Download United States Regions Project

United States Regions
Project
Created by: Applejacks Teacher
Teacher Note
Thank you for purchasing my United States Regions Project. I use this
with my 5th grade at the beginning of the year. It is a great introduction to the
United States for social studies. One of the focuses of common core is having
students read informational and nonfiction text and synthesis what they learned
into their own writing. By having this resource, students learn to take notes and
write the information in their own words.
There are many ways to use this packet. I have experience with two – one
way is that I have had students make a book and the other is to make a poster.
First, I run off the information on each region. You can choose to have students
read all regions in groups or partners, project them on your document camera, or
you could do a jig-saw activity with the reading text. Next, I teach the students
how to take notes on each region.
Once each student has notes on a region, I guide them into writing a
summary of the region in their own words. I have found many students in middle
school don’t have that skill yet, so I want my 5th graders heading off to middle
school knowing how to do it.
Finally, we publish onto the decorative sheets (I have included a color
version and a black and white version). Now, in the past I had students create a
book with the summary sheets. However, I have recently started creating a poster
that I display for Back to school night.
I really hope you enjoy using the United States Regions Project.
©Applejacks Teacher
Sample Projects
Poster
Book
On the poster I have student
include pictures of each region
©Applejacks Teacher
Reading Text
On
Each Region
©Applejacks Teacher
West Region
The West Region is the largest region in the United States. This region is
divided into two areas – the Pacific and the Mountain areas. It has eleven states
total. In the Pacific area there are five states: Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon,
and California. The Mountain area has Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah,
and Wyoming.
Except for the eastern seaboard, every part of the United States has been
considered “The West” or “The Last Frontier” at some point in history. “The West”
has been a big part of American Folklore. When people think of “The West” they
think of cowboys, Indians, plains, mountains, covered wagons, outlaws, and
prospectors. Throughout history people have come to relate these parts of western
culture as the Wild West.
The Native Americans were the first group of people in the west. Later,
Spain, France, England, and the United States claimed it.
In 1803, the U.S. bought some of the land from France. It
also took part of it from Mexico in 1848. Finally, the U.S.
and England made a deal where the U.S. received the area
where Washington and Oregon are located.
Interestingly, although these states were considered the last group of states to be occupied by settlers, some
of the states, such as California and Oregon, became states
before many other states in the east. For example, California
was occupied before the American Revolution with Spanish
Priests who founded the missions. Later, gold was discovered in California in 1848.
©Applejacks Teacher
West Region
This led to boomtowns such as Helena, Montana and
Denver, Colorado. The West Region soon became populated
with dreamers looking to strike it rich.
The West’s climate varies on which state you visit.
Alaska is known for the harsh cold tundra area which is a
treeless frozen area, unlike the hot desert of the Nevada and
the rainforest area in Washington. There is plenty of snow in the Rocky Mountains,
while beautiful beaches and volcanos are found in Hawaii.
The Rocky Mountains’ Continental Divide is the mountain ranges highest
point. Mount McKinley, located in Alaska, is the highest point in the U.S. at 20,320
feet. In contrast, the lowest point in the U.S. is Death Valley in California. It is 282
feet below sea level. Besides the Rocky Mountains, there are the Cascade Mountains
and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which has the highest peak called Mount Whitney
at 14,505 feet. There are also geographical landmarks such as The Great Basin,
Columbia Plateau, and the Mojave Desert.
Today, there are different commercial and recreational activities in the West.
Mining, lumbering, grazing, computer and auto manufacturing, farming, and tourism
are ways people make a living. While hiking, camping, fishing,
boating, and water/snow activities are amongst the recreational
activities enjoyed by the residents and visitors of the West.
The West has much to offer and a variety of features which has
made it a popular visitors spot and a great place to live for many people.
©Applejacks Teacher
Midwest Region
The Midwest Region extends north and west from the Ohio River and west of
the Mississippi River. It includes the states of Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. It
is known by several names such as “America’s Breadbasket”, “Heartland”, and “Middle
America”.
