Download Look at a political map of the United States.

5-Minute Daily
Practice
BY MINNIE ASHCROFT
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5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
For Anastasia, Catherine, Edith, Juana, and Teresa.
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Cover design by
Cover art by
Interior design by
Interior illustrations by
Gerard Fuchs
Dave Clegg
Holly Grundon
Mike Moran
ISBN: 0-439-27178-9
Copyright © 2003 by Minnie Ashcroft
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.
Printed in the U.S.A.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 40 09 08 07 06 05 04 03
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Co ntents
Introduction
.......................4
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Human-Environment Interaction
. . . . . . . 28
Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Answers
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
3
I n t ro d uc t io n
W
elcome to 5-Minute Daily Practice: Geography! This book is organized by the geography themes
most educators are familiar with (and are comfortable using): the five fundamental themes of
geography—Location, Place, Human–Environment Interaction, Movement, and Regions—outlined in
the Guidelines for Geographic Education: Elementary and Secondary School (Joint Committee on Geographic
Education, 1984). These topics are critical to a real understanding of the world—and the people, places,
and environments that shape it. To gain mastery, students need reinforcement of geography skills on a
frequent basis. These pages contain 180 five-minute geography-based activities that offer ways to go
beyond the basic geography skills taught in textbooks. Students will find them not only instructional but
also fun and engaging.
In 1994, the National Geography Standards volume, Geography for Life, was published, emphasizing
slightly different skills for teaching and learning geography. The six elements in these standards are the
World in Spatial Terms, Places and Regions, Physical Systems, Human Systems, Environment and
Society, and the Uses of Geography. While geographic education for children is shifting away from the
more well-known five themes and aligning more with the six elements of the newer standards, the
process has been occurring slowly. To help students make the transition to the six elements of geography
that eventually will become the benchmark by which all students are measured, we have included a table
below, showing a basic correlation between the five themes and the six elements. Refer to this table to
help you target the particular standards your students need to meet.
FIVE THEMES
BASIC QUESTIONS
RELATED SIX
ELEMENTS
Location
Describe the place. Where is it located? What is
it near? What direction is it from another place?
World in Spacial Terms;
Physical Systems;
Places & Regions
Place
What is a place like? What features define it?
Places & Regions;
Physical Systems
Human–
Environment
Interaction
How are people’s lives shaped by the place
where they live? How has a place been changed
by people?
Human Systems;
Environment & Society;
Uses of Geography
Movement
How do people and things move from one
place to another?
Uses of Geography;
Environment & Society;
Human Systems
Regions
Why are some places similar to others? What
makes these places different from others?
Places & Regions;
Physical Systems;
Human Systems
How to Use These Activities
Many of the activities in this book can be used for starting the day or starting back up after recess or
lunch. You can use them as enrichment or extra credit—for those who need a little extra practice or for
fast-finishers—or even for homework. Assign them to individuals or student pairs. For added practice in
following directions, be sure to specify for students whether you require them to write their answers on
the activity slip (when there is room), on the back of it, or on a separate sheet of paper.
Whether you use the five themes or the six elements, the goal is geographic literacy for all. Enjoy!
4
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
1.
Look at a political map of the world. Which two
countries have the most neighboring countries?
Fold a sheet of paper in half then unfold it. At the top of
one column write the name of one country, and at the
top of the other column write the name of the other
country. Then make a list of the neighboring countries
that border each of them.
Location
Name:
2.
Look at a political map of the world. There is only one city in the entire world
that lies on two continents. Use the following clues to find out the name of this
city and the names of the two continents.
●
●
A narrow channel of water called
the Bosporus separates this city onto
these two continents.
It is the largest city of the country
in which it is located, but it is not
the capital city.
●
●
The capital of the country where
this city is located is Ankara.
The country where this city is located
is bordered by Bulgaria, Greece, Syria,
Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, the
Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea.
Location
Name:
3.
Look at a political map of the United States. Choose a state and create a fact
sheet. Include the following information (in sentences) about that state.
●
●
●
●
●
Use latitude and longitude to describe the location of the state.
Name the state capital.
Name three other cities in the state.
List the states that border the state.
Now exchange your fact sheet with a partner and try to guess the name
of the state he or she chose.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
5
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
4.
Locate Brazil on a political map of the world. Copy the sentences below. If the
sentence states something true about Brazil, write T next to it. If the sentence
is false, rewrite it to make it true.
a) Most of Brazil is south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
b) The only South American countries that do not border Brazil are Venezuela
and Chile.
c) Most of Brazil is located between 70oW longitude and 40oW longitude.
Location
Name:
5.
Look at a political map of the world to locate the places
listed below. Use the lines of latitude and lines of longitude
to help you find each location.
a) 40oN latitude, 140oE longitude
b) 0o latitude, 10oE longitude
c) 40oN latitude, 0o longitude
d) 60oN latitude, 100oW longitude
Location
Name:
6.
Yearly, the average Danish person eats about 37 pounds of sweets.
That is nothing compared to this country, where each person
consumes about 448 pounds of sugar per year. Use the clues
below and a political map of the world to name this country.
●
●
●
●
6
This country is located south of the Tropic of Capricorn
between 30oE and 40oE longitude.
The official languages are English and Swazi.
The capital cities of its neighboring countries are Maputo and Pretoria.
The national capital is Mbabane.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
7.
Use the information below and a political
map of the world to locate the continents
where major earthquakes have occurred. Then
complete the chart. Which continent had the
most earthquakes with a measurement of 8
or greater in the 20th century?
The Richter scale
is used to measure the
strength of an earthquake.
The scale goes from 0 to more
than 8. Each whole number
on the scale is 10 times
greater than the one
before it.
Year
City
Countr y
R ichter Scale
1906
San Francisco
United States
8.3
1906
Valparaiso
Chile
8.6
1920
Gansu
China
8.6
1923
Yokohama
Japan
8.3
1927
Nan-Shan
China
8.3
1934
Bihar-Nepal
India
8.4
1939
Chillán
Chile
8.3
1960
(southern)
Chile
9.5
1976
Tangshan
China
8.0
1985
Michoacán
Mexico
8.1
Continent
Location
Name:
8.
Between December 16, 1811, and February 7, 1812, earthquakes near New
Madrid in Missouri were so powerful that they caused a river to change its
course! Use these clues to find the name of that river.
●
The river empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
●
One of the United States has the same name as the river.
●
Algonquian-speaking Native Americans named this river “big water”
or “father of waters.”
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
9.
Look at a political map of the world to help you determine if the sentences
below are correct. If the sentence states something true, write T next to it.
If the sentence is false, rewrite it to make it true.
a) Bangkok is the national
capital of Turkey.
b) Quito is located at the equator.
c) Tripoli is about 2,000 miles west
of Stockholm, Sweden.
d) The capital of Mongolia is located
near Russia.
Location
Name:
10.
Look at a physical map of the world to find Mount Everest,
the tallest mountain in the world.
Write the name of this mountain and its height. Find the remaining four tallest
mountains in the world and add these to your list in descending order. When you
have finished, figure out the following puzzle. The Empire State Building in New
York is 1,250 feet tall. How many Empire State Buildings would it take to reach the
top of each mountain peak?
Location
Name:
11.
Look at a political map of South Asia to answer these questions.
a) What is the capital of Nepal?
b) Approximately how far is the capital from the capital of Bhutan?
c) Which national capital is about 1,300 miles southwest of Nepal?
Location
Name:
12.
Use a physical map of the world and the following
clue to find out the name of this country.
The Ural Mountains divide this country so that part of it is
on one continent and the other part is on another continent.
8
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
13.
Use a physical map of the world and the following clues to
locate and name this peninsula.
●
●
●
The peninsula is south of a place called Tierra del Fuego.
The peninsula lies mostly between 60oW and 90oW longitude.
It is south of 60oS latitude.
Location
Name:
14.
The following clues and a political map can help you identify this state.
●
●
●
●
The state is the home to the Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.
It is located in the Southwest region of the United States.
The Lone Star State is its nickname.
It is the only state in the United States to have once
been a separate country.
Location
Name:
15.
The town of Climax is higher than any other town in the United States. It is
11,360 feet above sea level! Use the following clues and a political map of the
United States to figure out the name of the state where Climax is located.
●
This state is home to the Rocky
Mountain National Park, Mesa
Verde National Park, and Dinosaur
National Park.
●
●
The Arkansas and South Platte rivers
run through this state.
Pikes Peak is located in this state.
Location
Name:
16.
The longest road tunnel in the world was built in 1980 and is a little more
than ten miles long. That is about the length of 178 football fields! Use a political
map of the world, an almanac or encyclopedia, and the following clues to find
out the name of the country in which it is located.
●
Countries where the people speak
German, Italian, and French
surround this country.
●
●
The currency is called the franc.
This country is located in the Alps
of Europe.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
9
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
17.
Suppose you won a contest to tour the world. The first stop on your tour is in
a country that has 153,000 post offices, the most in the world. Use these
clues and a political map of the world to help you. Name the country and its
continent. Is it in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
●
●
●
This country is on a large peninsula in the Indian Ocean.
The official languages spoken in this country are Hindi and English.
You can visit the Taj Mahal in the city of Agra.
Location
Name:
18.
This European country is the smallest country in the world. In fact, it is so small
that it sits inside the capital city of another country! Use the following clues
and a map of the world with a scale of miles to find out the name of this
country. Then use an almanac, encyclopedia, or Internet site to find out how
many square miles it is.
●
●
●
It is about 400 miles southeast of the capital of Switzerland.
It is about 650 miles west of the capital of Bulgaria.
It is about 900 miles east of the capital of Spain.
Location
Name:
19.
