Download The Northeast - Library Video Company

TEACHER’S GUIDE
• In small groups, have students research average temperatures and rainfall for selected cities and/or states in the Northeast region.Then, have
students create double bar graphs to display this data. Have students
then compare and contrast the graphs to obtain information, such as
which city had the most rainfall or the coldest temperatures.
• In small groups, and using magazines, newspapers and art materials,
have students create posters depicting either famous foods or travel
destinations in the Northeast region. Students should then present their
collages to the class explaining the choices they made.
• Have students create a Northeast riddle book. Students can write riddles
about states in the Northeast region. For example: I am a small state, but
I was the first to join the Union.What state am I? Compile student state
riddles into a book.
• In small groups, have students find out the nicknames of each Northeast
state, and discover the nicknames’ origins. Students can then illustrate
each state and its nickname, or perhaps give the state another, appropriate nickname.
TEACHER’S GUIDE
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Suggested Print Resources
• Furlong Reynolds, and Cynthia & Ginny Joyner. M is for Maple Syrup.
Sleeping Bear Press, Chelsea, MI; 2002.
• Kent, Deborah. In the Middle Colonies. Marshall Cavindish, New York,
NY; 2000. Non-fiction title about the history and customs of immigrant
groups living in the middle colonies during the 17th and 18th
centuries.
• Kuntz, Lynn, Jan Flemming and Mark A. Hicks. American Grub: Eats for
Kids from All Fifty States. Gibbs Smith, Layton, UT; 2003.
• Miller, Millie & Cyndi Nelson. United States of America: A State-by-State
Guide. Scholastic, New York, NY; 2001.
• Rubel, David. Scholastic Atlas of the United States. Scholastic, New York,
NY; 2003.
• Whitman, Sylvia. Immigrant Children. Lerner Publishing Group, New
York, NY; 2000. Non-fiction title which focuses on the lives of immigrant
children during late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Northeast
Grades K–4
Suggested Internet Resources
Periodically, Internet Resources are updated on our web site at
www.LibraryVideo.com
• www.manning.k12.ia.us/Elementary/teachers/Cast/
TEACHER’S GUIDE
%20castprojects/northeast02/Landforms_Geo/
landform_pictures.htm
Julia McMeans, M.Ed.
Rudolph Lea, Educator
Curriculum Specialists, Schlessinger Media
This site, created by elementary students, has useful information about
the landforms in the Northeast region.
• www.maquoketa.k12.ia.us/Cardinal/4c01TourtheUSA/
COMPLETE LIST OF TITLES
4c01NEtitle.html
This web site contains information about all aspects of the Northeast
region including manufacturing, climate, agriculture, famous people,
population, etc.
• www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/statesbw/regions.shtml
This site contains a printable quiz regarding the Mid-Atlantic States. In
addition, this site offers an abundance of information about all 50 states.
• California
• Florida
• Michigan
• New York
• Texas
• The Midwest
• The Northeast
• The Southeast
• The Southwest
• The West
Teacher’s Guides Included
and Available Online at:
5
eography is the study of the Earth’s surface and
the ways in which people interact with it. It helps
us to understand the unique features of regions, landforms, climates and natural resources. Geography is
also the study of people; where they live, how they
live and why and how they move from place to place.
Through the study of geography we can understand
the impact people have upon the environment, and
the effect the environment has upon people.
Geography is not about the rote memorization of
capital cities or mountain ranges, but rather an understanding of why cities sprang up where they did, and
how one mountain range may be different from
another. Geography is a framework through which we
can understand, interpret and make sense of an everchanging world.
G
• State Capitals
• The United States
• U.S. Commonwealths
& Territories
800-843-3620
Teacher’s Guide and Program Copyright 2004 by Schlessinger Media,
a division of Library Video Company
P.O. Box 580,Wynnewood, PA 19096 • 800-843-3620
Executive Producer:Andrew Schlessinger
Program produced and directed by JWM Productions, LLC.
All rights reserved.
K7652
V8807
Appalachian Mountains — An ancient mountain range that runs through
Program Summary
With mountains, beaches, big cities, small towns and a wealth of history and
culture, the Northeast region has something for everybody! Comprised of 11
states, this region bordering the Atlantic Ocean is the smallest of the U.S.
regions in area. The states that make up this region are divided into two
smaller regions. The Middle Atlantic states are Maryland, Delaware, New
Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont are referred to as the New England
states.
The Northeast region is characterized by the Atlantic Coastal Plain with its
bays, beaches and capes, along with the Appalachian Mountains, an ancient
range that stretches along much of the eastern coast of the United States.