The land east of the Mississippi was designated as the Northern Territory
when the British received it during the Treaty of 1783. The land west of the Mississippi
River was acquired in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.
Many settlers traveled to the interior of the country for better farmland.
Europeans bypassed the east coast and moved west. Many Germans ended up in
eastern Missouri, while a large population of Swedes and Norwegians found homes in
Wisconsin and Minnesota. Yankees, Pennsylvanians, and other Northern Europeans
came throughout the early nineteenth century too. This led to the rapid increase of
populations in the Midwest.
The area was considered to be a central
location which was a transportation crossroad for
riverboats, automobiles, airplanes, and railroads. The
Mississippi River was the lifeline of the Midwest. It
has been and continues to be an important part of
transportation of goods and people throughout the
area.
The Midwestern climate is highly
changeable depending on the season or the state.
©Applejacks Teacher
Midwest Region
The temperature can range between -40° F in the Dakotas and Minnesota to 120° F in
Southern Missouri. Rainfall also varies greatly in the Midwest. Some areas such as
Northwestern Missouri records around 50 inches a year, whereas, Western North
Dakota receives only about 13 inches. Winters are usually cold and snowy, spring is mild,
and summers can be hot.
Geographical areas that are of importance to the Midwest are the Great Plains,
forests, and the Great Lakes. Much of this area is flat and made up of prairies and
stretches of grassland. The fertile land in this area allows for great agricultural
opportunities. The staple crops of the area are corn, wheat, and oats. Kansas is known
as the Wheat State, Iowa’s most famous crop is corn, and Nebraska is the Cornhusker
State.
The timber industry has continued to flourish, starting with Maine and New
England settlers moving west to today. The region has coniferous and deciduous forests
which led to an early production focused on pine trees, particular white pine. Over the
years, hardwood and pulpwood production has become profitable too.
Manufacturing and heavy industry has made its way through the Midwest by
major waterways and the Great Lakes. Transportation and iron mining have increased in
the area greatly promoting industrial development.
Finally, the Midwest is part of “Tornado Alley”. Every year, many of these states
have to deal with the fear and destruction of tornados that touch down.
Unfortunately, many lives have been effected by tornados.
The Midwest is a fascinating part of the United States where approximately 67
million people live today.
©Applejacks Teacher
Northeast Region
The Northeast Region of the United States is the smallest
of the regions. It has two historical areas known as the New
England and Mid-Atlantic areas. The New England states
are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
Vermont. The Mid-Atlantic States are New Jersey, New
York, and Pennsylvania.
About sixty percent of the Northeast Region is forest,
which is twice the national average. There are portions of cropland
and grassland too. Many areas are urban and New York City is the most populated
city in the United States with about 8,400,000 people over a 305 square mile area.
The climate of the Northeast Region is impacted by the mountain ranges and
lakes along with the Atlantic Ocean. Temperatures can range between the 50s and
60s for the southern and coastal areas on average for the year. While the northern
mountainous areas average between the 20s and 30s. During the winter, however,
weather can be harsh. The Northwest receives a prevailing westerly flow of air
masses combined with the polar jet stream which brings very cold and frequent storm
systems to the region.
There are geographic locations popular in this area. One is the Appalachian
Mountains which provides much of the forest area. There are also coastal plain
areas such as Cape Cod in Massachusetts, Long Island in New York, and Chesapeake
Bay in Maryland. These plains are generally low and flat, with sandy soil and marshy
land.
©Applejacks Teacher
Northeast Region
The Northeast Woodlands area covered all of the Northeast Region and parts
of Canada when the European colonists arrived on the east coast. Around the 17th
century many colonists settled in much of this area. All of the states in the Northeast
were part of the original 13 colonies in the United States.
In the New England area, the first European settlers were called Pilgrims.
They arrived in Massachusetts in 1620 after crossing the Atlantic Ocean on the
Mayflower and established the Plymouth Colony. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was
formed ten years later when a large group of Puritans arrived and settled just north
of the Plymouth Colony, which is now known as Boston. In 1636 the Connecticut
Colony and the Providence Plantations were established.
