Around the World in 3rd Grade Miss Couch

Chapter 1 Plains, Peninsulas and Plateaus

A plain is a large flat area A plain is a large flat area. Most of West Tennessee is considered to be part of a plain.

A mountain is a natural rise in the earth’s surface that is larger than a hill.

A desert is large, dry area that receives very little rainfall.

An island is a piece of land surrounded by water.

A valley is the low area between two mountains or hills.

A canyon is also a low area between two much higher areas A canyon is also a low area between two much higher areas. But a canyon is deeper and has steeper sides than a valley does.

A peninsula is an area almost completely surrounded by water—except for a piece of land that connects it with the mainland.

The piece of land that connects a peninsula with the mainland is known as an isthmus.

A delta is created where a river flows into a larger body of water, such as an ocean or lake. When we think of a delta, we think of a flat, muddy place.

Chapter 1 Review Questions A large flat area with steep drops on both sides is a ______________. A ____________ is a large flat area. What is the difference between a valley and a canyon. The line where one area begins and another ends is a _____________. Looking over the many words in this chapter, which ones were you familiar with before reading it? Which ones were you not familiar with?

Chapter 2 A Wet Planet

A portion of the ocean that is partly enclosed by land is called a gulf.

A bay is sort of like a gulf, but it is smaller than a gulf.

A narrow passage of water that connects two larger bodies of water is a strait.

A canal might look like a river or a stream A canal might look like a river or a stream. But canals are bodies of water made by people, usually to connect one body of water to another.

Chapter 2 Review Questions Why can’t a person just drink water right out of the ocean? A large body of water that moves from a higher area to a lower area is a _________. What are the three large rivers in Tennessee? What is the difference between a canal and a river?

Chapter 3 Getting Around the Globe

The earth is shaped like a ball (or sphere). Our “coordinate system” includes two poles, North and South. The equator is an imaginary line that runs around the earth horizontally. The Prime Meridian runs up and down the Earth vertically.

4 Hemispheres of the Earth

To help us describe and locate locations on a map, we use lines of latitude and longitude.

If it is 9:00 a.m. in the Central time zone, what time is it in the Pacific time zone?

Chapter 3 Review Questions Be able to locate a place on a map using lines of latitude and longitude.

Chapter 4 Our Home Continent: North America

We live on the continent of North America We live on the continent of North America. The three large countries that make up North America are Canada, the United States (our home!), and Mexico.

The largest city in North America is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Nearly nine million people live there.

The Missouri River is the longest river in North America.

Christopher Columbus “discovered” America in 1492 Christopher Columbus “discovered” America in 1492. At that time, no one in Europe realized that North and South America were there!

A canal might look like a river or a stream A canal might look like a river or a stream. But canals are bodies of water made by people, usually to connect one body of water to another.

Chapter 4 Review Questions What three nations make up most of North America? What is the largest city in North America? What is the longest river in North America? Why is Spanish the main spoken language in Mexico today?