United States & Canada Major Landforms: Rocky Mountains (western U.S.) Appalachian Mountains (eastern (U.S.) Grand Canyon Death Valley Great Plains (center of North America)

Landforms Western Mountains and Plateaus The western mountains of North America are called the Pacific Ranges They include Alaska’s Mount McKinley, the highest point on the continent The Rocky Mountains link the U.S and Canada, they stretch NW from New Mexico to Alaska Dry basins and plateaus, featuring Death Valley and the Grand Canyon fill the area between the mountain ranges

Landforms Interior Landforms Eastern Mountains and Lowlands East of the Rockies the land falls and flattens into the Great Plains These plains extend across the center of North America Eastern Mountains and Lowlands North Americas oldest mountain chain is the Appalachians They extend from Quebec in Canada, to Alabama in the United States The Canadian Shield is a giant core of rock It makes up the eastern half of Canada and the northeastern United States

Landforms Islands North American Islands include Manhattan, home to a major world cultural and financial center in the NE Hawaiian Islands located in the Pacific are volcanic mountaintops Greenland- The worlds largest island, is just off the coast of Canada’s Ellesmere Island Which of areas of the region would you predict are the most densely populated? Why do you think so?

United States & Canada Water Sources: Continental Divide (rivers flow west or east from here) Mississippi River (largest river in North America) Great Lakes (Superior, Erie, Michigan, Ontario, Huron) United States & Canada

A Fortune in Water Rivers from the Rockies The Mighty Mississippi The high ridge of the Rockies is called the Continental Divide Water flows west of the Divide toward the Pacific Ocean Water flows east of the Divide toward the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico The Mighty Mississippi One of North America’s longest rivers, the Mississippi flows 2350 miles from its source It begins in Minnesota as a stream and ends as a broad river that empties into the Gulf of Mexico The Mississippi drains all or part of 31 U.S states and 2 Canadian provinces It is one of the world’s busiest commercial waterways

A Fortune in Water Eastern Rivers The St. Lawrence River- one of Canada’s most important rivers, forms part of the United States and Canada border Canadian cities of Quebec, Montreal, and Ottawa developed along the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries Niagara Falls located on a river connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie The Falls is a major source of hydroelectric power for Canada and the United States

A Fortune in Water From Glaciers to Lakes Glacial dams created Canada’s Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake The Great Lakes- Lake Superior, Erie, Michigan, Ontario, and Huron The Great Lakes are basins created by glacial activity The Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway is a network of canals, rivers, and waterways linking the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean What is the importance of the Mississippi River in U.S history and Economics? Explain.

United States & Canada Natural Resources: Fossil fuels Minerals (gold, silver, copper, iron) Timber Fishing United States & Canada Timber? Timber!

Natural Resources Fuels Minerals An abundance of resources such as fossil fuels and minerals, has contributed to the prosperity of the United States and Canada Minerals Gold, silver, and copper are found in the Rocky Mountains Nickel and iron are mined in parts of the Canadian Shield Deposits of low-grade iron ore exist in northern Minnesota and Michigan Canada supplies much of the world’s potash, copper and silver

Natural Resources Timber Fishing Today, forests cover less than 50% of Canada and about 1/3 of the U.S Commercial loggers face the challenge of harvesting trees while preserving the remaining forests Fishing The coastal waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico are important sources of fish and other sea animals Due to overfishing, the Grand Banks off Canada’s SE coast, are now off limits to cod fishers If you were a commercial fisher, how would you resolve the dilemma between earning a living from the sea, and conserving the fish population?

Define the following terms: Use Chapter 5, Section 1 of the World Geography textbook to answer the following questions. Define the following terms: Headwater Tributary Fall Line Fishery Glacier Describe the key similarities and differences in the physical geography of the U.S. and Canada. List at least 6 natural resources found in this region.

99/1 Essential Question: What is the impact of the major physical features in the United States and Canada? Warm-up: Answer these questions in your notebook: 1. What is a Tributary? 2. What is the importance of the Niagara Falls? 3. What is the relationship between the Continental Divide and rivers in North America? 4. What is the oldest Mountain chain in North America?

Complete the Map Activity! Label each U.S. state and Canadian province, and the 4 cities (labeled with a dot) using the Unit 2 Regional Atlas on pages 106- 109 of your textbook, on the map provided for you. On the back, write the correct name for each numbered physical feature. This is due at the end of class. When you have finished the Map, create a Web Diagram and write down which geographic features are in each area West Central East Geographic Regions of North America

9/2 Essential Question: What are the climate zones in the U. S 9/2 Essential Question: What are the climate zones in the U.S. and Canada?

