Focus on Tennessee’s Physical Regions Tennessee geography 101 Focus on Tennessee’s Physical Regions

Tennessee State Standards K.13 Identify the student’s street address, city/town, school name, and Tennessee as the state in which they live. K.14 Locate Tennessee and the United States on a map. 1.17 Identify the shapes of Tennessee and the United States on maps and globes. 1.22 Construct a map showing Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Mississippi River, Cumberland River, Tennessee River, Great Smoky Mountains, Norris Lake, Reelfoot Lake, and Clingmans Dome. 1.23 Identify the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee on a map and compare and contrast each division’s major physical features.

Tennessee State Standards (cont.) 2.17 Locate major cities, bodies of water, mountain ranges and rivers in the United States Cities: Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville Rivers: Cumberland, Mississippi, Tennessee Mountain Ranges: Appalachian 3.20 Identify on a map major cities of the continent (Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville) 3.22 Identify major physical features on a map Rivers –Cumberland, Mississippi, Tennessee Mountains –Appalachian 3.27 Compare and contrast landforms, climates, population, natural resources, and major cities of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee.

A Few Sources for Building Content Tennessee History for Kids (tnhistoryforkids.org) Basic Map Drawing Trek Across Tennessee Video Informational Texts Children’s Books such as V is for Volunteer: A Tennessee Alphabet Book T is for Tennessee: A State Alphabet Book

How does the geography of Tennessee impact the lives of its residents? To think about… How does the geography of Tennessee impact the lives of its residents?

Make a Prediction… Why are Bradley County schools open during the winter even when other school systems are closed?

Draw the shape shown. Use your entire page.

Tennessee’s Physical Regions Draw the dividing lines shown on the map.

Follow the directions shown above the map. Directions: Draw and label each physical region. Color each one according to the map key. Map A Color each physical region according to the following map key: Gulf Coastal Plain Cumberland Plateau Highland Rim Great Valley of TN Central Basin Unaka Mountains Follow the directions shown above the map.

Wikki Stix

Wikki Stix Maps Use a piece of paper for the base of your map. Recreate the projected map onto your paper using the Wikki Stix. Rearrange the Wikki Stix as needed. When you are satisfied with your map, raise your hand and the teacher will check your work. After the teacher approves the map, use a pencil to trace around the Wikki Stix. Label and color each physical region of Tennessee. Use the colors listed below: Black—state outline Red—Unaka Mtns. Orange—Valley and Ridge Yellow—Cumberland Plateau Green—Highland Rim Blue—Central Basin Purple—Coastal Plain

Use your imagination… http://coastergallery.com/2002/DW16.html

Describe the Unaka Mountains. Unaka Mtns. Describe the Unaka Mountains. http://www.coastergallery.com/2002/DW15.html

Blue arrows? Yellow arrows? East Tennessee Valley and Ridge Blue arrows? Yellow arrows? http://coastergallery.com/2002/DW7.html

Cumberland Plateau Describe a plateau. http://coastergallery.com/2002/SFOG25.html

Highland Rim Central Basin How do the elevations of the Highland Rim and the Central Basin differ? http://coastergallery.com/2002/DW8.html

Describe a plain. How does it differ from a plateau? Gulf Coastal Plain Describe a plain. How does it differ from a plateau? http://www.themeparkreview.com

Sheet Maps Use labels to identify Use arrows to show directional Countries States Cities Geographic features Use arrows to show directional flow for rivers

More Sheet Map Activities Use different colors of yarn to outline/show countries cities geographic features Place objects on top of the sheet or under it to show different land elevations blocks stacked textbooks

Classroom Examples

Tennessee: Physical What colors represent the highest elevations? What colors represent the lowest elevations? Tennessee: Physical http://www.tennessee-map.org/topo-map.htm

http://geology.com/state-map/tennessee.shtml

http://geology.com/state-map/tennessee.shtml

Was your prediction correct? Snow falls in the higher elevations first and sometimes does not reach the lower elevations. Bradley County is low in elevation, compared to surrounding counties, so school is rarely cancelled due to inclement weather! http://www.smokymountainstn.com

How does the geography of Tennessee impact the lives of its residents? To think about… How does the geography of Tennessee impact the lives of its residents?

