1. WHERE and WHY? Marty Mater and Phil Gersmehl Michigan Geographic Alliance BIG IDEA: REGIONS IN THE U. S. 1

2. Objectives: The student will BIG IDEA: REGIONS IN THE U. S. Describe characteristics of natural regionsDescribe characteristics of natural regions Divide United States into major regions Divide United States into major regions Explain relationship between physical characteristics and human activitiesExplain relationship between physical characteristics and human activities 2

3. National Geography Standards The World in Spatial Terms: Use maps…and spatial thinking to understand and communicate information. Places and Regions: That people create regions to interpret Earth’s complexity. BIG IDEA: REGIONS IN THE U. S. 3

4. BIG IDEA: REGIONS IN THE U. S. Region A geographic “BIG IDEA” that can help us organize our knowledge about the United States 4

5. There are many kinds of regional maps Economic regions Sports regions Forest regions Voting regions Language regions Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other 5

6. There is no such thing as “the” regions of a state, country, or continent. There is no such thing as “the” regions of a state, country, or continent. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other 6

7. We will use natural characteristics to regionalize the US We will use natural characteristics to regionalize the US Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other 7

8. Great Lakes Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Mexico Canada Gulf of Mexico 8 Work Map

9. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other Natural characteristics can make it advantageous or disadvantageous to live in an area. TERRAIN: Mountains Plains WATER BALANCE: Enough water to grow trees GROWING SEASON: Number of frost-free days 9

10. Rocky Mountains. Sierra Mountains. Appalachian Mountains. Great Plains Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 10

11. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 11

12. Water balance Water balance : Enough water to grow trees 12

13. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other If you draw a line around the places, the result is a regional map. Why do we make regional maps? Because it is usually easier to remember the general shape of a region, rather than the locations of many individual places. Let’s look at how to make a simple regional map to help us remember the environments in the United States. 13

14. The Western Region of high mountains and deep valleys The Eastern Region of worn-down mountains and nearly flat plains Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 14

15. Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 15

16. Most of the land is more than a mile above sea level It is easier to build roads and railroads There are more big tunnels, steep slopes, and spectacular views Most valuable metal mines are here Most deposits of fossil fuels are here Most of the good food-producing land is here Most of the major earthquakes and all of the active volcanoes occur here CONSEQUENCES OF THE TERRAIN Western Region or Eastern Region? 16

17. More than a mile above sea level Roads and Railroads Tunnels, slopes, views Valuable mines Fossil fuels Food producers Earthquakes and volcanoes Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 17

18. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other Our first line was drawn based on TERRAIN. Now we’ll use the idea of GROWING SEASON to divide the area into places with enough frost-free days to grow crops. 18

19. Atlantic Ocean Very few farms ManyfarmsManyfarms Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 19

20. Very few farms ManyfarmsManyfarms Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 20

21. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days Very few farms ManyfarmsManyfarms 21

22. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other Our first line was drawn based on TERRAIN Our second line used GROWING SEASON Now we’ll use WATER BALANCE to show the line that separates places that have more precipitation than trees need from places that have less 22

23. Water balance Water balance : Enough water to grow trees Semi-arid Great Plains Rainy East 23

24. Water balance Water balance : Enough water to grow trees Semi-arid Great Plains Rainy East 24

25. People grow crops such as corn, soybeans, and vegetables. People grow short grasses like wheat and barley. People grow tree crops like apples, pears, cherries, and even oranges and grapefruit. People are more likely to need to irrigate, if they have a water source. There is always a danger of drought, which can kill the crops. Surplus water can make rivers or lakes. Rivers start in the mountains and actually get smaller as they flow. Rivers tend to get larger as they flow toward the ocean. CONSEQUENCES OF WATER BALANCE Semi-Arid or Rainy East? 25

26. Water balance Water balance : Enough water to grow trees Corn, soybeans short grasses apples, pears irrigate drought rivers or lakes Rivers get smaller rivers get larger 26

27. Definition: a region is a group of places that are like each other and close to each other Our first line was drawn based on TERRAIN Our second line used GROWING SEASON Now we’ll use GROWING SEASON again to show the line that separates places that have more than 7 months of frost-free days. Our third line used WATER BALANCE 27

28. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 28

29. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 29

30. Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 30

31. Terrain: Terrain: Mountains, Plains 31

32. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days 4-7 Months 7+ months 32

33. CONSEQUENCES OF FROST-FREE MONTHS People spend more money for heating People spend more money for air-conditioning Dead leaves and roots decay slowly, making soil rich in nutrients Dead leaves and roots decay quickly, making soil red or orange in color, and unable to store water or fertilizer as well Trees grow faster, so there are many managed forests Glaciers left many scattered lakes and swamps 33

34. Growing Season Growing Season : Number of frost-free days Scattered Lakes and swamps Managed Forests High Heating Rich Soils Soil can’t hold water Expensive Air Conditioning 34

35. Let’s Review - and name our regions Look at the lines on your map. 35

36. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region 36

37. Western Mountain Region younger rocks, earthquakes, high mountains, dry lowlands, rainy slopes with forests, snow on the highest peaks, ski resorts, metal mines, scattered cities, national parks 37

38. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region Northern Cold Region 38

39. Northern cold region older rocks, low hills or plains, many lakes, dense forests of slow-growing needleleaf trees OR treeless tundra in places with really short summers, very few people, few roads, some mines, oil wells 39

40. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region Northern Cold Region Great Plains Grassland Region 40

41. Great Plains Grassland Region young rocks, flat plains or low hills, dry creeks, grassland, bison (buffalo), cattle ranches, some wheat fields, some irrigated areas, scattered towns, oil wells, occasional tornadoes 41

42. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region Northern Cold Region Great Lakes Farm/Forest Region Great Plains Grassland Region 42

43. Great Lakes Forest/Farm/Factory Region warm summers, cold winters, plains or low hills, hardwood forest, corn fields, dairy cows, cities on rivers or next to Great Lakes, many small towns with factories 43

44. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region Southern Plantation/Pine Region Northern Cold Region Great Lakes Farm/Forest Retion Great Plains Grassland Region 44

45. Southern Plantation / Pine Region long summers, mild winters, fast-growing forest, red soil, cotton plantations, slavery, Civil War, sharecroppers, boll weevil, planted pines, paper mills, some new factories (e.g., cars) 45

46. Using regions to explain human characteristics Using maps of the physical characteristics of our regions, can you explain why humans decided to use the land for growing certain crops? Would knowing about the physical characteristics of our regions help you describe some requirements for growing cotton, corn or wheat? 46

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48. REGIONS IN THE US 1.Outline the “region” of crop production in the United States. REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 48

49. 2. Describe the area you outlined by using some of the following words: near, next to, inside, west, east, south, north, northeast, southeast, northwest, southwest Also use some place names. Bodies of Water CountriesStates REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 49

50. REGIONS IN THE US 3. Describe terrain of your crop region. 4. Describe the water balance in your crop region. 5. Describe the growing season of your crop region. REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 50

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54. Knowing the approximate location of these four lines can help us organize a lot of other knowledge about environments in North America…. So What? Putting it all together: If we remember: 54

55. They are generalizations based on measurements and human choices about what criteria are important.. Regions can help us organize knowledge… Regional lines are not “real.” 55 BUT

56. Regionalization The process of dividing a large area into smaller areas that consist of groups of places that have important features that have important features in common. It can help us organize a lot of other useful information about our country. 56

57. Can you remember the lines and what they mean?.. Western Mountain Region Southern Plantation/Pine Region Northern Cold Region Great Lakes Farm/Forest Retion Great Plains Grassland Region 57

58. REGIONS IN THE US 1.Choose at least one of the human characteristics on the following maps. 2. Write at least two questions relating your crop to a characteristic shown on these maps. REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 58

59. Markets for food crops: Symbols show largest urban areas. New York Los Angeles Chicago

60. Markets: Clusters of dots show large urban areas. New York Los Angeles Chicago

61. Interstate Highways and Markets (Largest urban areas)

62. Interstate Highways and Markets (Clusters of population)