Look at a physical and political map of Canada. Then copy down these
sentences. If the sentence is true about Canada, write T next to it. If the
sentence is false, rewrite the sentence to make it true.
a) The Laurentian Mountains extend from British Columbia through
Alberta and into Saskatchewan.
b) Canada is made up of 10 provinces and three territories.
c) Lake Winnipeg is found in the Yukon Territory.
10
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
20.
Look at a political map of the United States. Find the
capitals of the Lone Star State, the Beaver State, and the
Empire State. On the bottom of a sheet of paper write
down the name of the capital that is furthest south. To
the left of it, write the name of the capital that is furthest
west. To the right of it the name of the capital that is
furthest east.
Use an alm
to find th anac
e names
of these
states.
Location
Name:
21.
Look at a political map of the United States. Find the city
of San Diego in the Golden State. Use the map scale to
answer the following question. Then write a sentence that
tells the distance between San Diego and each of the cities.
Use an alm
to find th anac
e names
of these
states.
Which city is closer to San Diego: Las Vegas in the
Sagebrush State, or Tucson in the Grand Canyon State?
Location
Name:
22.
Suppose you are a newspaper reporter in St. Paul, Minnesota. Your editor
tells you there is a story that you must cover about offshore oil drilling in
Biloxi. However, you don’t know where Biloxi is located. Use the following
questions to help you figure out this city’s location.
a) What kind of map would you
use to locate Biloxi?
c) Are there any bodies of water
near Biloxi?
b) What clue did the editor give you
that would help you to find this city?
d) In what state is Biloxi located?
e) Is Biloxi closer to Canada or Mexico?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
23.
Look at a political map of the United States. What countries
and bodies of water border it? List all of the states that
share these borders by using their postal abbreviations.
Location
Name:
24.
Some sta
tes may
be in mo
re than
one categ
ory.
Look at a political map of the world to find the
Tropic of Capricorn.
a) What continents does it cross?
b) Is it above or below the equator?
c) Near which line of latitude is it located?
Location
Name:
25.
Look at a political map of the world and find the country of Italy.
Which countries and bodies of water border it? Write whether the bodies of water
and the countries are north, south, east, or west of Italy.
Location
Name:
26.
Look at a political map of the world and find South America.
List the capitals of all the countries that are found between
50oW longitude and 60oW longitude.
12
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
27.
Look at a political map of the world. Find the country of Madagascar.
Write four complete sentences describing the location of this country. Use
directions such as north, south, east, and west in your description. Name the
two hemispheres in which it is located. Also include the nearest lines of latitude and
longitude.
Location
Name:
28.
Look at a political map of North America to answer the following questions.
a) Which countries are closest to Mexico?
b) What is the approximate distance between Mexico City, Mexico, and San
Salvador, El Salvador?
c) Which is closer to Mexico, the United States or Panama?
d) Which map element helped you answer question b?
Location
Name:
29.
Suppose you want to learn to think like a mapmaker. Use a globe or political
map of the world to answer these questions.
a) Why do all the latitude and longitude lines in Canada have N and W but not E and S?
b) Why do all the latitude and longitude lines in Australia have E and S but
not N and W?
c) What two locations on the globe only list latitude lines but not longitude lines? Why?
Location
Name:
30.
A global grid is the intersecting pattern of latitude and longitude lines on a
world map. Suppose it is your job to send out rescue crews to save ships when
they are in trouble. One day you receive a notice from a ship’s captain. He
informs you that his location is approximately 20oS latitude and 80oE longitude.
a) In which ocean is his ship?
b) How might a global grid help airline pilots?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
13
G e o gr a ph y
Location
Name:
31.
Use an encyclopedia or other resource book to draw and label your own
map of the solar system. Then answer the following questions.
a) The largest planet is located two planets farther away from
the sun than Earth. What is the name of this planet?
b) Every 19 months this planet gets closer to Earth than
any other planet. The planet next to it is three planets
away from Mars. What is the name of this planet?
Location
Name:
32.
Suppose you found a bottle with a message inside of it. The message describes
what life is like in another country. Use these clues to discover where the
message came from. For help, look at a political map of the world.
List both the name of the country and its capital city.
●
This country is located west of the Black Sea.
●
The capital of the country to the north of it is Bucharest.
●
The capital of the country to the south of it is Ankara.
Location
Name:
33.
14
There are only two states in the United States
that are surrounded by eight other states. Use a
political map of the United States to find these
states. Then name the states that border them.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
Look at a globe. If you were standing in this
place and took one step in any direction, you
would be heading north. Where are you?
Location
Look at a political map of the world. What
African country has a coastline that is bordered
by both the Indian and Atlantic oceans?
Location
Look at a political map of the United States.
Which state has the longest shoreline? What state
along the coastline is bordered by only one other state?
Location
What city in the United States is located where the
Allegheny River and the Monongahela River meet to
form the Ohio River?
Location
The Rio Grande River is the border between
what U.S. state and Mexico?
Location
In what state does the Mississippi River begin?
Location
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
16
What river runs through the Grand Canyon?
Location
The 1,702-mile-long Darling River is located in
which country?
Location
Mount Everest, the highest mountain
in the world, is part of which two countries?
Location
Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain on which
continent?
Location
Name the body of water that separates Europe from
North Africa.
Location
Niagara Falls is shared by what two countries?
Location
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
There are only two states in the United States that have
borders made up of four straight lines. Look at a political
map of the United States and find these states.
Location
Look at a political map of the world. Which country is
closest to the United States without sharing a border?
Location
What is the southernmost state
in the United States?
Location
Place
Try this activity without looking at a map. List all 50
states. Exchange your list with a partner to see if you
can fill in any missing states. If you have time, try to
alphabetize your list.
Location
Place
The European continent is made up of 43 independent
countries. Use a political map of Europe to determine
which four countries are islands.
Location
Place
Look at a physical map of the world. Choose a continent
that you would like to visit. Write its name and list three
landforms that you could see on this continent. Write down
three questions that you could ask a geographer about each
landform to get more information.
Location
Place
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
52.
Locate your state on a political map of the United States.
Trace or copy the shape of your state onto a piece of
paper. Draw a compass rose with cardinal and intermediate
directions. Locate and label your state capital and several
cities. Research some places to visit, including some
national or state parks that may be in your state. Add
these to your map. Then create a map key. Don’t forget
to include a title.
Place
Name:
53.
Look at a political map of the world to help you complete the following.
a) List the names of the continents.
b) Which continent is the largest?
c) Which continent has the most countries?
d) Which continent would you expect to be the coldest?
e) Which continent is both a country and a continent?
Place
Name:
54.
18
Here is a list of places and the names of their inhabitants. From which cities are
these names derived? Find them on a political map of the world.
Citizen
Places
Citizen
Place
Aberdonian
Scotland
Hamburger
Germany
Bruxellois
Belgium
Muscovite
Russia
Buffalonian
New York
Tangerine
Morocco
Calcuttan
India
Yucatec
Mexico
Dubliner
Ireland
Zurcher
Switzerland
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
55.
Suppose you lived in San Francisco and wanted to e-mail two of
your pen pals in other parts of the world. One pen pal lives in
Nairobi, Kenya, and the other one lives in Beijing, China. If you
e-mail them at 7:00 P.M. your time, what time will it be . . .
a) in Nairobi?
b) in Beijing?
Place
Name:
56.
Look at a physical map of the United States. Use the following
clues to find out the name of a well-known landform.
This landform is found in almost every state in the Northeast.
● It has the longest marked footpath in the world, about 2,000 miles.
Record your answer. Then use the map again to make up clues to the location of another
landform in the United States, and exchange with a partner.
●
Place
Name:
57.
Suppose you wanted to help a new classmate find her way around the school
neighborhood. Draw a map of the neighborhood where your
school is located. Then draw a map key that shows symbols
for the school, stores, post office, police station,
playground, and fire department. Finally, draw these
symbols on the map.
Place
Name:
58.
Small-scale maps show a large area without showing a lot of detail.
Large-scale maps show a small area with a lot of detail.
If you wanted to make a map of your neighborhood that includes details such as
your school, homes, shops, and street names, would you use a small-scale map or a
large-scale map? Why?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
59.
Look at a political map of the world. Choose one country in Asia that you
would like to learn more about. Use an encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet
to find out the information below. Then find out the same information about
the United States. Make a chart comparing your results.
●
Country name
●
Area
●
Major Products
●
Capital
●
Population
●
Language
Place
Name:
60.
Look at a globe and a physical map of the world. What physical features can
you find on both that are the same? What are different?
Write a paragraph describing the similarities and differences.
Place
Name:
61.
Beginning with the smallest, name the continents in size
order. Then name the oceans from the smallest to the
largest. For help, use a map of the world.
Place
Name:
62.
20
What state in the United States produces more
pineapples than any other state?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
63.
Greenland is the largest island on Earth and it belongs to the country of
Denmark. It covers 840,065 square miles. Find Greenland on a map of the
world. Use an almanac to find out what rank it would have in size if you
compared it to the countries of the world.
Place
Name:
64.
Here are the old names of six cities and the countries in which they are located.
Use an almanac, encyclopedia, or Internet site to find out what each city is now
called. Locate these cities on a world map and complete the chart.
Old City Name
Countr y
Batavia
Indonesia
Christiania
Norway
Ciudad Trujillo
Dominican Republic
Constantinople
Turkey
Danzig
Poland
Peiping
China
New City Name
Place
Name:
65.
John Adams was the second president of the United States and his son, John
Quincy Adams, was the sixth president. Use the following clues to find out the
name of their home state.
This state had America’s first printing press in 1639.
America’s first college, Harvard, was established here in 1636.
The American Revolution began in this state.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
66.