In the Mid-Atlantic area, John Hudson explored present-day New York land
and claimed it for the Netherlands in 1609. His journey stimulated interest from the
Dutch and New Netherlands was born. Another explorer, William Penn, wanted to
create a place for Quakers to practice their religion and so he founded Pennsylvania
in 1681.
Overall, the Northeast holds the most history in the creation of the United
States from the colonies and the American Revolution to the Civil War. Many
museums, national parks, and historical places are scattered throughout this area.
Today the northeast is the richest area in the United States and much of the
coast’s cities and suburbs blend together while other areas have distinct urban and
suburban characteristics. Industry is predominant in the big cities, but farming and
mining are still alive in the rural areas. The Northeast has been a huge part of our
history, yet still is a thriving part of the country.
©Applejacks Teacher
Southeast Region
The Southeast Region, or Southern Region, of the United State has twelve
states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is bordered by the
Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the South. There is a wide
variety of landscapes including jagged mountains, tangled wilderness, thick forests,
fertile fields, sandy beaches, and low-lying swamps.
The climate of the southern area does vary certain times of the year. In the
mountains of the Appalachians, the temperatures in the winter can drop to subfreezing temperatures, while areas like Florida, will stay moderate at 60 degrees. As
expected, the more north you travel the colder the winters will be and since much of
the Southern Region is closer to the equator, winters are not as harsh. In the
summer, the temperatures don’t vary as much. Most of the South is hot and humid in
the summer where temperatures are in the 80s and 90s. The humidity is also elevated
which increases peoples risk of heat-related illnesses. The warm waters of the
Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico make the coast a popular area for
hurricanes. Many, like Katrina, have caused much destruction
and devastation to the states bordering the ocean.
The South is probably the most distinctive and colorful
region in the United States. Like the Northeast region, English
Protestants were the first settlers in the South. New Englanders
tended to have views that differed from the “Old Country”, whereas, the
Southerners emulated the English. Therefore, Southerners were predominate
©Applejacks Teacher
Southeast Region
as leaders of the American Revolution. As a matter of fact, four out of the first five
presidents were born in Virginia.
However, the interests of the North and South began to change in the 1800s.
The North focused on industry, where the South cultivated lands and crops. Most of
the eastern states of the Southeast Region made a lot of money growing and selling
cotton and tobacco. Large farms, called plantations, demanded many laborers to work
the fields and help with the harvest. Plantation owners became increasingly more reliant
on slaves which came from Africa. This led to the spread of slavery throughout the
southern states.
Slavery became the most contentious issue between the North and South. The
North found slavery immoral, whereas, southerners saw it as a way of life. In 1860, North
Carolina was the first to secede, or withdraw formally, from the Nation. Ten other
states did the same. They were intent on creating the Confederate States of America.
This rupture led to the Civil War which ended in 1865 with the abolition of slavery.
Since that time, it has taken many years to heal because African Americans
were still not treated with political or economical equality. Although slavery was gone,
many cities in the South legalized practices of racial segregation. With hard work of
many, the end of segregation became realized in the 20th century.
Today the Southeast Region has evolved into a manufacturing region. Many
cities like Atlanta, Georgia and Little Rock, Arkansas have high-rise buildings which fill
the skylines. Also, because of it’s mild weather, states like Florida have become a
popular place for retirees from the United States and Canada.
©Applejacks Teacher
Southwest Region
The Southwest Region is made up of four
states: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Other states are sometimes included in the
Southwest Region, however, these four states are
considered to contain the basic elements of history,
culture, politics, religion, and linguistics of the
Southwest.
The Southwest is a semi-arid to arid climate. Most areas are deserts which
have many open spaces and is less densely populated. Summers are hot and dry,
whereas, winters are cool. Some high mountain areas receive snowfall too.
