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Posobie Scholastic 5-Minutes Daily Practice Writing Geography
Posobie Scholastic 5-Minutes Daily Practice Writing Geography
Practice
BY MINNIE ASHCROFT
Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible activity sheets in this book for classroom use. No other
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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
Introduction .......................4
Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Human-Environment Interaction . . . . . . . 28
Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Location Describe the place. Where is it located? What is World in Spacial Terms;
it near? What direction is it from another place? Physical Systems;
Places & Regions
Place What is a place like? What features define it? Places & Regions;
Physical Systems
Human– How are people’s lives shaped by the place Human Systems;
Environment where they live? How has a place been changed Environment & Society;
Interaction by people? Uses of Geography
Movement How do people and things move from one Uses of Geography;
place to another? Environment & Society;
Human Systems
Regions Why are some places similar to others? What Places & Regions;
makes these places different from others? Physical Systems;
Human Systems
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 capital of the country where
the Bosporus separates this city onto this city is located is Ankara.
these two continents. ● The country where this city is located
● It is the largest city of the country is bordered by Bulgaria, Greece, Syria,
in which it is located, but it is not Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, the
the capital city. 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.
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:
Location
Name:
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.
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:
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 ● The Arkansas and South Platte rivers
Mountain National Park, Mesa run through this state.
Verde National Park, and Dinosaur ● Pikes Peak is located in this state.
National Park.
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 ● The currency is called the franc.
German, Italian, and French ● This country is located in the Alps
surround this country. of Europe.
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.
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 Use an alm
answer the following question. Then write a sentence that to find th anac
e names
of these
tells the distance between San Diego and each of the cities. states.
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 c) Are there any bodies of water
use to locate Biloxi? near Biloxi?
b) What clue did the editor give you d) In what state is Biloxi located?
that would help you to find this city?
e) Is Biloxi closer to Canada or Mexico?
Location
Name:
24. 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.
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?
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.
Location
Name:
37. What city in the United States is located where the Location
Allegheny River and the Monongahela River meet to
form the Ohio River?
44. Name the body of water that separates Europe from Location
North Africa.
49. Try this activity without looking at a map. List all 50 Location
Place
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.
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. 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.
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?
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:
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.
Batavia Indonesia
Christiania Norway
Constantinople Turkey
Danzig Poland
Peiping China
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.
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:
Place
Name:
68. 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.
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.
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.
● 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.
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 is located between 20oS and 30●oSPopulation
latitude.
●● Capital
It is west of the Andes Mountain Range. ● Major products
The capital
●● Area city of the country in which this landform is found is Santiago.
● Language
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.
Tugela Norway
Mongefossen Venezuela
Yosemite Norway
Place
Name:
79. 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
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 pump-
kin pie—on display at an annual pumpkin show in this state. Use a U.S. politi-
cal 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
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
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:
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.
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.
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?
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 ● California condor ● Grevy’s zebra
● American crocodile ● chimpanzee ● hawksbill turtle
● black rhino ● giant panda ● mountain gorilla
● blue whale ● Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo ● snow leopard
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
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.
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:
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?
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. 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.
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:
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:
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?
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?
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
110. 1. George Washington Carver developed how many uses for the peanut?
2. What state grows three times as many peanuts as any other state?
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?
Mount Rushmore
Itaipu Dam
Stonehenge
Human-Environment Interaction
Name:
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 deter-
mine how many miles your town is from Wyoming. Use a political map of the
United States to help with this activity.
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.
Movement
Name:
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.
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.
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 _____________________.
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.
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.
● The contest starts at the city of Alexandria along the
Mediterranean Sea. QUESTIONS
● Travel east until you reach the Suez Canal.
● Sail through the canal and then southeast along the a) In which country
will the race
Red Sea.
begin?
● Next sail northeast through the Gulf of Aden and then
b) Which countries
south again into the Indian Ocean. will you pass
● Hug the coastline of the continent as you pass the during the race?
port cities of Mogadishu and Dar es Salaam. c) In which country
● Continue south through the Mozambique Channel and will the race
end your trip at the city of Port Elizabeth. end?
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
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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
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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.
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.
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?
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?
Movement
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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?
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:
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
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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.
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.
Regions
Name:
Regions
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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?
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
● 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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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!
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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.
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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.
● 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.
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.
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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.
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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 fol-
lowed 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.
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.
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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.
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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.
● 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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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