Look at the sentences below. Tell which kind of map you would use to find the
answer to each question, then answer the questions.
a) Does the Hongshui River flow into the South China Sea?
b) Is the capital of Russia closer to the capital of Ukraine or Kazakhstan?
c) Are any tropical wet zones below the Tropic of Capricorn?
d) How many people per square mile live in most of Australia?
Place
Name:
67.
If you prefer wide-open spaces instead of crowded cities
with tall skyscrapers, you might want to live in this state.
Use these clues to figure out the name of the state.
●
The population density is about one person per square mile.
●
The tallest mountain in North America can be found here.
●
This state’s nickname is “The Last Frontier.”
Place
Name:
68.
22
The rainiest spot in the United States is on Mount Waialeale, where the average
rainfall is 460 inches per year! But where is Mount Waialeale? Use these clues
and a political map of the United States to find out.
●
You can visit the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.
●
This state has the largest active volcano in the United States.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
69.
At 1,932 feet, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. In which
state is this lake located? Use the following clues and a physical and political
map of the United States to find out.
●
This state is located between 40oN latitude and 50oN latitude.
●
The Columbia River borders this state to the north.
●
You can visit Fort Clatsop National Memorial, which honors Lewis
and Clark and the Corps of Discovery.
Place
Name:
70.
This state is the birthplace of eight United States presidents. Use these clues
and a political map of the United States to find out the name of this state.
Then use an almanac to find out the names of the presidents.
●
The presidents from this state were the first, third, fourth, fifth, tenth, twelfth,
and twenty-eighth.
●
The first permanent English settlement in North American was located in this state.
●
You can visit the homes of two of the presidents, Mount Vernon and Monticello.
Place
Name:
71.
The United States controls a commonwealth in the Caribbean Sea. Use the
following clues and a political map of the United States to find out the name
of this commonwealth.
●
This commonwealth lies east of the Dominican Republic.
●
The capital city is San Juan.
●
This island is well known for its beaches and resorts.
●
Two important products are coffee beans and sugarcane.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
23
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
72.
Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” in this state during the
War of 1812. Use a political map of the United States and the following clues
to help you figure out the name of the state. Name the state and the four
surrounding states.
●
It is the narrowest state in the United States—near the town of Hancock it is
only a mile wide.
●
In the state’s capital of Annapolis, you can visit the United States Naval Academy.
●
Neighboring state capitals are Harrisburg, Dover, Richmond, and Charleston.
Place
Name:
73.
This state catches more shrimp, produces more plywood, and creates more
matches than any other state. Use the following clues and a political map of
the United States to help you find out the name of this state. Name the
state and its three neighboring states.
●
A famous Mardi Gras festival is held here every year.
●
Its nickname is The Pelican State.
●
It is bordered by three states whose capitals are Jackson, Little Rock, and Austin.
Place
Name:
74.
Suppose you discover an old letter and map in the attic of a relative. The letter
describes a trunk filled with silver coins. Use a political and physical map of the
United States, an almanac, and the following clues to locate the coins.
●
●
●
24
The trunk is in a body of water surrounded by the
Gopher State, the Badger State, the Wolverine State,
and the city of Ontario, Canada.
Two major ports along this body of water are Duluth
and Sault Sainte Marie.
The body of water is located between 90oW and 85oW longitude.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
75.
Suppose you received a letter from a pen pal in the Middle
East. In the letter your pen pal described his life in the city
of Aden along the Gulf of Aden. You decide to write to your
pen pal and describe your life in the United States, but
you realize that you have misplaced your pen pal’s address.
●
What kinds of maps might you use to determine the name
of the country in which you pen pal lives?
●
Use these maps and find the name of the country.
Place
Name:
76.
How do you like your potatoes? Mashed? Baked? As potato pancakes, potato
chips, or potato salad? At the Potato Museum on this island you can see a
giant 14-foot-high fiberglass potato! Look at a political map of the world and
use these clues to find out where the museum is located.
●
The location is both an island and a province in the Western Hemisphere.
●
The island is located south of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
●
It is north of a province whose capital city is Halifax.
Place
Name:
77.
Did rain ever ruin your plans for a day out of doors? What if you could live in a
place where it hardly ever rains? There is one place on Earth that gets only about
0.02 inches of rain each year. Use the following clues and a physical map of the
world to find the name of this landform and the country in which it is located.
● Country name
● This landform
●● Capital
It is west
is located between 20oS and 30●oSPopulation
latitude.
of the Andes Mountain Range.
The capital
●● Area
●
Major products
city of the country in which this landform
is found is Santiago.
● Language
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
25
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
78.
Below is a jumbled list of the five highest waterfalls in the world and the
countries in which they are found. Use a physical map of the world, an
almanac, encyclopedia, or the Internet to match each waterfall with the
correct country.
Water fall
Countr y
Angel Falls
United States
Tugela
Norway
Utigård
South Africa
Mongefossen
Venezuela
Yosemite
Norway
Place
Name:
79.
26
Below is a jumbled list of the five longest rivers in the world and the
countries in which they belong. Use a physical map of the world, an
almanac, encyclopedia, or the Internet to match each river with the
names of the countries through which they flow.
R iver
Countr y
Nile
China
Amazon
United States
Yangtze-Kiang
Peru and Brazil
Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock
Mongolia and Russia
Yenisey-Angara-Selenga
Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan,
and Egypt
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
80.
What weighs 350 pounds, is 5 feet in diameter, and has 80 pounds of cooked
pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, and 12 dozen eggs? The world’s largest pumpkin pie—on display at an annual pumpkin show in this state. Use a U.S. political map and these clues to name the state where this annual event takes place.
●
The nickname of this state is the Buckeye State.
●
This state claims to be the birthplace of the hot dog.
●
The state capital was named after the European explorer whose three ships
were the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
Place
Name:
81.
What do you know about Australia? Test your knowledge below.
1. What do Australians call a sheep farm?
a) station
b) ranch
c) plantation
2. The _____________ Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Australia.
a) Great
b) Little
c) Mariana
Place
Name:
82.
What do you know about mountain ranges? Test your knowledge below.
1. What is the longest mountain range in South America?
a) Appalachian
b) Andes
c) Alps
2. What mountain range spans from Canada, across the United States, and into
Mexico?
a) Andes Mountains
b) Rocky Mountains
c) Appalachian Mountains
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
27
G e o gr a ph y
Place
Name:
83.
The three largest deserts on the continent of Africa are the Namib, the
Kalahari, and the . . .
a) Gobi
b) Atacama
c) Sahara
Place
Name:
84.
What are the names of the Great Lakes?
a) Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior
b) Huron, Ohio, Minnesota, Erie, and Superior
c) Herring, Ottawa, Michigan, Erie, and Superior
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
85.
Grains provide 80 percent of the world’s food supply. Use the following clues to
find out the three major types of grain grown around the world.
a) This grain is an important staple in eastern and southern Asia. It is cultivated in
more than 100 countries. China produces about one-third of the world’s supply of
this grain.
b) This grain originated in the Americas. Early European explorers brought it back to
Europe, Asia, and Africa. This food source is used to feed both people and livestock.
c) This grain is the main ingredient in most breads and pastas. It is grown on every
continent except Antarctica. Each year more than 100 million tons of this grain
are imported and exported around the world.
28
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
86.
In 1944, the Delaware Aqueduct, the longest water tunnel in the world,
was completed in the United States. It is 105 miles long and supplies
water to millions of people. Use the following clues to name the city to
which the water is supplied. Then name the region in which this city is
located.
●
In 1950, this city was one of only eight in the world to have a
population of more than five million people.
●
This city is in the state whose nickname is “The Empire State.”
●
The country’s first pizza restaurant opened in this city in 1895.
●
You can visit the Empire State Building in this city.
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
87.
Here are some items that have been used as money
throughout the centuries. Use the clues below and a
political map of the world to find out the names of the
countries in which these items were used.
a) On this island, whales’ teeth were
used until the early 1900s. The
island is located at 15oS latitude
and 180o longitude.
b) Native Americans used wampum
(beads) and beaver fur in this region
of the United States around 1500. The region is
located between 38oN and 48oN latitude and 70oW and 80oW longitude.
c) Knives, rice, and spades were used in this country around 3000 B.C. The country
is located between 20oN and 50oN latitude and 75oE and 130oE longitude.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
29
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
88.
Did you know that recycled paper could be turned into cereal boxes? Or that
your knapsack might be made of recycled plastic? There are five states in the
United States that recycle from 35 to 55 percent of their recyclable materials.
Is your state one of them?
a) The capital of this state is Trenton and the electric light bulb
was invented in this state by Thomas Edison in 1879.
b) The capital of this state is Madison and this state is known
as “America’s Dairyland.”
c) The capital of this state is St. Paul and this state is home to
the largest shopping mall in the United States.
d) The capital of this state is Tallahassee and the state song is
“Old Folks at Home.”
e) The capital of this state is Augusta and the state is known
for its lobsters, fishing villages, and rocky coast.
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
89.
Look at a time zone map of the world. Find the date line on the map. The date
line (180o) is directly opposite the prime meridian (0o). Suva, the capital of the
Fiji islands, lies east of the date line while most of the islands that make up
Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand, lie west of the date line. Each
new day begins as the 180o line passes 12 midnight. So when it is 12:01 A.M.
Monday morning in Suva, it is 10:01 P.M. Sunday night in Brisbane, Australia.
Suppose you were a newspaper reporter in Brisbane. It is 2:00 P.M. on a Tuesday
afternoon. You want to e-mail a fellow journalist in Suva to brief him on a
late-breaking story. What time will it be in Suva?
30
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
90.
