Chapter 1: America s Land Lesson 1: Land and Climate

Transcription

1 Chapter 1: America s Land Lesson 1: Land and Climate

2 Geography: Describe landforms and other physical features of the United States. Geography: Explain how and why climate varies throughout the United States.

3 Is it easy to walk to school or would you have to huff and puff to come up the street? Land around us affects what we do every day!

4 MAIN IDEA: The United States has many different landforms. Sandy beaches, high mountains, wide-open plains, thick forests, and strong rivers to name a few To learn about these we learn about geography Geography the study of the world and the people and things that live there. Geographers think about the Earth and the way people make it their home.

5 Geographers ask questions about the land Where is it? What is it like? How does the land affect people? How do people use the land? Geographers get answers to help us understand the past, present and future.

6 Landforms give the country its special appearance Landform a feature on the surface of the land, such as a mountain, valley, or plain. Let s take a trip across the United States and look at our landforms.

7 From the Pacific Ocean you climb into mountain ranges Coast Ranges Sierra Nevada Ranges Next is the Basin and Range area Bowl-shaped basins and mountain ranges Plateaus are common in this area Plateau a high, steep-sided area rising above the surrounding land. Canyons are formed when water flowing over the plateaus wears away the rock Canyon a long, deep gap cut into the earth, like Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park

8 After the Basin and Range area you come to the Rocky Mountains Also known as the Rockies Get their name from their sharp, rocky peaks Some of the highest mountains in the country. Moving east are wide, flat plains Slope down to the Mississippi River East of the Mississippi River they slope back up to meet the Appalachian Mountains

9 Appalachian Mountains run from Maine to Alabama Older, lower, and more rounded than the Sierra Nevada range or the Rockies. They pass near us! East of the Appalachians, the land drops into the Atlantic Coastal Plain to meet the Atlantic Ocean

10 Our country s climate is as varied as its landforms Climate the type of weather a place has over a long period of time Climate includes temperature and the amount of precipitation an area gets Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, and other moisture that falls to earth.

11 The southern half of the country is generally warmer One reason is they are closer to the equator than us in Connecticut Equator the imaginary line around the middle of the Earth Sunlight shines most directly at the equator causing warmth

12 Landforms, especially mountains, affect the climate Lower places warmed by the Earth s surface As you get higher in the mountains the air is cooler Plants and trees affect the climate, too Leaves release water and create shade and can make an area cooler.

13 The U.S. has many kinds of landforms, including mountains, canyons, plains, and plateaus. Climate in the U.S. differs according to the place. Climate can be affected by distance from the equator, landforms, and plant life.

14 Both the land an climate of the United States affect every person in the country.

15 Would you put the Sierra Nevada in the category of mountains or plains? mountains What are three landforms you might see if you took a trip across the U.S.? Mountains, canyons, plateaus, plains, etc. Why are places closer to the equator warmer than places farther from the equator? Places closer to the equator receive more direct sunlight.

16 Compare the Rocky Mountains with the Appalachian Mountains. How are they similar? How are they different? Similar: they are both mountain land forms. Different: The Rockies are higher and more rugged than the Appalachians. The Rockies have sharp peaks and the Appalachians are rounded. The Appalachians are older than the Rockies. What questions do geographers ask? Where a place is, what it s like, and how people and the land affect each other.