Because of the region’s fertile soil and climate — four distinct seasons with
ample rainfall — the Northeast region is covered with lush forests and is
home to many farms.
Trade developed early on in this region, as port cities sprang up and people
discovered how to harness the power of water to operate mills.
Industrialization meant that new companies needed a lot of people to work
in them. Immigrants flowed into the Northeast and provided the labor, and
this made the cities larger. Most people in the Northeast region live in large
metropolitan areas.There are so many metropolitan areas concentrated into
such a small area along the eastern seaboard that they form almost a seamless
line of cities and suburbs.This dense concentration of large metropolitan
areas is known as a megalopolis.
The Northeast region has a wide variety of natural resources, including coal,
iron ore, granite and marble. It also produces specialized crops of cranberries
and maple syrup. Vast quantities of seafood are fished from the bays and
ocean, so the fishing industry is an important part of the economy of the
Northeast region.
New York City, affectionately known as “The Big Apple,” is the largest city in
the Northeast region. It is considered to be both the artistic and financial
center of the United States, and is also a travel destination for millions of
people worldwide. In addition, because so many of this region’s states were
original colonies, this region of the United States has a rich historical
heritage.
the entire Northeast region.
glacier — A massive sheet of ice that slowly moves over the land changing
its shape.
port — A trading center along a waterway where ships load and unload
people and goods.
bay — A place where the ocean cuts far into the land.
urban — Relating to a city area.
suburban — Relating to an area around a city where many people live.
metropolis — The combined area of a city and its suburbs.
megalopolis — An area with more than one metropolitan area.
commuters — People who travel from one area to another, usually to get
to and from work.
natural resource — Something found in nature that people can use. Coal
is an example of a natural resource.
product — Something that people produce, usually to sell. Maple syrup is
an example of a product.
quarry — A huge hole that is dug into the ground in order to retrieve
stone.
immigrant — A person who moves his or her residence from one country
to another.
tourist — A person who visits a place to find out what it is like.
economy — The way people make, sell and buy goods and services.
cape — A piece of land that juts out into the ocean.
Pre-viewing Discussion
• Discuss with your students why they think the study of geography is
important.What can we learn from studying people, the land and how
they interact?
• What questions do students have about the Northeast region? What predictions can they make about certain aspects (climate, landforms, etc.) of
this particular region?
Focus Questions
Vocabulary
landforms — The natural shapes that make up the Earth’s surface. Deserts,
mountains and plains are examples of landforms.
region — An area that has characteristics that distinguish it from other
areas.
Atlantic Coastal Plain — The low, flat area along the Atlantic coastline.
(Continued)
1. How many states comprise the Northeast region?
2.What are the names of the states that comprise the Northeast region?
3.What are the names of the two smaller areas that make up the Northeast
region?
4.What types of landforms dominate this region?
5. Describe the climate of the Northeast region.
6.What sorts of recreational activities are available in the Northeast
region?
7. Name some products that this region is famous for producing.
8.What are the main reasons why this particular region grew so rapidly?
9.What advantages are there to living close to the ocean?
10. Describe a megalopolis.
Follow-up Discussion
• The Northeast region has four distinct seasons. Have students discuss
the advantages and disadvantages of living in an area where the climate
can be quite changeable.
• Children living in the large cities of the Northeast often do not have
yards in which to play. Have students discuss the consequences of
having to play on the sidewalks.What sorts of games could you play?
What sorts of games would be impossible to play? What might be other
advantages and disadvantages to living in a city?
Follow-up Activities
• In small groups, have students select a state from the Northeast region
and conduct research about their particular state. Research topics could
include: state capital, date it entered the Union, population, flower, flag
and natural resources. Students should then create a colorful and informative presentation to show to the class. Useful resource:
www.teachersfirst.com/share/13states/index.cfm
• The Appalachian Mountain range is the oldest range in the United
States. Have students research what sorts of recreational activities are
available in these mountains.After students conduct their research, they
should write a short paragraph describing which activity they would
most like to participate in, and why. Useful resource:
www.outdoors.org/
activities/index.shtml
• Provide students with a variety of physical maps, including a one of the
Northeast. In small groups, have students create their own physical
maps of the Northeast region.Their maps should be labeled to show
the Atlantic Coastal Plain,Appalachian Mountains, Lowland Plains,
Upland Area, Piedmont Plateau, fall line and the Appalachian Plateau.
Their maps should also contain a map key.
• Have students select one state from the Northeast region and create a
travel brochure. Display completed travel brochures on a hallway bulletin board so other students may have access to them. Useful resource:
projects.edtech.sandi.net/king/learningusa/ustemplate.htm
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