Use an encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet to find a time zone map of the
United States to help you answer the following questions.
a) Why might knowing how to read a time zone map help you to plan an
airplane trip?
b) When people are waking up in Los Angeles, California at 6:00 A.M., what time
is it in Jacksonville, Florida?
c) Suppose you want to call a friend in Hawaii. You call from New Orleans,
Louisiana, as soon as you get home from school at 3:00 P.M. What time is it in
Hawaii?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
91.
The United States uses more energy than any other
country in the world. Energy heats our homes and
businesses. It makes factories and computers run. It
fuels school buses, planes, ships, trucks, and snowmobiles.
But from where does all of this energy come? Some of it is electrical energy
produced by nuclear power plants. Here the energy comes from nuclear reactions
that involve the splitting of atoms. In 1997, there were 33 states in the United
States that had commercial nuclear plants in operation. What percentage of the
United States is that?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
92.
There are over 600 species of plants and animals worldwide that are in danger
of becoming extinct. Below is a list of a few of them. Plot the animals on a
world map. As you discover more, add them to the map. With a partner, choose
one and research where it lives and why it is becoming extinct.
●
●
●
●
African elephant
American crocodile
black rhino
blue whale
●
●
●
●
California condor
chimpanzee
giant panda
Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
●
●
●
●
Grevy’s zebra
hawksbill turtle
mountain gorilla
snow leopard
31
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
93.
Below is a jumbled list of four of the largest deserts in the world
and the continents on which they are located. Use a physical map of
the world, an almanac, encyclopedia, or the Internet to match each
desert with the correct continent.
Deser t
Continent
Sahara
Southern Africa
Arabian
Central Asia
Gobi
Northern Africa
Kalahari
Southwest Asia
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
94.
Below is a jumbled list of the five longest mountain ranges in the
world and the continents in which they are found. Use a physical map
of the world, an almanac, encyclopedia, or the Internet to match each
mountain range with the correct continent.
Mountain R ange
32
Continent
Andes Mountains
North America
Rocky Mountains
Australia
Himalayas/Karakoram/Hindu Kush Mountains
Antarctica
Great Dividing Range
South America
Trans-Antarctic Mountains
Asia
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
95.
As of the year 2000, 14 countries in Europe were members of the European Union.
The European Union planned for an open exchange of people, products, and
services among member countries. Use a world political map and the list below
to figure out which European country is not a member of the EU, although it is
surrounded by member countries.
European Union Member Countries:
Ireland, United Kingdom, Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands
Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Sweden, and Finland.
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
96.
Look at a political map of the world. Choose
a country that you would like to visit. Use an
encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet to find
out more information about the landforms
and animals of this country. Then create a
postage stamp that would encourage
preserving the landforms and animals
of this country.
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
97.
Maps aren’t only important for use today. Maps were important in history, too.
Use an encyclopedia or other resource book to find a map of the United States
during the Civil War. During this time in our nation’s history, Union and
Confederate leaders had to be good geographers. Look at the map and find the
confederate states. If you were a Union leader, which major river located in the
Confederacy would be important for your army to gain control of? Why?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
33
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
98.
Look up your state in an encyclopedia, almanac, or on the Internet. What
natural resources are found in your state? How do these resources provide jobs
for the people in your state? Create a map of your state that shows where these
resources are located. Make your own symbol for each natural resource. Then
create a map key that tells what each symbol stands for.
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
99.
Many cities and towns in the United States and in other countries were built
near oceans, rivers, or lakes. Why do you think they were built along bodies of
water? How might living near a body of water affect the kinds of jobs people
might have?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
100.
34
Try your hand at being a mapmaker and city planner. Plan
a city where people would like to live. Include places for
people to live, work, and shop. Include schools, a post
office, fire station, and police station. Make sure to include
different forms of transportation and places for recreation.
You may wish to use other city maps for ideas. When you
are finished, add a grid to your map and an index of places
along with their grid locations.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
101.
Suppose you are a wildlife biologist on a field trip in
the rain forest of Brazil. Suddenly you spot an animal
that has not been seen in 50 years. You manage to
capture it and place a radio collar around its neck.
Then you set it free. The radio collar transmits signals
that allow you to monitor the animal’s movements.
How will mapping the movements of this animal
provide you with important information?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
102.
What are some concerns that your peers have about the environment? Plan a
survey with a list of 10 to 12 issues. You may use the list below or create your
own list. When you have finished surveying other students in your school, create
a bar graph that shows your results. Then choose one issue and as a class write a
letter to an environmental organization to learn more about the issue.
●
air pollution
●
destruction of rain forests
●
too much traffic in your community
●
animal testing
●
water pollution
●
preservation of endangered animals
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
103.
Name at least five service workers in your
community for whom maps are an important
part of their job. Then name at least five
kinds of maps that might be helpful to you
in your community or on vacation.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
35
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
104.
Use an encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet to find a time zone map of the
United States. Then answer the following questions.
a) In what time zone do you live?
b) Between which two cities could you take a one-hour plane ride and arrive at the
same time you left: Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Illinois; or Dallas, Texas and
Los Angeles, California?
c) Denver, Colorado, is ahead of Nome, Alaska, by how many hours?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
105.
Use a time zone map to answer the following questions.
a) Why are time zones east of the prime meridian later than those
west of the prime meridian?
b) If it is noon at the prime meridian, what time is it at the International Date Line?
c) If it is 9:00 A.M. on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan, what time and day is it in
Hawaii?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
106.
Use an encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet for help in answering the
following questions.
a) What part of agriculture has to do with producing milk, ice cream, yogurt,
and cheese?
b) Name the top three milk-producing states in the United States.
c) Next to cows, what animal produces most of the milk consumed around
the world?
36
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
107.
Use an encyclopedia, social studies textbook, or other resource to find a map of
the 13 Colonies in 1776, the United States after the Louisiana Purchase in
1803, the United States in 1861, and the United States today. How have the
boundary lines of our country changed over time?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
108.
Contact your local historical society to find out what a map of your community
looked like 100 years ago. Compare it to a map of your community today. How
have people altered the environment?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
109.
In places where there is not enough rainfall,
what is used to provide water for farm crops?
a) drainage
b) irrigation
c) dams
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
110.
1. George Washington Carver developed how many uses for the peanut?
a) less than 30
b) 100–130
c) more than 300
2. What state grows three times as many peanuts as any other state?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
37
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
111.
Madidi is a new national park in the country of Bolivia in South America. It
is located in the rain forest. Suppose that you are a newspaper reporter
sent to Madidi to find out about a recent environmental concern.
Being the second poorest country in South America, some Bolivians are in favor
of building a dam in Madidi that would create a lake that is 1,000 square miles.
The lake would provide hydroelectric power. Bolivia could then sell this electrical
power to Brazil. The money would greatly help Bolivia. However, it would flood out
a part of the rain forest where people, animals, birds, plants, and insects live. Some
Bolivian conservationists want to open Madidi to tourism so that Bolivia can keep
the rain forest and still earn money. However, it probably won’t earn as much
money as the hydroelectric power plants that would be built.
As a reporter, your job is to write about the two different points of view about this
issue. Write three or four sentences from the point of view of someone in favor of
building the dam. Then write three or four sentences from the point of view of a
conservationist. What would each say to defend his or her point of view? How
might both sides compromise and come up with a solution?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
112.
The following is a list of amazing manmade stone constructions found around
the world. Use an almanac, encyclopedia, or the Internet to look up each one.
Then, starting with the stone construction made in Asia and continuing
eastward around the world, fill in the chart below. Which stone construction
is the oldest? Which is the most recent?
Stone Constr uction
Countr y
Year(s) Built
The Great Wall
Mount Rushmore
Itaipu Dam
Stonehenge
The Great Pyramid
38
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
113.
1. Machu Picchu is located in what country?
a) Mexico
b) Peru
c) Bolivia
2. Which people built the ancient city of Machu Picchu?
a) Maya
b) Aztec
c) Inca
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
114.
1. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, what season is
it in the Southern Hemisphere?
a) winter
b) spring
c) summer
2. When it is winter in the Northern and Western Hemisphere, what season
is it in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere?
a) winter
b) spring
c) summer
Movement
Name:
115.
Devil’s Tower in Wyoming is the largest rock formation in the United States.
It rises 865 feet into the sky and is visible from 100 miles away!
Suppose you and your class want to plan a trip from your hometown to Devil’s
Tower. Which states would you pass through along the way? List the states in order.
Next to each state write the name of its capital. Then use the scale of miles to determine how many miles your town is from Wyoming. Use a political map of the
United States to help with this activity.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
39
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
116.
Immigrants come to the United States from all over the world. Look at a
political map of the world to determine which direction people would most
likely travel to get to the United States from each of the following countries.
a) Mali
b) Bolivia
c) Ukraine
d) Mongolia
e) China
Movement
Name:
117.
How far can different forms of transportation take you in 24
hours? First calculate the distance each can travel in 24 hours.
Then look at a map of the world to
Transpor tation
determine how far you can go
Gas balloon
in one direction from your
Japanese Series E2 train
community. Plot your destinations
Boeing 747
for each form of transportation
on a map of the world.
Concorde
Miles Per Hour
10
171
400–560
1,354
Movement
Name:
118.
Suppose that your class wanted to take a trip to the Gulf of Mexico. Use a
political map of the United States to help you answer the following questions.
a) Which five states offer a view of the Gulf?
b) Tell which direction your class must travel from your state to each of these states.
c) Name the states that you will go through to get to your destination.
40
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
119.
Three endangered snow leopard cubs have been kidnapped. Use a political map
of the world, and the clues and chart below to help you locate the cubs. Then
answer the questions that follow.
First the snow leopard cubs were flown to the third largest populated city in the
world. Then they were taken by ship across the Atlantic Ocean to a country whose
capital city is closest to 10oS latitude and 10oE longitude. Finally the cubs were
driven by truck nearly 3,000 miles northeast to the capital city of another country.