Climates of United States and Canada 2/3 of Canada and the U.S. state of Alaska: Long cold winters, brief mild summers Most of the U.S. and the Southern 1/3 of Canada: Temperate climates (depending on elevation) Hawaii: Tropical Climate Which Climate regions in the US and Canada do you think attract the greatest number of people? Why?

United States & Canada Climate of northern Canada and Alaska: subarctic climate zone very cold winters (down to -70°) short summers Greenland is covered almost completely in ice Conifer forests are common away from the coasts

Northern Climates Continued Bitter winters and cool summers in the tundra along the Arctic coastline make the area unsuitable for most plants or people What everyday effects does climate have on people who live in subarctic and tundra climate zones?

Western Climates Climate of Marine West Coast: Rainy on the west coast (nearly 100 in. of rain/year) Stretches from California to Alaska (Pacific Coast) Cool temperatures on the coast Conifer forests , Ferns and mosses are common in this region

Western Climates: Plateaus, Basins, and Deserts Very dry desert conditions between the west coast and the Rocky Mountains Cacti and wildflowers bloom during brief spring rains Hot and dry weather Elevation gives higher reaches of Rockies a highlands climate Beyond Timberline the forests give way to only lichens and mosses Why are trees unable to grow on high mountain tops?

Interior Climates Climate of the Great Plains: Praries Very few trees Flat with rolling hills Covered in tall grass Grasses grow up to 12 feet high 10-30 inches of rainfall per year Dust Bowl: During 1930’s farmers plowed up the sod removing the protection of the soil Dry winds blew the soil away What steps have farmers today taken to prevent future Dust Bowls?

Eastern Climates Southeastern U.S.: Hot and humid in the southern U.S. with both forests and farmland Subtropical Climate Most of original deciduous forest cleared for farming Wetlands and Swamps Susceptible to hurricanes

Eastern Climates Climate of eastern North America: Blizzards and heavy winter weather are common in the NE U.S. and SE Canada Humid Continental Climate Deciduous and mixed forest land Which region would you prefer to live? Why?

Tropical Climates Tropical climates in North America: Found in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and southern Florida Tropical rainforests are common in Hawaii and Puerto Rice Southern Florida has a tropical savannah area Why?

Define the following terms: Use Chapter 5, Section 2 of the World Geography textbook to answer the following questions. Define the following terms: Coniferous Timberline Rain shadow Prairie What climate zones are found in the United States and Canada? What kinds of weather hazards affect the following parts of America? The south The Great Plains The northeast 4. Answer Geography Skills for Life on Pages 122 and 123

Warm-up: Answer the following questions: 1. What is a hurricane? 9/3 Essential Question: How do the climate zones impact the Geography of the U.S. and Canada? Warm-up: Answer the following questions: 1. What is a hurricane? 2. What is a blizzard? 3. What type of climate dominates the southeastern United States? 4. Which area of the United States is said to have a temperate grassland type of vegetation?

Web Quest- Due at the end of class Using electronic devices go to this website: http://www.great-lakes.net/teach/ Use the website to answer the following: Which lake has the longest shoreline? Which lake is the only one located entirely within the United States? Explain how the beaches, sand dunes, and wetlands of the Great Lakes were created. How does a sand dune become a forest?

Web Quest Part 2 Pick three cities in the United States (They must be in different regions. Use the Internet to find the following: Location of the City: (Latitude and Longitude) What physical features is the city in or near? What climate zone is the city in? What is the average temperature? Precipitation? How does latitude affect the city’s climate? How does elevation affect the city’s climate? How does the rainfall affect the city’s climate?

Use the book Chapter 5 Section 2, and your notes to answer the following questions. This is Due for HW 1. Describe the seasons in the two-thirds of Canada that lie in higher latitudes 2. What causes the cold winter winds that chill much of the central United States? 3. List the factors that contribute to the variations in climate and vegetation in western North America. 4. Why are areas along the Pacific Ranges so rainy? 5. Why are the plateaus and basins between the Pacific Ranges and the Rocky Mountains so arid? 6. How does the chinook warm the Rocky Mountains? 7. Describe the climate and seasons found in the Great Plains. 8. What caused the Dust Bowl? 9. Where are the Everglades and why are they important? 10. Where are tropical climates located in the United States?