Download China: Journey of Rock and Water

China:
Journey of Rock and Water
Goal: Students will get an overview of the country of China
Objectives:
Locate and describe physical and human characteristics of China
Explain physical and human patterns and consequences
National Geography Standards:
Standard 1: How to use maps and
other geographic representations,
tools, and technologies to acquire,
process, and report information.
Standard 4: The physical and
human characteristics of places.
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations:
GEOGRAPHY: G2 Places and Regions
7 – G1.2.1 Locate the major landforms,
rivers and climate regions of the Eastern
Hemisphere.
7 – G2.1.1 Describe the landform features
and the climate of the region under study
Materials: NGS map China: Journey of Rock and Water (suggestion- laminate before using);
Student worksheets (included)
Procedures: (Student worksheet #1 could be done as a class with an overhead projector)
1. This National Geographic map contains both physical and human characteristics of the
country of China. The diagram below shows the various sections of the map. Look at
Section 6. Read the text to find the answer to the following questions:
a. What 2 geologic features were raised in this part of the world starting 35 million
years ago? Himalayas and Plateau of Tibet
b. What is one consequence of this tectonic crash?
Shifting climate patterns; deserts in the north; monsoon rains in the southeast;
major river sources
2. The other text boxes surrounding the map (5) describe some characteristics of China.
Skim them. Put a P by each section that tells about physical geography and an H by each
section that tells about human, cultural or political geography.
1. ___P____
2. ___H____
3. ___P____
1
2
3
5
4
6
4. ___H____
Student Worksheet #2
Name: _____Answers______________
Use the information in sections marked P to answer the following questions:
1. On the map, underline the name of the highest plateau in the world, the Plateau of Tibet.
a. Identify 2 facts about it here:
Mountains over 20,000 feet; permafrost covers ½ the region; rises ½ inch
per year
b. Name 2 major Asian rivers that start here.
Yellow River; Yangtze River; Mekong River
c. Name the 2 mountain regions surrounding it:
Kunlun; Himalaya
d. Describe the land cover of this region:
Desert Plateau
e. THOUGHT QUESTION: What is the economic importance of this area?
Possible answers: Nomadic herding; subsistence farming, tourism, source
of water for much of Asia
2. Underline the names of the 2 major deserts in northern China – Taklimakan and Gobi
a. What major mountain range marks the northern border of the Taklimakan?
Tian Shah
b. THOUGHT QUESTION: What might be some functions of towns such as Aksu
and Turpan?
Service for surrounding areas and routes through desert
3. Underline the name Loess Plateau on the western edge of the fertile eastern side of China.
a. Where does the fertile soil (loess) come from?
Dust blown from the desert to the west
b. What river flows through this area?
Yellow River or Huang Ho
c. THOUGHT QUESTION: What economic activity might occur here?
Possible answers: Agriculture; trade
4. Underline the North China Plain and the Northeast China Plain.
a. Where did the North China Plain get its fertile soil?
Silt deposited from the Yellow River
b. Where did the Northeast China Plain get its fertile soil?
Eroding mountain sediments
c. What kind of land cover do these areas have?
Grassland and woodland
d. THOUGHT QUESTION: Locate the Great Wall of China on the map. Describe
where it is located with respect to China’s major physical regions.
The Great wall tends to run along the southern border of the desert,
separating the more arid and sparsely populated area of Inner Mongolia
and the country of Mongolia from the more humid and productive south.
The Wall tends to be north of most of the river systems.
Student Worksheet #3
Name: _____Answers______________
Use the information in sections marked H to answer the following questions:
1. How can you tell which cities have more than 4 million people?
Names are in capital letters in bold type
a. Underline at least 12 cities over 4 million people. Describe the pattern/location of
these cities.
Most are near the coast or on a major river; all are in the eastern half of
the country
b. THOUGHT QUESTION: Why are there no very large cities in the west?
Possible answer: Desert and high elevations make it hard to live in the
western half of China
2. Compare China to the United States in:
a. Latitude
Continental U. S. is between approximately 24 degrees and 49 degrees
north
China is between approximately20 degrees and 50 degrees north
b. Size
China is slightly smaller than the U. S.*
c. Which country has more mountainous and high elevation areas?