Here the international police arrested the kidnappers and the cubs were saved.
Top Five Most Populated Cities in the World
Population
~ Paulo, Brazil
Sao
16,533,000
Mumbai, India
15,138,000
New York, United States
16,332,000
Tokyo, Japan
26,959,000
Mexico City, Mexico
16,562,000
a) Name the city where the cubs were taken first.
b) On what continent were the cubs finally found?
c) After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, through which countries did the cubs drive?
d) What is the name of the capital city where they were found?
e) Name the famous river the cubs were near.
Movement
Name:
120.
Imagine that you are going to visit the five most-visited U.S. national parks.
Use the information below, and physical and political maps of the United States
to fill in the blanks to determine the national parks you will visit.
Start in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in North Carolina. Then travel
west through six states to the Grand Canyon National Park in __________________.
Next proceed one state north and two states west to Yosemite National Park in
_____________________. Then continue two states north along the Pacific Ocean to
Olympic National Park in ____________________. Finally travel one state south and
two states east to Yellowstone National Park in _____________________.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
41
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
121.
Suppose your family was planning a spring trip to visit some of the sports
halls of fame in the United States. Look at the trip itinerary below. Then use a
political map of the United States and a scale of miles to figure out how many
miles your family will travel from one hall of fame to another on this journey.
Hall of Fame
City
State
Springfield
Massachusetts
Oneonta
New York
Cooperstown
New York
Canton
Ohio
Women’s Basketball
Knoxville
Tennessee
Bowling
St. Louis
Missouri
Basketball
Soccer
Baseball
Pro Football
Miles to Travel
Movement
Name:
122.
Suppose you are in a sailing race along the coast of Africa. Use a physical and
political map of Africa or the world and the following directions to answer the
questions.
●
42
The contest starts at the city of Alexandria along the
Mediterranean Sea.
●
Travel east until you reach the Suez Canal.
●
Sail through the canal and then southeast along the
Red Sea.
●
Next sail northeast through the Gulf of Aden and then
south again into the Indian Ocean.
●
Hug the coastline of the continent as you pass the
port cities of Mogadishu and Dar es Salaam.
●
Continue south through the Mozambique Channel and
end your trip at the city of Port Elizabeth.
QUESTIONS
a) In which country
will the race
begin?
b) Which countries
will you pass
during the race?
c) In which country
will the race
end?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
123.
Suppose you are going on a cycling trip. Use physical and political maps of the
world to help you name the country where the trip will begin, the countries in
which you will be cycling, and the country where the trip will end.
a) The trip will start in a country whose capital city is Haiphong.
b) Then you will cycle to a country that borders India and the Bay of Bengal. The
capital city of this country is Thimphu. After that you will travel north along
90oE longitude until you arrive at 40oN latitude.
c) Turning west you will cycle until you reach the city of Samarqand.
Movement
Name:
124.
Use a world political map and a scale of miles to answer the following questions.
a) Which countries does the equator cross in Africa?
b) Which countries are bordered by oceans?
c) If you were to motorcycle along the equator through these countries, how many
miles would you travel from ocean to ocean?
Movement
Name:
125.
Look at a political map of the United States. Suppose you wanted to tell a
friend how to drive from Phoenix, Arizona, to Olympia, Washington. First write
down the direction in which your friend must drive to get to Washington. Then
write down the order of the states on the driving route.
Movement
Name:
126.
Now plan a different route back to Arizona. Write down the direction in which
your friend must drive to return to Arizona. Then write down the order of the
states on this route. Make sure you do not list any states that were on the drive
to Washington.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
43
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
127.
Suppose a classmate wants to take a trip across South America by following the
Tropic of Capricorn. Which countries would that person cross?
Make a list beginning with the westernmost country.
About how many miles is it from coast to coast?
Use a political map of South America and a scale
of miles to figure it out.
Movement
Name:
128.
The fastest way to move the mail in 1919 was by air. Use
these clues and a political map of the world to figure out
between which two countries airmail was first used.
●
●
●
One of these countries is just north of 50oN latitude and the other is just south of
50oN latitude. The prime meridian runs through both of these countries.
The capital cities of these two countries are about 200 miles apart.
The currency in one country is called the pound and the currency in the other
country is called the euro.
Movement
Name:
129.
The West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is the largest shopping
mall in the world. It has 11 department stores and more than 800 shops and
services! You can even visit Galaxyland Amusement Park and try any one of the
25 rides.
Suppose you wanted to drive to the mall from your hometown. How many miles
away is Edmonton? If you drove 60 miles an hour, how many hours would it take
to get there? In which direction would you drive? List the states that you would
drive through.
44
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
130.
It takes seven hours to fly from New York to London,
England. If you leave from New York at 8:00 P.M.,
what time will it be when you arrive in London?
What will be your next meal? You may use a world
time zone map for help.
Movement
Name:
131.
Suppose you live in New York but you have a ticket to a
world premiere movie that is opening in Los Angeles,
California. It takes six hours to fly there from New York.
What time would you need to catch a flight in New York in
order to be in Los Angeles at 3:00 P.M.?
Movement
Name:
132.
Take a class poll to find out what other countries students or their parents or
ancestors have come from, and what means of transportation they used to get
to the United States. Then create two separate bar graphs showing the results.
Finally, use a political map of the world to locate the countries of origin and
the routes that might have been taken to get to the United States.
Movement
Name:
133.
If you visit Yellowstone National Park, you could be in any of these three
states. Use an encyclopedia, almanac, or the Internet to find out the names
of these three states. Then use a political map of the United States to
ocate these states. In which direction would you drive from your state to
get there?
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
45
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
134.
By the year 2000, 40 cities had five million or more people. Look at a political
map of the world. Locate the cities listed below, all of which have a population
of five million or more.
a) What do the locations of all these cities have in common?
b) Why do you think half of the world’s population was living in urban areas by the
beginning of the 21st century?
●
Los Angeles, California
●
Lima, Peru
●
New York, New York
●
●
Mexico City, Mexico
●
Santiago, Chile
~
Buenos
Aires, Argentina
●
Bogatá, Columbia
●
Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Movement
Name:
135.
Use a road map of the United States to answer the following questions.
a) What interstate highway would you use to travel
from New York to Florida?
b) What interstate highways would you use to travel
from Los Angeles, California, to Boston, Massachusetts?
c) What interstate highways would you use to travel
from Casper, Wyoming, to Memphis, Tennessee?
Use the most direct route. Name four major cities
that you would drive through while on the highways.
d) What do you notice about interstate highways that
go from west to east? How are they different from
the interstate highways that go from north to south?
46
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
136.
1. How long does it take Earth to travel once around the sun?
a) 24 hours
b) 30 days
c) 365 days
2. How long does it take Earth to rotate around its own axis?
a) 24 hours
b) 30 days
c) 365 days
Movement
Name:
137.
1. You do not need a passport to travel to Canada.
a) true
b) false
2. What is the last state the Mississippi River flows through before
emptying into the Gulf of Mexico?
a) Mississippi
b) Louisiana
c) Alabama
Movement
Name:
138.
Suppose you wanted to take a boat adventure through South America. You
would travel through the Amazon rain forest. This region of South America has
flowers, trees, birds, animals, and insects that aren’t found anywhere else in the
world. If you start in Cuzco, Peru, and your destination is the Atlantic Ocean off
the coast of Brazil, in which direction would you have to travel? Along which
rivers would you have to travel? Use a physical and political map of South
America or the world to help you find the answers.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
47
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
139.
Look at a political map of North America or the world. In what part of North
America is the Panama Canal located? Why do you think the canal was built?
Before the canal was built, what route would a ship have to take to get from
Norfolk, Virginia, to San Francisco, California?
Movement
Name:
140.
From 1519–1522 Ferdinand Magellan and his crew were the first sailors to
circumnavigate, or travel around, the world. On March 2, 1999, Brian Piccard and
Brian Jones became the first team to also circumnavigate the world—in a balloon!
Before traveling, the team mapped out their course. They planned to fly ten miles
above Earth, where the air is extremely cold and thin, making it hard to breathe.
a) Why do you think Piccard and Jones chose such a high elevation?
b) How do you think mapping out their course helped them accomplish their goal?
Movement
Name:
141.
Suppose you are on an island called Oahu. Look at a political
map of the United States to help you answer these questions.
a) What state are you in?
b) In what region of the United States would you be?
c) Where would you be if you traveled about 100 miles
to the northwest?
Movement
Name:
142.
Look at a physical map of the United States. Suppose your class wants to travel
to see the three major deserts in the United States.
a) Name these deserts.
b) Tell which direction your class must travel from your state to each of the deserts.
c) Name the region in which each desert is located.
48
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Movement
Name:
143.
Did you know that some athletes have to be good
geographers in order to excel in their sport? Tell why
knowing how to read maps and understanding geography
might be important to the following people.
a) football player
b) golfer
c) cross-country skier
Regions
Name:
144.
Look at a map of the United States that shows
the different regions. Write the names of these
regions. Then list the states that are included in
each region.
Regions
Name:
145.
Use a political map of the United States to identify the
following state. The clues can help you figure out the name
of this state. Then name the region in which it is found.
●
●
●
O’Hare Airport is located in this state.
The world’s first skyscraper was built here in 1885.
Abraham Lincoln lived and worked in this state and is buried here.
Regions
Name:
146.
Use the clues below and a political map of the United States to identify the
following state and its region.
●
●
●
This state is the geographical center of the United States (excluding Hawaii and
Alaska).
This state and North Dakota are the two largest wheat-growing states in the nation.
The state song is “Home on the Range.”