Before the Europeans arrived in the Southwest Region, it was occupied by
many Native American tribes. The most predominant tribes were Navajo, Apache,
Hopi, Zuni, and Comanche. Many reservations are found in this area preserving the
history and culture of these Native Americans.
Parts of the Southwest were also owned by Mexico. The United States
obtained this land during the Mexican-American war of 1846-48. Much of the Mexican
culture still thrives in the Southwest today. Streets and locations use Spanish names,
people cook traditional dishes, and customs are continued that reflect the heritage of
Mexico. Many immigrants continue to settle in the Southwest due to the fact the
border of Mexico is so close.
The geographic locations of the Southwest are mostly national parks and
monuments. Some of the most famous places are the Grand Canyon, Navajo National
Monument, Big Ben National Park, and White Sands National Park. There are
©Applejacks Teacher
Southwest Region
many others that are found in the Southwest and the neighboring states of
California, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. All of these parks and monuments are
natural exhibits of desert erosion that creates a beautiful picturesque vision of what
represents the Southwest Region.
The vegetation in this area requires little water and is strong enough to
withstand a dry and hot environment. Yucca, saguaro cactus, barrel cactus, prickly
pear cactus, desert spoon, creosote bush, sagebrush, and greasewood are among
popular plants that grow natively in the Southwest. Although it is thought that cacti
only grow in Arizona, many cacti grow in other states as well.
Landscape features of the Southwest include mountains, mesas, high broad
basins, plateaus, desert lands, and some plains. The High Plains region of the Great
Plains are located in parts of eastern New Mexico and west Texas. In the far eastern
part of southwest Texas, for example the Texas Hill Country, consists of dry, tall,
and rugged rocky hills of limestone and granite. Lastly, the southwestern states are
riddled with buttes, isolated hills with steep, often vertical sides and a small, relatively
flat top which are much smaller than mesas or plateaus.
There a variety of wildlife in this region. Bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyotes,
jackrabbits, mule deer, gray foxes, mountain lions, armadillos, raccoons, and
porcupines are animals that thrive in the Southwest. American bison and prairie dogs
are also found in New Mexico and Texas. But the most memorable wildlife of the
Southwest are the snakes, especially the rattlesnakes.
The Southwest Region is a popular destination of many visitors due to its
culture and amazing natural environment.
©Applejacks Teacher
Booklet or Poster
Sheets
For Students
©Applejacks Teacher
United States Regions
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©Applejacks Teacher
West Region
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Midwest Region
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Northeast Region
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Southeast Region
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Southwest Region
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United States Regions
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West Region
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Midwest Region
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Northeast Region
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Southeast Region
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Southwest Region
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©Applejacks Teacher
Note Taking
And Others Sheets
For Students
©Applejacks Teacher
How to Take Notes
• Be prepared – have paper and pencil ready
• If listening to information – be an active listener
• Take down key words and concepts, not sentences
• Write details of importance to each concept or key word
• If using text - do not write word for word
• If reading information on internet - do not copy and paste
• Abbreviate when possible or use shorthand you can
understand
©Applejacks Teacher
Note Taking
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Note Taking cont. ...
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Extension – Using Additional Sources
• Use books, articles, reference books, textbook, internet,
or interview
• Use note taking techniques
• Cite work – give credit to original writers
• Information for citing work
• Names of writers or interviewee
• Title of text – article title, book title, website title, subject of interview
• Date of publication or year or
• Publishing company or website
• Location of publishing
©Applejacks Teacher
Note Taking
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Note Taking cont. ...
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©Applejacks Teacher
Name: _________________________
United States Regions
©Applejacks Teacher
Name: _________________________
United States Regions
©Applejacks Teacher
Name: _________________________
United States Regions
©Applejacks Teacher
Thank You
Thank you so much for downloading my product.
Please remember that all information in this packet was
created by me and should not be copied or resold. This
packet is intended to be used in one classroom only.
If you have an questions, please feel free to
email me at
[email protected]
You can also visit my blog at
www.applejacksteacher.blogspot.com
The font used is Kristen ITC
from Microsoft.
©Applejacks Teacher