The Geography of Texas Unit 1

Land of Contrasts Chapter 1, Section 1

Vocabulary 1. Geography 2. Environment 3. Location 4. Absolute Location 5. Relative Location 6. Place 7. Region 8. Human-Environment Interaction 9. Movement 10. Cultural Diffusion 11. Diameter

Geographical Elements Importance Places/Regions Human-Environment Interaction Movement

Geographical Elements Importance Places/Regions Important to the identity of Texas Human-Environment Interaction Important to the way Texans live Movement Important to bringing ideas and culture from one place to another

Hometown Characteristics Your Home Town Physical Characteristics Human Characteristics

Reflection Questions 1.1 How is a knowledge of geography useful to people? How does the relative location of Texas affect the state’s economy? How do long distances pose problems for some Texans? Define relative location. How do you describe a place’s relative location? Define absolute location.

Discussion Question 1.1 In MLA format Identify the absolute location of your home (using GPS coordinates, not address). Identify the relative location of your home using the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth as references If you were giving directions to a person who had never been to your home, would you use absolute location, relative location, or a combination. Explain your answer.

Natural Resources Chapter 1, Section 2

Vocabulary Plain Barrier Island Escarpment Fault Plateau Aquifer Savannah Grassland

The Resources of Texas Major Rivers Major Minerals There are ten. There are five.

The Resources of Texas Major Rivers Major Minerals Trinity, Colorado, Rio Grande, Petroleum and Natural Gas Nueces, Red, Brazos, Coal Canadian, Sabine, Neches, and Sand Pecos Gravel

Rivers by Region Region River Panhandle (2) East Texas (5) West Texas (1) South Texas (4)

Rivers by Region Region River Panhandle (2) Red River and Canadian River East Texas (5) Sabine, Neches, Trinity, San Jacinto, and Brazos Rivers West Texas (1) Rio Grande River South Texas (4) Rio Grande, Nueces, Colorado, and Pecos Rivers

OIL Oil is found in all but _________ counties in Texas. The value of oil produced in Texas (in 2001 dollars) is $_______________.

Reflection Questions What noticeable difference in land levels occurs as you travel westward? How is an aquifer different from a dammed lake? In what ways are Texas forests an important natural resource? What river forms the southern boundary of Texas? What river forms the northern boundary of Texas? How do Texans use land not suited for farming?

Discussion Question 1.2 MLA Format At least 100 words, but less than 150 words Explain why five of the six most populous cities in Texas are located in the Coastal Plains. Hint: The area around El Paso is the population center located outside the Coastal Plains.

The Climate of Texas Chapter 1, Section 3

Vocabulary Middle Latitudes Norther

Climate Conditions Climate Condition Effect Cool air meets warm air Gulf Coast breezes Winds rise over the mountains

Climate Conditions Climate Condition Effect Cool air meets warm air Thunderstorms, Hail, and Tornados Gulf Coast breezes Cool in summer, warm in winter, brings rain Winds rise over the mountains Air is cooler, brings rain

Texas on the Gulf Coast Positive Effects (3) Negative Effect (1)

Texas on the Gulf Coast Positive Effects (3) Negative Effect (1) Cool Summers Destructive Storms Warm Winters Rainfall

Reflection Questions Name two ways Texas’s absolute location affects climate. How does elevation affect climate? On average, how many tornados strike Texas every year? A. If you like cool summers, where in Texas would you live? B. Where would you live if you like warm winter temperatures? 5. How does the mild climate of South Texas favorably affect the economy of that part of the state?

Notes Quiz 1.3 Define Middle Latitudes. How are storms in Texas influenced by the state’s absolute location? How does elevation affect climate? On average, how many tornados strike Texas every year? If you and your family lived on the Texas Gulf Coast, what general direction would you evacuate in the event of a hurricane?

Regions of Texas Chapter 2

The Coastal Plains Chapter 2, Section 1

Vocabulary Petrochemical Alluvial Soil

The Piney Woods City Known for Texarkana Longview Nacogdoches Huntsville

The Piney Woods City Known for Texarkana Longview Nacogdoches Medical and manufacturing center Longview Industrial, recreational, and convention center Nacogdoches Stephen F. Austin State University Huntsville Texas Department of Criminal Justice (death row)

Reflection Questions 2.1 What features of the Coastal Plains make it a popular region? List four important economic activities in the Gulf Coast Plain? How did Dallas’s location contribute to its rapid growth? What is the largest natural region in Texas? What discovery made Texas the leading producer of oil in the United States?

Notes Quiz 2.1 Which direction is Amarillo from Lubbock? What is the largest natural region of Texas? Name four important economic activities in the Gulf Coastal Plain. Where is Texas A&M University located? Which two cities in the South Texas Plain are gateways to Mexico?

The North Central Plains Chapter 2, Section 2

Vocabulary Butte Agribusiness

Facts of the North Central Plains Geographic Section Climate Vegetation Minerals Cross Timbers Grand Prairie Rolling Plains

Facts of the North Central Plains Geographic Section Climate Vegetation Minerals Cross Timbers Dry climate Oak, Hickory, Pecans, and Elms None Grand Prairie Dry Climate Grasses and Shrubs Limestone Rolling Plains Dry in the West and Wetter in the East Sparse vegetation

Major Crops Area Crops Cross Timbers Grand Prairie Rolling Plains

Major Crops Cross Timbers Peanuts, fruit, and vegetables Grand Prairie Area Crops Cross Timbers Peanuts, fruit, and vegetables Grand Prairie Wheat, peanuts, corn, grain, sorghum, and cotton Rolling Plains Cotton, grain, sorghum, wheat, peaches, and pecans

Reflection Questions 2.2 Why are many large cattle ranches located in the North Central Plains? Why do you suppose Fort Worth describes itself as “The place where the West begins?” Why is the Rolling Plains area less populated than other parts of Texas? What is meant by the term “Metroplex” and how many counties are included? How has Fort Worth changed its commercial activities over time? (list some examples)

The Great Plains Chapter 2, Section 3

Vocabulary Drought Erosion

Geography of the Great Plains Geographic Section Economic Activities Edwards Plateau (7) Llano Basin (6) High Plains (7)

Geography of the Great Plains Geographic Section Economic Activities Edwards Plateau (7) Cattle, goat, and sheep raising, wool, mohair, hunting and tourism Llano Basin (6) Tourism, hunting, livestock, pecans, wool and mohair cleaning, and publishing High Plains (7) Farming, cattle, petroleum, cotton, transportation, trade and higher education

Industries of the Great Plains City Industries Amarillo Lubbock Midland/Odessa

Industries of the Great Plains City Industries Amarillo Transportation and commercial center; wheat distribution; cattle market; and oil field equipment manufacturing Lubbock Cotton production; and a commercial center Midland/Odessa Petroleum products; and to serve the needs of the areas farmers and ranchers

Reflection Questions 2.3 How do farmers survive periods of drought in the Great Plains? What mineral lies under most of the Hill Country? Name one striking characteristic that visitors to the High Plains often notice. How is Amarillo’s location important? How have people used Palo Duro Canyon both in the past and in the present?