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
49
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
147.
Look at a political map of the world. The United States
trades with countries in a region called the Pacific Rim.
Countries that border the Pacific Ocean make up the
Pacific Rim.
a) Which continents are a part of the Pacific Rim?
b) How does trade help countries meet their needs?
Regions
Name:
148.
When urban areas spread close to one another and form a large urban region, it
is called a megalopolis. Boswash is a megalopolis in the Northeast region of the
United States. It stretches from Boston to Washington, D.C.
a) How do you think this megalopolis got its name?
b) Name at least five major cities in Boswash.
Regions
Name:
149.
How would you describe your state? To help get you started, answer the two
questions. Then write at least three more sentences.
a) Look at the political map of the United States and
find the state in which you live. In what region
is your state located?
b) What are the names of the states that border your state?
50
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
150.
Look at a physical map of the United States. Use the clues below to figure out
the name of this river.
●
●
This river runs through the West and Midwest regions.
It flows 2,540 miles from its source to the Mississippi River.
a) What is the name of this river?
b) Make a list of the states that this river borders or runs through. Identify which
states are in the West and Midwest regions.
Regions
Name:
151.
Suppose you wanted to write a travel brochure about the Southwest region of
the United States. First list the names of the states
in this region. Then write a paragraph for your
brochure that describes some of the landforms
and other natural features of this region.
Use a physical and political map of the
United States for help.
Regions
Name:
152.
The world is divided into three main types of latitude zones: the polar zones,
the temperate zones, and the tropical zone. The northern polar zone is the
region between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole. The southern polar zone is
the region between the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole. Look at a globe or
map of the world and locate these zones. Then answer the following questions.
a) Which continents are located in the northern polar zone?
b) The point 80oN latitude and 40oW longitude is located in which polar zone?
c) Name one city located in the northern polar zone.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
51
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
153.
There are two main temperate zones in the world. The northern temperate
zone is located in the region between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of
Cancer. The southern temperate zone is located in the region between the
Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle. The climate in these zones is
not extreme. That means that it is not extremely hot or extremely cold when
compared to the polar and tropical zones. Find the temperate zones on a
globe or political map of the world. Then answer the following questions.
a) Name the continents found in the northern temperate zone.
b) Name the continents found in the southern temperate zone.
c) Which continent is found in both temperate zones?
d) Name one city, along with its latitude and longitude, in each temperate zone.
Regions
Name:
154.
There is one main tropical zone in the world. It is located in the region between
the two temperate zones. Use a globe or political map of the world to answer
the following questions.
a) Between which lines of latitude is the tropical zone located?
b) What are the only continents not located in the tropical zone?
c) Which line of latitude passes through the middle of the tropical zone?
d) This line of latitude does not pass through which continents?
e) Which continents in the tropical zone are also in the Northern Hemisphere?
f) Which continents in the tropical zone are also in the Southern Hemisphere?
52
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
155.
Now that you know about the polar, temperate, and tropical zones, answer
these questions. Use a globe or political map of the world for help.
a) Which zones get the least amount of sun? Which zone gets the most?
b) In which zone do you live?
c) If you lived in the capital of Australia, in which latitude zone would you live?
Regions
Name:
156.
Look at a physical and political map of Africa. Why do you
think that countries between 20oN and 30oN latitude get
very little annual precipitation? Look again at the maps.
Name three countries in another region of Africa that you
would also expect to get very little annual precipitation.
Regions
Name:
157.
Geographers divide the world into two sections along the equator. The Northern
Hemisphere lies north of the equator. The Southern Hemisphere lies south of
the equator.
a) Looking at a globe, name the continents in the Northern Hemisphere.
b) Name the continents in the Southern Hemisphere.
Regions
Name:
158.
Geographers divide the world into two sections at the equator, as well as along
the prime meridian. Look again at a globe and find 0o longitude. The Eastern
Hemisphere lies east of the prime meridian and the Western Hemisphere lies
west of the prime meridian.
a) Name the continents in the Eastern Hemisphere.
b) Name the continents in the Western Hemisphere.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
53
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
159.
Look at the label inside your jacket, hat, knapsack, or other piece of clothing
you wore to school today. On a slip of paper, write the name of the country in
which it was made.
Have someone collect all the slips of paper and tally up the names of the countries
and number of garments on the chalkboard. As a class, locate the countries on a
political map of the world. Finally, make a bar graph of the class’s results. Then
write a statement that tells something about the economy of these countries.
Regions
Name:
160.
Can you guess where more than two-thirds of all the potatoes in the United
States are grown? Use a political map of the United States and the following
clues to figure out the name of this state and what region it is in.
●
●
●
●
●
In this state you can visit Sun Valley and Craters of the Moon.
The economy of this state is based mostly on agriculture.
Some other products are wheat, cattle, milk, and lumber.
The Snake River runs through this state.
This state shares a border with another country.
Regions
Name:
161.
If you lived in this state, you’d be one of nearly six million Hoosiers. Use a
political map of the United States and the following clues to figure out the
name of this state and what region it is in.
●
●
●
54
Marcella Gruelle of Indianapolis created
the Raggedy Ann doll in 1914.
A famous auto race is held here every
Memorial Day weekend. The 500-mile race is
200 laps around a two-and-a-half-mile track.
You can visit the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Memorial in this state.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
162.
A world record was set for the highest wind ever (231 miles per hour on top of
Mount Washington) on April 12, 1934, in this state. Use a political map of the
United States and the following clues to figure out the name of this state and
what region it is in.
●
●
●
Mount Washington is the highest mountain in the region where this state is located.
Delegates from this state were the first to vote for the Declaration of Independence
on July 4, 1776.
Some important products from this state are maple syrup and maple sugar.
Regions
Name:
163.
This state is famous for growing peaches and peanuts. Use a political map of
the United States and the following clues to figure out the name of this state
and what region it is in.
●
●
●
Civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., winner of the Nobel Peace Prize,
was born in this state.
In 1912, Juliette Gordon Low started the Girl Guides, which later became the
Girl Scouts, in the city of Savannah.
The American Scream Machine and the Mind Bender are two roller coaster
rides that can be found at Six Flags over this state.
Regions
Name:
164.
This state was part of another state until that state seceded from the United
States in 1861. Two years later it became a new state. Use a political map of
the United States and the following clues to figure out the name of this state
and what region it is in.
●
●
●
This is the only state in the United States to be located entirely in Appalachia.
This state is the second-largest coal producing state in the country.
The first Mother’s Day was celebrated in this state in 1905.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
55
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
165.
In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to explore the land
that became this state. Use a U.S. political map and the clues below to
identify the name of this state and its region.
●
●
●
This is the smallest state in the United States.
This state is home to our country’s oldest Baptist church, oldest Quaker
meetinghouse, and oldest Jewish synagogue.
If you could stand on the imaginary longitude line of 72oN in this state you’d be
right next to the Atlantic Ocean. But if you kept walking south along this line
until you reached Valparaíso, Chile, you’d be right next to the Pacific Ocean!
Regions
Name:
166.
This state is known as “The Keystone State” because it was centrally located
among the original 13 colonies. The signing of the Declaration of Independence
and the United States Constitution took place here. Use a U.S. political map and
the clues below to identify the state and its region.
●
●
●
This state can boast about having the first fire department, the first hospital, and
the first lending library in the United States.
Completed in 1940, a turnpike that crosses this state from east to west was the
country's first superhighway.
The capital is located near the same latitude line, 40oN, as Madrid, Spain.
Regions
Name:
167.
In this state there are about 365 bird species. Use a U.S. political map and
the clues below to figure out the name of this state and its region.
●
●
●
●
56
This state became the 39th state on November 2, 1889.
This state is bordered by three other states and another country.
Farms cover more than 90% of the land.
The official drink of this state is milk.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
168.
This state produces more sweet potatoes than any other state. Use a
political map of the United States and the following clues to figure out
the name of this state and its region.
●
●
●
More battles of the American Revolution were fought here than in any other
state in the colonies.
The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter.
In 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first successful powered
flight near Kitty Hawk.
Regions
Name:
169.
This state is home to two amazing monuments, Mount Rushmore and Chief
Crazy Horse. Use a political map of the United States and the following
clues to figure out the name of this state and its region.
●
●
●
This Missouri River divides this state practically in half.
The Black Hills in this state are the highest mountains east of the Rockies.
Some logs in Petrified Wood Park in Lemmon weigh more than five tons.
Regions
Name:
170.
From around 1841 to 1861, more than 300,000 people traveled what
became known as the Oregon Trail. It took about five months to complete
the route from Independence, Missouri, to the Willamette River in Oregon.
If you were a pioneer traveling on the Oregon Trail, you certainly would have
traveled across the land that was to become this state. You would have followed the Platte River. One landmark that you would have looked for on the
trail was Chimney Rock. Use an encyclopedia or other source to find a map of
the Oregon Trail. Then use a political map of the United States to help you
find the name of this state and the region it is in.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
57
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
171.
Glacier National Park in this state is more than one million acres. Here you can
see more than 50 glaciers, 200 lakes, and thousands of waterfalls.
To learn more about the geography of this state, follow the Missouri River to its
source near Three Forks. Once Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide in the
Rocky Mountains of this state, they were on their way to the Pacific Ocean. Use a
political map of the United States to figure out the name of this state and what
region it is in.
Regions
Name:
172.
Country music fans flock to this state every year. Nashville, the capital, is
called the “Country Music Capital of the World.” This state is also home to the
Grand Ole Opry and Opryland Amusement Park. If you are an Elvis Presley fan,
you can visit his home, Graceland, in Memphis. Use a political map of the
United States and the above clues to figure out the name of this state
and what region it is in.
Regions
Name:
173.