This is a satellite image of Tennessee. What do you notice about the colors? How are they different from the elevation map? http://geology.com/satellite/ tennessee-satellite-image.shtml

Send a Postcard Home… Dear Mom and Dad, Choose one of Tennessee’s six natural regions. On the front of the postcard, draw a picture of the landform region you chose. On the back, create a space for your message, the recipient’s address, and postage. In your message, include at least three facts about the landform region you “visited.” Dear Mom and Dad, Having a great time on the Unaka Mountains! You wouldn’t believe what it is like! Did you know that…? See you soon! Love, Jane Mr. and Mrs. John Doe 123 Any Street Sometown, TN 37323

Tennessee Postcard Series Award UNAKA MOUNTAINS presented to __________________ Presenter Name and Title Date 29

EXIT 12C Choose one of Tennessee’s physical regions from the pictures on the next slide. After selecting a picture, answer the question using complete sentences. You must write a minimum of three sentences. EXIT ONLY

Exit Ticket Valley and Ridge Cumberland Plateau Unaka Mountains Highland Rim Central Basin Gulf Coastal Plain Based on its physical geography, explain one benefit or one challenge of living in your selected region. Exit Ticket

Write the letter that correctly identifies each region. TENNESSEE’S 6 PHYSICAL REGIONS MAP QUIZ B E D C A F Central Basin Cumberland Plateau East TN Valley and Ridge Gulf Coastal Plain Highland Rim Unaka Mountains Write the letter that correctly identifies each region.

Warm up those vocal chords… I feel a song coming on!

“The Tennessee Landforms” (Tune: “The Beverly Hillbillies”) Well, listen to my story ‘bout the State of Tennessee. There’s so much to see and do it’s a great place to be. You can hike the many trails of the mountains in the east, Called the Unaka by the Native Cherokee… The Smokies that is, part of the Appalachians. Photo: www.tnhistoryforkids.org

is the next place we’ll see. We’ll go fishing in the river Great Valley and Ridge is the next place we’ll see. We’ll go fishing in the river that is called the Tennessee. The Cumberland Plateau will be our next stop, With its really steep sides and its high flat top. Photo: tnhistoryforkids.org

We can travel on to the Highland Rim; On its western side, in the Cumberland we’ll swim. It flows through the Central Basin also, Which is shaped like the bottom of a bowl… Our capital is here, Nashville that is. We can travel on to the Highland Rim; On its western side, in the Cumberland we’ll swim. It flows through the Central Basin also, Which is shaped like the bottom of a bowl… Our capital is here, Nashville that is. Photo: tnhistoryforkids.org

Well, we’ve finally reached the western side Where the Tennessee River two places does divide. The coastal plain is very low and flat. The southwest corner— where Memphis is at… Along the Mississippi River that is, the western boundary of the state. Well, we’ve finally reached the western side Where the Tennessee River two places does divide. The coastal plain is very low and flat. The southwest corner— where Memphis is at… Along the Mississippi River that is, the western boundary of the state. Photo: tnhistoryforkids.org

Well, now we’ve been all across our state. We hope you can tell that it is really great. The six natural regions show all kinds of land. The three major rivers, they are all really grand… In Tennessee that is, ya’ll come back and see us now, ya hear.

Julie Mitchell, Ed.D. jmitchell@bradleyschools.org Lake Forest Middle School http://lakeforest-ms.bradleyschools.org/ Select “School Staff” Select “Mitchell, Julie” Select “Starter Activities, Handouts, and Learning Target Notebook” Select “TCSS/TGA 2017”