China
d. Number of bordering countries
China is bordered by 14 countries; U. S. by 2 countries
e. THOUGHT QUESTION: What are the similarities and differences between the
borders of the Continental United States and China?
Physical barriers are 2 oceans and Great Lakes for U. S. and mountains,
deserts, and ocean for China. Number of bordering countries.
f. How have the borders and barriers affected the two countries?
Possible answers: Protection; trading difficulties; isolation; China is
more inward looking due to barriers on the south, north and east
3. Locate and trace the Grand Canal**.
a. What two rivers are connected by this canal?
Yellow and Yangtze
b. THOUGHT QUESTION: What are some consequences of this canal?
Trade and travel between north and South China; like the Roman system
of roads, helped unite the country. Along with travel on the rivers it is the
water equivalent of the Interstate Highway system, or Russia’s series of
canals, and rivers. A major public works project undertaken over
hundreds of years.
*China has more sq. km. of dry land but the United States has more sq. km. of TOTAL area if
water surface areas are also included. China has 50% less water surface area than the US so while
there is more land in China than the US, the US is a slightly larger nation.
**The Grand Canal of China is the world's oldest and longest canal, far surpassing the next two
grand canals of the world: Suez and Panama Canal. The building of the canal began in 486 B.C.
during the Wu Dynasty. It was extended during the Qi Dynasty, and later by Emperor Yangdi of
Sui Dynasty during six years of furious construction from 605-610 AD. The canal is 1,795 Km
(1,114 miles) long with 24 locks and some 60 bridges.
China:
Journey of Rock and Water
Student Worksheet #1
The diagram below shows the various sections of the map. Look at Section 6. Read the text to
find the answer to the following questions:
a. What 2 geologic features were raised in this part of the world starting 35 million
years ago?
b. What is one consequence of this tectonic crash?
The other text boxes surrounding the map (5) describe some characteristics of China. Skim
them. Put a P by each section that tells about physical geography and an H by each section that
tells about human, cultural or political geography.
1. _______
2. _______
3. _______
4. _______
1
2
3
5
4
6
Student Worksheet #2
Name: __________________________
Use the information in sections marked P to answer the following questions:
1. On the map, underline the name of the highest plateau in the world, the Plateau of Tibet.
a. Identify 2 facts about it here:
b. Name 2 major Asian rivers that start here.
c. Name the 2 mountain regions surrounding it:
d. Describe the land cover of this region:
e. THOUGHT QUESTION: What is the economic importance of this area?
2. Underline the names of the 2 major deserts in northern China – Taklimakan and Gobi
a. What major mountain range marks the northern border of the Taklimakan?
f. THOUGHT QUESTION: What might be some functions of towns such as Aksu
and Turpan?
3. Underline the name Loess Plateau on the western edge of the fertile eastern side of China.
a. Where does the fertile soil (loess) come from?
b. What river flows through this area?
c. THOUGHT QUESTION: What economic activity might occur here?
4. Underline the North China Plain and the Northeast China Plain.
a. Where did the North China Plain get its fertile soil?
b. Where did the Northeast China Plain get its fertile soil?
c. What kind of land cover do these areas have?
d. THOUGHT QUESTION: Locate the Great Wall of China on the map. Describe
where it is located with respect to China’s major physical regions.
Student Worksheet #3
Name: __________________________
Use the information in sections marked H to answer the following questions:
1. How can you tell which cities have more than 4 million people?
a. Underline at least 12 cities over 4 million people. Describe the pattern/location of
these cities.
b. THOUGHT QUESTION: Why are there no very large cities in the west?
2. Compare China to the United States in:
a. Latitude
b. Size
c. Which country has more mountainous and high elevation areas?
d. Number of bordering countries
e. THOUGHT QUESTION: What are the similarities and differences between the
borders of the Continental United States and China?
f.
How have the borders and barriers affected the two countries?
3. Locate and trace the Grand Canal
a. What two rivers are connected by this canal?
b. THOUGHT QUESTION: What are some consequences of this canal?