1. 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)

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

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

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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.

13. 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?

14. 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 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

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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

18. 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?

19. 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

20. 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?

21. 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?

22. 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

23. 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?

24. 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?

25. 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

26. 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?

27. Web Quest- Due at the end of class
Using electronic devices go to this website:
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?

28. 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?

29. 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?