The United States Regions The regions of the United States are very different from one another, which is why our country is made up of such a diversity of geographies, climates, cultures, and industries. Click on a region to learn more about it! NORTHEAST WEST MIDWEST Games & Assessments SOUTHEAST SOUTHWEST Teacher’s Tools

The West Geography Climate Population & Culture Industries Places of Interest Click the picture to learn what states are included in this region.

Geography The West region is the most geographically diverse region of the United States All of its states contain mountainous areas Mountain ranges in the West region include: - The Rocky Mountains - The Sierra Nevadas - and The Cascades There are also many fertile valleys, especially in California and Oregon Nevada and Utah consist mostly of arid, or dry, land The deserts in the West region include: - The Mojave Desert - and the Sonoran Desert The Great Plains is a vast grassy plateau that is also located in this region Great Plains Rocky Mountains Mojave Desert

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Population and Culture The West has the most varied mixture of immigrants of all other regions In some areas, Mexican and Asian influences are dominant over European influences California is the nations most populous state, with 36,132,147 people as of July 2005 Many areas of the Western region are not suitable for construction of large cities and therefore remain unpopulated The darker the shade of green, the more populated the state.

Industries Fishing is an important industry up and down the coast of the Western region Lumber Mining Los Angeles, located in California, is known as the home of the Hollywood film industry California is a huge wine producing state, as well as producing most of the country’s fruits and vegetables Idaho is known for its potatoes Cattle and sheep are raised on the Great Plains

Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Places of Interest Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Yellowstone National Park Avenue of the Giants

Washington Oregon Idaho Montana California Nevada Wyoming Utah Colorado

The Midwest Geography Climate Population & Culture Industries Places of Interest Click the picture to learn what states are included in this region.

Geography Most of the Midwest region is flat or rolling land, called the Central Plains The soil here is very fertile, therefore, it is a great place for farming. The Mississippi and Ohio Rivers are located in the Midwest region The Central Plains Aerial view of the Mississippi River

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Population and Culture The Midwest Region was settled by people of various nationalities, including Germans, Swedes and Norwegians, and is referred to as America's Heartland. The area is not densely populated Illinois has the highest state population in the region with 12,763,371 people as of July 2005 The darker the shade of green, the more populated the state.

Industries The Midwest is known as “The Nation’s Bread Basket”. Because of the fertile soil in this area, crops such as wheat, corn, and oats grow easily. Livestock includes cows, hogs, and chickens Wisconsin and Minnesota are both important dairy states Steel Lumber Detroit, Michigan is referred to as “Motor City” because it is the center of the automobile industry

Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Places of Interest Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest The Sears Tower Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

North Dakota South Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin Michigan Nebraska Kansas Iowa Missouri Illinois Indiana Ohio

The Southwest Geography Climate Population & Culture Industries Places of Interest Click the picture to learn what states are included in this region.

Geography Painted Desert The Southwest is made up of open spaces of desert or grassland, although there are some forests and mountain ranges There are many canyons in this area that have been carved out by the Colorado River - The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona The region is quite dry and a major problem here is the lack of water supplies The deserts that stretch through the Southwest region are: - The Sonoran Desert - The Chihuahuan Desert - and the Painted Desert Grand Canyon

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Population and Culture This region has had the least influence by European immigrants Much of its culture has been defined by Native Americans (also known as American Indians). More American Indians live in the Southwest than in any other region of the United States The Southwest region was once owned by Mexico which still plays a role in much of its culture The population is growing rapidly in this region due to its ideal climate Texas had 22,859,968 people as of July 2005, which is the highest population in the region The darker the shade of green, the more populated the state.

Industries Texas is the countries leading cattle-producing state and produces more natural gas than any other state This area grows corn and wheat Uranium, used for nuclear energy is mined Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico produce petroleum and natural gas

Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Places of Interest Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Dr Pepper Museum The Grand Canyon

Arizona New Mexico Texas Oklahoma

The Southeast Geography Climate Population & Culture Industries Places of Interest Click the picture to learn what states are included in this region.

Geography Myrtle Beach, South Carolina The Southeast region is part of the Coastal Plain, it is flat and the soil is fertile It is a perfect place for farming because crops have a long growing season The Atlantic coast in this region contains sandy beaches The Southeast has plenty of forests and rivers as well Much of the southern tip of Florida is covered by huge, wet land which is called the Everglades The Everglades

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Population and Culture The South was first settled by eastern Europeans The Southern region is known for its cuisine – Tex Mex, Cajun, and Creole cooking all began here Because of it's location, there are many people of Latin American decent, which has a large influence on the culture of certain areas, especially Miami, Florida Florida holds the most people with 17,789,864 as of July 2005 The darker the shade of green, the more populated the state.

Industries This region produces a lot of cotton, which is why it had become the center of the country’s textile industry Tobacco Georgia is known for its peaches and Florida for its citrus fruits The states in the Southeast region raise beef cattle, dairy cows, pigs, and chickens North Carolina raises more turkeys than any other state in the country North Carolina also has a large lumber and furniture industry

Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Places of Interest Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Kennedy Space Center Crater of Diamonds

Arkansas Louisiana Mississippi Alabama Kentucky Tennessee Georgia West Virginia Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Florida

The Northeast Geography Climate Population & Culture Industries Places of Interest Click the picture to learn what states are included in this region.

Geography The Adirondacks The New England states of the Northeast region do not contain fertile soil, however, the Middle Atlantic states are part of the Coastal Plain and therefore are ideal for farming The mountain ranges in the Northeast are: - The Alleghany Mountains - The Adirondacks - The Poconos - and the Catskills The Poconos Farmland in Pennsylvania

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Population and Culture This region is known for its mix of ethnic groups, including Irish, Italian, and many eastern Europeans. This region is well known for its culture as it has excellent theaters and museums New York has the largest population of this region with 19,254,630 as of July 2005 The darker the shade of green, the more populated the state.

Industries New York and Pennsylvania are centers of heavy industry, including iron, glass, and steel New York is also a major financial capital Drug manufacturing Communications The Northeast region is the center for book publishing The New England area is known for its lobsters, fishing, and ship building New England also produces most of the countries blueberries and cranberries Vermont is famous for its Maple syrup Dairy cows

Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest Places of Interest Click on the picture to learn about each place of interest The White House Statue of Liberty

Maine New Hampshire Vermont New York Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland

Games and Assessments State Project Quiz 50 States Locator U.S. States Hangman

State Project Students must choose one of the fifty states; only one student per state. Time will be given in class to research the chosen state and prepare a presentation on that state. However, if necessary, students may need to spend time outside of school finishing up anything that was not finished during class time. Presentations must include the Geography, Climate, Culture, Industries, and Places of Interest for the state. Students must present a poster including this information; supplies for the poster will be provided.

State Project Resources Teacher’s Tools Lesson Plan Printable Quiz State Project Rubric Quiz Answer Key State Project Resources Printable Map

50 States Resources