Mammoth Cave in this state is the largest cave system in the world. Here
you can explore more than 144 miles of passageways, lakes, and rivers. Use a
U.S. political map and the clues below to identify this state and its region.
●
●
●
58
Each year the most famous horse race in America is held at Churchill Downs the
first Saturday in May.
The United States gold reserves are kept at Fort Knox just outside of Louisville.
Abraham Lincoln was born in Hodgenville, and Mary Todd Lincoln was born in
Louisville.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
174.
This state is the largest state in the continental United States. There are
mountains, hills, plains, plateaus, deserts, islands, rivers, and lakes. Use a political
map of the United States and the following clues to figure out the name of this
state and what region it is in.
●
●
●
This state was once a separate country.
This is the only state to have had six different country flags fly over it: France,
Spain, England, Mexico, the United States, and its own.
This state produces more oil, minerals, cattle, sheep, and cotton, than any other.
Regions
Name:
175.
This state has the only active diamond mine in all of North America. The
diamond is also the state gem. Use a political map of the United States and the
following clues to figure out the name of this state and what region it is in.
●
The 42nd U.S. president, born in the city of Hope, was also governor of this state.
●
You can visit Hot Springs National Park, the most popular national park in this state.
●
A river of the same names runs through this state.
Regions
Name:
176.
If you lived in this state you would probably know all the words to the state
song, “Yankee Doodle.” Use a political map of the United States and the
following clues to figure out the name of this state and what region it is in.
●
●
●
The Hartford Courant, started in 1764, is the oldest United States newspaper.
Whaling ships docked at Mystic Seaport in the early 19th century.
The city of Hartford is located on approximately the same latitude line, 41oN, as
Rome, Italy.
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
59
G e o gr a ph y
Regions
Name:
177.
This state’s land was once part of Pennsylvania. But during the American Revolution,
the people here fought as a separate state. Use a U.S. political map and the clues
below to identify the name of this state and its region.
●
●
●
This state is the second smallest state in the United States.
This was the first state to ratify the Constitution in 1787.
A group of elementary school children convinced the state legislature
to adopt the ladybug as the official state insect in 1974.
Regions
Name:
178.
Look at a physical map of the United States. Use the clues below to determine
the name of this river. Then make a list of the states that the river borders or
runs through. Identify which states are in the West and Midwest regions.
●
●
This river runs through the West and Midwest regions.
It flows 2,540 miles from its source to the Mississippi River.
Regions
Name:
179.
If the sentence below states something true about deserts, write T next to it.
If it is false, write F next to it. Rewrite a false sentence to make it true.
a) Deserts are places that are only hot.
b) Because deserts are places that get ten inches or less precipitation per year,
Antarctica is considered a desert.
Regions
Name:
180.
What region is called the “breadbasket”
of the United States?
a) Northeast
60
b) West
c) Midwest
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
China is bordered by 14
countries. They are
Afghanistan, Bhutan,
Myanmar, India,
Kazakhstan, Laos,
Mongolia, Nepal, North
Korea, Pakistan, Russia,
Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
Russia is also bordered by
14 countries. They are
Azerbaijan, Belarus, China,
Estonia, Finland, Georgia,
Kazakhstan, Latvia,
Lithuania, Mongolia, North
Korea, Norway, Poland, and
Ukraine.
Istanbul, Turkey, is located
on the continents of Europe
and Asia.
Answers will vary.
a) False. Most of Brazil is
north of the Tropic of
Capricorn.
b) False. The only South
American countries that
do not border Brazil are
Chile and Ecuador.
c) True
a) Japan
b) Gabon
c) Spain
d) Canada
Swaziland
North America
South America
Asia
Asia
Asia
Asia
South America
South America
Asia
North America
Continent with most
earthquakes: Asia
Mississippi River
a) False. Bangkok is the
capital of Thailand.
b) True
c) False. Tripoli is about
2,000 miles south of
Stockholm, Sweden.
d) True
a) Mt. Everest,
Nepal-Tibet, 29,028 ft;
23.2
b) Mt. Aconcagua,
Argentina, 22,834 ft;
18.2
c) Mt. McKinley, Alaska,
20,320 ft; 16.2
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
d) Mt. Kilimanjaro,
Tanzania, 19,340 ft; 15.4
e) Mt. Vinson Massif,
Antarctica, 16,066 ft; 12.8
a) Kathmandu
b) 250 miles
c) Colombo, Sri Lanka
Russia
Antarctic Peninsula
Texas
Colorado
Switzerland
India; Asia; Southern
Hemisphere
Vatican City; About
0.2 square miles
a) False. They are in Quebec.
b) True
c) False. It is in Manitoba.
Bottom, Austin
Left, Salem
Right, Albany
Las Vegas, Nevada, is closer
to San Diego, California.
Las Vegas is about 250
miles from San Diego.
Tucson, Arizona, is about
350 miles from San Diego.
a) A political map of the
United States
b) Offshore oil drilling is
the clue that tells you to
look at states along the
coast of the United States
c) Yes, the Gulf of Mexico
and the Mississippi River
d) Mississippi
e) Mexico
Countries: Canada and
Mexico; Bodies of water:
Atlantic Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and
Arctic Ocean; States that
border the Atlantic Ocean:
ME, NH, MA, CT, NY, NJ,
MD, DE, VA, NC, SC, GA,
and FL; States that border
the Gulf of Mexico: FL, AL,
MS, LA, TX; States that
border the Pacific Ocean:
CA, OR, WA, HI; States that
border the Arctic Ocean:
AK; States that border
Canada: AK, WA, ID, MT,
ND, MN, MI, NY, VT, and
ME; States that border
Mexico: TX, NM, AZ, CA
24.
25.
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30.
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33.
a) It crosses the continents
of Africa, Australia, and
South America
b) Below the equator
c) It is near 20oS latitude.
Countries: France is to the
west, Switzerland and
Austria are to the north,
and Slovenia is to the east.
Bodies of water: The
Mediterranean Sea is to the
west and south, and the
Adriatic Sea is to the east.
Georgetown, Guyana;
Paramaribo, Suriname;
Asunción, Paraguay;
Montevideo, Uruguay;
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Answers will vary.
a) The United States,
Guatemala, and Belize
are the countries closest
to Mexico.
b) About 800 miles.
c) The United States is
closer to Mexico.
d) scale of miles
a) Canada is north of the
equator and west of the
prime meridian, therefore
the latitude and longitude
lines will only have N
and W.
b) Australia is south of
the equator and east of
the prime meridian,
therefore the latitude and
longitude lines will only
have S and E.
c) The North and South
Poles because all
longitude lines meet at
each pole.
a) Indian Ocean
b) Knowing latitude and
longitude helps pilots to
stay on course during a
flight and to land at the
correct airport in the
right city.
a) Jupiter
b) Venus
Sofia, Bulgaria
Tennessee: Kentucky,
Virginia, North Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Arkansas, and
Missouri
Missouri: Iowa, Illinois,
Kentucky, Tennessee,
Arkansas, Oklahoma,
Kansas, and Nebraska
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
61
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35.
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The South Pole
South Africa
Alaska; Maine
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Texas
Minnesota
Colorado River
Australia
Nepal and Tibetan region
of China
Africa
Mediterranean Sea
Canada and United States
Colorado and Wyoming
Russia is closest to the
United States near Alaska.
Hawaii
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia,
Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska,
Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New Mexico,
New York, North Carolina,
North Dakota, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia,
Wisconsin, Wyoming
1. Iceland
2. Ireland
3. Malta
4. United Kingdom
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary.
a) Asia, Africa, North
America, South America,
Antarctica, Europe, and
Australia
b) Asia
c) Africa (it has 53
countries)
d) Antarctica
e) Australia
Aberdeen
Brussels
Buffalo
Calcutta
Dublin
Hamburg
Moscow
Tangier
Yucatán
Zurich
a) 6:00 A.M. the next day
b) 11:00 A.M. the next day
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Appalachian Mountains;
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary.
A large-scale map, because
it would show individual
streets and more detail.
Answers will vary.
United States information:
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Area: 3,717,796 square
miles
Population: 270,933,000
Major Products:
Agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, and mining
Language: English, Spanish
Answers will vary.
Continents: Australia,
Europe, Antarctica, South
America, North America,
Africa, and Asia
Oceans: Arctic, Indian,
Atlantic, and Pacific
Hawaii
It is the 13th largest
country in the world.
Jakarta
Oslo
Santo Domingo
Istanbul
Gdansk
Beijing
Massachusetts
a) Physical map; yes
b) A political map; Kiev,
Ukraine
c) A climate and vegetation
map; the southern tip of
Madagascar
d) Population density map;
less than 2 people per
square mile
Alaska
Hawaii
Oregon
Virginia; Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
Tyler, Taylor, Harrison, and
Wilson
Puerto Rico
Maryland; Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Virginia, West
Virginia
Louisiana; Mississippi,
Arkansas, Texas
Lake Superior
Political and physical maps
of the Middle East, Asia, or
the world; Yemen
Prince Edward Island,
Canada
The Atacama Desert; Chile
Angel Falls, Venezuela;
Tugela, South Africa;
Utigård, Norway;
Mongefossen, Norway;
Yosemite, United States
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.
86.
87.
88.
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90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
The Nile flows through
Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan,
and Egypt.
The Amazon flows through
Peru and Brazil.
The Yangtze-Kiang flows
through China.
The Mississippi-MissouriRed Rock flows through the
United States.
The Yenisey-AngaraSelenga flows through
Mongolia and Russia.
