U.S. & Canada

Writing a Thesis Statement It should be specific—it should cover only what you will discuss in your paper Should be supported with specific evidence. It usually appears at the end of the first paragraph of a paper. Your topic may change as you write, so you may need to revise your thesis statement to reflect exactly what you have discussed in the paper.

Example Q: “What are the potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class?” – A: “The potential benefits of using computers in a fourth-grade class are...” – “Using computers in a fourth-grade class promises to improve...”

Appalachian Mountains Eastern U.S. More than 400 million years old & heavily eroded; lower in elevation Made up of several chains: Catskill, Blue Ridge, Great Smokey Appalachian Trail runs 2,160 miles

St. Lawrence River Northeast Canada near U.S. border Connects Great Lakes to the ocean

Great Plains Treeless area in the central portion of the U.S. Fertile soil is good for farming Dust Bowl: caused by over farming, drought

Canadian Shield Rocky, flat area around Hudson Bay Rich in natural resources, contains fossils more than 2 billion years old Oldest part of the North American plate

Rocky Mountains Stretch from Alaska to New Mexico Forms the Continental Divide Relatively young, with rocky and jagged peaks

Continental Divide Line of highest points along the Rockies Separates rivers flowing east & west

Islands Canada: Ellsmere, Victoria, Baffin Aleutian (Alaska) and Hawaiian islands were formed by volcanoes Archipelago- a group or chain of islands

Great Lakes In between Canada & the U.S. Support ecosystems, impact weather, drinking water, industry, irrigation Largest group of freshwater lakes, created by melting glaciers

Lake Effect Snow Occurs when Arctic air rushes over the Great Lakes in the winter The winds blow in a west or northwest direction, which causes snow to fall on the east and southeast sides of the lake

Cold air moving across warm water creates snowstorms

The Great Lakes are currently being invaded by Zebra Mussels, which threaten fish food supplies and clog pipes They are an invasive species, meaning they are not native to the area Tiny Mussels Invade Great Lakes Video Tiny Mussels Invade Great Lakes Video

Mississippi River System Located in the Continental United States Natural drainage system, inland transportation Port of New Orleans

River Drainage Basins

Invasive Species: Asian Carp Are already in 14 states in the Mississippi River System Predicted to invade the Great Lakes, which would cause huge economic impact Pose a danger to boaters

Mackenzie River Basin Located in Northwest Canada, near Alaska Drains 20% of Canada, regulates ocean circulation & climate systems Largest, longest river system in Canada; runs north and drains to the Arctic

Death Valley Located in Mojave Desert in Eastern California Lowest, hottest, driest area in North America Hottest temperature on record: 134 degrees Created due to rain shadows & low elevation; “convection oven” effect

Natural Resources Oil Coal Gold Nickel Copper Forests Surface mining in WV causes permanent environmental damage Oil drilling in Alaska has severe ecological impacts