Download California`s Land Regions

California’s Regions Study Guide (3RI.4/3RI.10)
-The fluency article will help you prepare for the test. The test will have multiple
choice questions, two short answer questions, and one question that must be
answered with one or more complete sentences.
1) What are the four land regions?
-desert
-valley
-coast
-mountain
2) What are the features of the valley region?
-low, flat land between mountains or hills
-rich soil good for farming
-1/4 of the nation’s food is grown in the valley region
-hot, dry summers
-more than 20 inches of rainfall
3) What are the features of the desert region?
-low, flat land
-few plants and animals
-less than 10 inches of rain
-hot, dry summers
4) What are the features of the mountain region?
-large forests
-lots of lakes
-provides drinking water
-provides water for farms
5) What are the features of the coast region?
-sand dunes
-redwood trees
-wetlands
-hills and mountains
-beaches
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------After reading the fluency article both times, a parent should sign below.
Monday _______________________
Wednesday ____________________
Tuesday _______________________
Thursday _______________________
Fluency (3RF.4/3RI.10)
NAME ____________________________
-Read the entire article to a parent every day.
-Then read it again for one minute. Underline the last word read.
-After reading both times, a parent should sign on the back.
California’s Land Regions
A region is a large area of land with similar features. Regions are
often named after the most common feature found within them. California
has four major regions: desert, valley, coast, and mountain.
California’s desert region makes up most of the southeastern part of the
state. Most of the land is low and flat. The desert gets less than ten inches of
rainfall each year. In the summer, the desert is hot and dry. Winters,
however, can be very cold. Few plants and animals can survive in these
harsh conditions. The plants grow in the desert are able to thrive in the
extreme changes in temperature and the dry conditions. The desert is home
to many types of animals. However, most of them are nocturnal.
California’s valley region is home to the greatest garden in the world.
Its low, flat land is very fertile. About one-fourth of the food America eats is
grown in the valley region. More than 300 different types of crops are grown
in California’s Central Valley. In the summer, the valley region has hot, dry
weather. However, this region gets more than twenty inches of rain from
mid-fall to mid-spring. Two important rivers flow through the valley region:
the Sacramento River and the San Joaquin River. These rivers provide water
for the crops and drinking water for people who live in the Central Valley.
California has one of the longest coastlines in the United States. It is
more than 800 miles long. It runs along the Pacific Ocean. Mountains, cliffs,
and giant redwood trees are found along the northern coast. The central
coast has wetlands, mountains, and sand dunes. The wetlands are home to
some unusual plants and animals. It also has rich soil that is good for farming.
California’s most beautiful beaches are found along the southern coast.
Mountains and hills also run along some parts of the coast in the south.
California has two major mountain ranges: the Coast Ranges and the
Sierra Nevada Mountains. This region has lots of lakes and large forests.
Both are important resources for the growing population of California. Much
of California’s water for drinking and growing crops comes from this region.
In addition, two of the highest waterfalls in the world, Yosemite Falls and
Ribbon Falls, are located in this region.