Ohio
1. a
2. a
1. b
2. b
c
a
a) rice
b) corn
c) wheat
New York City;
Northeast region
a) Fiji
b) Northeast region of the
United States
a) China
a) New Jersey
b) Wisconsin
c) Minnesota
d) Florida
e) Maine
4:00 P.M., Tuesday
afternoon
a) Time zone maps help us
choose a time to leave on
a flight by knowing
when it would arrive in
another city.
b) 9:00 A.M.
c) 11:00 A.M.
66%
African elephant: Africa
American crocodile: Florida
black rhino: South Africa
blue whale: Atlantic,
Pacific, and Indian Oceans
California condor:
California
chimpanzee: Cameroon
giant panda: China
Goodfellow's tree kangaroo:
Papua New Guinea
Grevy's zebra: Kenya
hawksbill turtle: Caribbean
Sea
mountain gorilla: Rwanda
snow leopard: India
Sahara, Northern Africa;
Arabian, Southwest Asia;
Gobi, Central Asia;
Kalahari, Southern Africa
Andes, South America;
Rocky Mountains, North
America;
Himalayas/Karakoram/
Hindu Kush Mountains,
Asia; Great Dividing Range,
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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108.
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110.
Australia; Trans-Antarctic
Mountains, Antarctica
Switzerland
Stamps will vary.
The Mississippi River was
used to move goods and
soldiers during the war. The
Mississippi flows through
several southern states that
were a part of the
Confederacy during the war.
Gaining control of the river
would divide the
Confederate States in half.
It would prevent communication and the transport of
goods and soldiers across
the river. This would give
the Union an advantage in
trying to win the war,
which actually did happen.
Answers will vary.
Water is an important natural resource. It is used for
transportation of people
and goods. It can be a
source of a community’s
food supply. People who
live near a body of water
might have jobs in the
fishing industry, shipping
industry, or water conservation organizations, to name
a few.
Answers will vary.
Mapping the animal’s
location can help you learn
more about its habitat and
habits. It may lead to the
location of other animals.
As a result, you might be
able to help protect the animal and its environment.
Results will vary.
Answers will vary.
a) Answers will vary.
b) Washington, D.C., and
Chicago, Illinois
c) Denver is two hours
ahead of Nome, Alaska.
a) Because Earth rotates
eastward, zones east of
the prime meridian have
times that are later in the
day than zones west of
the prime meridian.
b) midnight
c) It is 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday
in Hawaii.
a) dairying
b) Wisconsin, California,
and New York
c) goats
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary.
b
1. c
2. Georgia
111.
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115.
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117.
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119.
120.
121.
122.
Answers will vary.
Great Wall, China, 300 B.C.;
Mount Rushmore, United
States, 1927–1941; Itaipu
Dam, Brazil and Paraguay,
1970s; Stonehenge,
England, 2700–1100 B.C.;
The Great Pyramid, Egypt,
3000 B.C.; The Great
Pyramid is the oldest stone
construction and the Itaipu
Dam is the most recent
construction.
1. b
2. c
1. c
2. a
Answers will vary.
a) northwest
b) north
c) southwest
d) southeast
e) east
240 miles; 4,104 miles; up
to 13,440 miles; 32,496
miles;
Destinations will vary.
a) Texas; Louisiana;
Mississippi; Alabama
Florida
b) Answers will vary.
c) Answers will vary.
~ Paulo, Brazil
a) Sao
b) Africa
c) Angola, Democratic
Republic of the Congo,
Congo, Central African
Republic; Sudan, and
Egypt
d) Cairo, Egypt
e) The Nile River
Arizona; California;
Washington; Wyoming
From Springfield, MA, to
Oneonta, NY, is about 150
miles.
From Oneonta, NY, to
Cooperstown, NY, is about
25 miles.
From Cooperstown, NY, to
Canton, OH, is about 450
miles.
From Canton, OH, to
Knoxville, TN, is about 500
miles.
From Knoxville, TN, to St.
Louis, MO, is about 500
miles.
Total miles on the trip is
1,625.
a) Egypt
b) Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti,
Somalia, Kenya,
Tanzania, Mozambique,
Madagascar
c) South Africa
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139.
a) Vietnam
b) Laos, Myanmar, India,
Bhutan, China, and
Kyrgyzstan
c) Uzbekistan
a) Gabon, Congo,
Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Uganda,
Kenya, Somalia
b) Gabon, Congo,
Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Kenya,
Somalia
c) About 2,300 miles
Northwest route: Arizona,
Nevada, Oregon,
Washington
Southeast route:
Washington, Idaho, Utah,
Arizona
Chile, Argentina, Paraguay,
and Brazil; Almost 1,400
miles from the Pacific to
the Atlantic along the
Tropic of Capricorn
United Kingdom and France
Answers will vary.
8:00 A.M. arrival; breakfast
Noon
Results will vary.
Wyoming, Idaho, Montana;
Direction will vary.
a) All of the cities are
located on or near an
ocean.
b) Students' answers should
recognize that on a
global level, urban areas
provide such opportunities
as jobs, better health care,
more housing, and easier
access to food, transportation, and clothing.
a) I95
b) Either I15 to I70 to I95,
or I15 to I80 to I90
c) I25 to I40; Answers will
vary.
d) Interstate highway
numbers are even west to
east, and odd north to
south.
1. c
2. a
1. a
2. b
The direction of the trip
would be northeast.
Travel would be along the
Madeira River to the
Amazon River to the
Atlantic Ocean.
The Panama Canal is
located in the country of
Panama in Central America.
The canal was built to save
time traveling between the
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources
63
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141.
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Atlantic and the Pacific
Oceans. Before the canal
was built, ships had to sail
around the tip of South
America, which made the
trip months longer and was
quite dangerous.
a) They flew at a high elevation to avoid crashing
into mountains.
b) Mapping out their course
allowed them to plan for
the amount of food needed on the trip, to use the
wind currents to help
them move, and to make
sure they did not fly over
countries where they
would not have permission to cross.
a) Hawaii
b) The West
c) The island of Kauai
a) Mojave Desert, California
and Nevada; Sonoran
Desert, California and
Arizona; Great Salt Lake
Desert, Utah
b) Using cardinal and intermediate directions, students should tell in which
direction their class
would travel from their
state to each of these
deserts.
c) All of the deserts are in
the West.
a) Football players plan out
their plays by using maps
that show the location of
each member of the team
during the play.
b) Golfers use maps to figure
out the distance from the
tee to the hole. This helps
them decide which kind
of golf club to use. Maps
also tell golfers where
sand traps, trees, and
bodies of water are located so they can try to
avoid them.
c) Cross-country skiers use
maps to locate where the
elevation along a trail
changes. They need to
know where the trail goes
uphill and downhill.
Northeast: Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Vermont,
Connecticut, New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Maryland, Delaware
Southeast: West Virginia,
Virginia, Kentucky,
Arkansas, Tennessee, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, Georgia, Florida
Midwest: North Dakota,
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155.
South Dakota, Nebraska,
Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa,
Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois,
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio
Southwest: Arizona, New
Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma
West: Washington, Oregon,
California, Montana, Idaho,
Nevada, Utah, Wyoming,
Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii
Illinois; Midwest Region
Kansas; Midwest Region
a) Australia, North America,
South America, Asia
b) Answers will vary.
a) Boswash is a
combination of Boston
and Washington.
b) Boston, Massachusetts;
Providence, Rhode Island;
Hartford, Connecticut;
New York, New York;
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania;
Baltimore, Maryland;
Washington, D.C.
Answers will vary.
a) Missouri River
b) West region state:
Montana; Midwest region
states: North Dakota,
South Dakota, Nebraska,
Iowa, Kansas, and
Missouri
Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona,
and New Mexico
Paragraphs should include
some of the following:
Rocky Mountains, Grand
Canyon, Colorado Plateau,
Great Plains, Painted Desert,
Sonoran Desert, Red River,
Pecos River, Rio Grande,
Gulf of Mexico
a) North America, Europe,
Asia
b) Northern polar zone,
specifically Greenland
c) Answers will vary.
a) North America, Europe,
Africa, and Asia
b) South America, Africa,
and Australia
c) Africa
d) Answers will vary.
a) the Tropic of Cancer and
the Tropic of Capricorn
b) North America and
Antarctica
c) the equator
d) North America and
Australia
e) North America, Africa,
Asia, and South America
f) South America, Africa,
Asia, and Australia
a) The polar zones get the
least amount of sun
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because they are farther
from the equator. The
tropical zone gets the
most amount of sun
because the equator runs
through this zone.
b) the northern temperate
zone, unless the student is
from a country in another
zone
c) the southern temperate
zone
Parts of the Sahara Desert
are located in the countries
of Africa that are between
20oN and 30oN latitude.
Parts of the Kalahari Desert
are located in South Africa
and Botswana, and the
Namib Desert is located in
Namibia; therefore, very little annual precipitation can
be expected.
a) North America, South
America, Africa, Europe,
and Asia
b) South America, Africa,
Asia, Australia, and
Antarctica
a) Europe, Africa, Asia,
Australia, and Antarctica
b) North America, South
America, Antarctica, and
Africa
Answers will vary.
Idaho; West
Indiana; Midwest
New Hampshire; Northeast
Georgia; Southeast
West Virginia; Southeast
Rhode Island; Northeast
Pennsylvania; Northeast
North Dakota; Midwest
North Carolina; Southeast
South Dakota; Midwest
Montana; West
Nebraska; Midwest
Tennessee; Southeast
Kentucky; Southeast
Texas; Southwest
Arkansas; Southeast
Connecticut; Northeast
Delaware; Northeast
Missouri River; West region
state: Montana; Midwest
region states: North Dakota,
South Dakota, Nebraska,
Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri
a) False. Deserts can be cold.
b) True
Midwest
5-Minute Daily Practicde: Geography © Minnie Ashcroft, Scholastic Teaching Resources