'I (HI), Idaho

(ID), Nevada (NV), Montana (MT), Oregon (OR), Utah (UT),
Washington (WA), and Wyoming (WY).
 US Regions- ELL Translation Card

Spanish English Picture

West
Oeste

Sur oeste Southwest

 Midwest
medio oeste

Southeast
Sureste

Northeast
Noreste

Lesson 3
My Travels Map
Blank Map of US
 Postcards Across America
Picture: Dear_________________________,
_______________________________________________

From________________________________

Picture Dear_________________________,
_______________________________________________

From________________________________

Dear_________________________,
_______________________________________________
 From________________________________
Dear_________________________,
_______________________________________________

From________________________________

Landforms- ELL Translation Card

Spanish English Picture
 Ocean
Oceano

Gulf
Golfo

Lake
Lago

River
Río

Island
Isla

Peninsula
Península

Mountain
Montaña
 Plain
Ilanura

Valley
Valle

Lesson 4
Anchor Chart Examples
 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/197102921169189664/

https://www.happydaysinfirstgrade.com/2018/03/26/spring-classroom-
ideas-resources/

Station 2- Map Landform Chart

Landforms Examples
Station 3- Primary Source Matching Landforms

Peninsula

https://www.loc.gov/item/87692537/

Mountains

https://www.loc.gov/item/2017645936/

Plain

https://www.loc.gov/item/92506678/
 Valley

https://www.loc.gov/item/2005696575/

Island

https://www.loc.gov/item/83693953/

Canyon

https://www.loc.gov/item/89710769/
Station 3- ELL Primary Source Matching Landforms

Peninsula

Península

https://www.loc.gov/item/87692537/

Mountains

Montaña

https://www.loc.gov/item/2017645936/

Plain
Ilanura

https://www.loc.gov/item/92506678/
 Valley
Valle

https://www.loc.gov/item/2005696575/

Island

Isla

https://www.loc.gov/item/83693953/

Canyon

Cañón

https://www.loc.gov/item/89710769/
Lesson 5

Google Earth/Maps Graphic Organizer

Landform Name City State

Peninsula

Mountain

Valley

Plain

Island

Canyon

Extra:

Extra:
Name: _____________________ Dream Vacation Landform Sheet

A famous landform that I would like to visit is called _______________________________.

To see it, I would have to travel to _________________________________.

I would like to visit this landform because

Here is what it looks like:

 Checklist for Dream Vacation Landform Writing
Student’s Name Understands the Knows what the chosen
characteristics of the landform looks like.
landform chosen.
Name: _________________________ Date: _______________________
US Geographic Location and Landforms Test
1. Use the map below to answer the questions.

Step 1: Color the mountains green

Step 2: Color the peninsula orange

Step 3: Color the plains yellow

2. Write the five regions of the United States inside of the map. Include the West, Midwest,
Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest.

3. The United States is located where?

a. North America
b. South America
c. Asia
d. Europe

4. What two countries border the United States?

a. Italy and France
b. Canada and Mexico
c. Hawaii and Alaska
d. Mexico and Florida
 5. Which of the following landform is pictured below?

a. Canyon
b. Valley
c. Mountain
d. Plain

6. The United States is the ___________ largest country in the world.

a. 1st
b. 2nd
c. 3rd
d. 4th

7. The capital of the United States is?

a. South Carolina
b. Washington, DC
c. Miami
d. North Carolina

8. Which of the following is a map?

a b.
 9. Which of the following is a globe?

a b.

10. The picture below is what type of landform?

a. valley
b. canyon
c. mountain
d. hill

11. A low place between mountains is called a?

a. hill
b. plain
c. canyon
d. valley
12. A body of land surrounded by water on all three sides is called a?
a. peninsula
b. lake
c. island
d. river
Visually Impaired Modified Version

Name: ________________________ Date: _________________

US Geographic Location and Landforms Test
1. Use the map below to answer the questions.

Step 1: Color the mountains green

Step 2: Color the peninsula orange

Step 3: Color the plains yellow

2. Write the five regions of the United States inside of the map.
Include the West, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and
Southwest.

3. The United States is located where?

a. North America
b. South America
c. Asia
d. Europe
4. What two countries border the United States?
a. Italy and France
b. Canada and Mexico
c. Hawaii and Alaska
d. Mexico and Florida

5. Which of the following landform is pictured below?

a. Canyon
b. Valley
c. Mountain
d. Plain

6. The United States is the ___________ largest country in the world.

a. 1st
b. 2nd
c. 3rd
d. 4th
 7. The capital of the United States is?
a. South Carolina
b. Washington, DC
c. Miami
d. North Carolina

8. Which of the following is a map?

a b.

9. Which of the following is a globe?

a b.
10. The picture below is what type of landform?

a. valley
b. canyon
c. mountain
d. hill

11. A low place between mountains is called a?

a. hill
b. plain
c. canyon
d. valley

12. A body of land surrounded by water on all three sides is

called a?
a. peninsula
b. lake
c. island
d. river
 Answer Key- US Geographic Location and Landforms Test
Total number of points possible is 100.
-Name is worth 5 points
-Date is worth 5 points
-All questions (15) are worth 6 points

1. Question 1 has 3 questions

2.

West Northeast
Mid
west

South
South
east
west

3. a
4. b
5. c
6. c
7. b
8. a
9. b
10. a
11. d
12. a