Unit 2 Lesson 1

1. Unit 2 Lesson 1 Communities Are in Different PlacesWhat makes the place where you live different from other places?

2. Geography • Geography is the study of the Earth’s features. • All places on the Earth have features, or things that are special about them.

3. Physical Features • A physical feature is something found in nature. • Examples of physical features are: climate (weather), plant life, land, and water.

4. Landforms • Landforms are different kinds of land. • Highlands have land that is high. • Lowlands have land that is low and flat.

5. Highlands • Highlands contain land that is higher than the land around it. • Examples of highlands are: mountains, hills, and plateaus.

6. Lowlands • Lowlands contain land that is lower and flatter than the land around it. • Examples of lowlands are: valleys and plains.

7. Mountain Ranges • Highland • Mountain ranges are groups of mountains. • Examples of mountain ranges are the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.

8. The Rocky Mountains • Highlands • The Rocky Mountains are in the western United States. • They are very high, and their tops are pointed.

9. The Appalachian Mountains • Highlands • The Appalachian Mountains are in the eastern United States. • They are lower than the Rocky Mountains, and their tops are rounded. • They are older than the Rocky Mountains. • Over many years wind and rain have worn down their tops.

10. Plateaus • Highlands • Plateaus have steep sides like mountains, but their tops are flat.

11. Valleys • Lowlands • Valleys are the lowlands between hills and mountain ranges.

12. Plains • Lowlands • Plains are flat. • The area between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains is called the Great Plains.

13. Peninsula • A peninsula is a piece of land that has water almost all the way around it. • Communities may be built on peninsulas.

14. Coasts • The coast is the land next to the ocean. • Communities may be built next to an ocean, lake, or river.

15. The Mississippi River • The Mississippi is the longest river in the United States. • It flows into the Gulf of Mexico, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean.

16. The 5 Great Lakes • The 5 Great Lakes are the largest lakes in the United States. • They lie between the United States and Canada. • Lake Huron • Lake Ontario • Lake Michigan • Lake Erie • Lake Superior

17. Climate • Climate is the kind of weather a place has in each season year after year. • Climate includes how hot or cold it gets and how much rain or snow falls in a place. • The U.S. has many climates because it is so big. Climates can be hot, warm, mild, cool, cold, wet, or dry.

18. Plant Life • Once you know the climate of a place, you can understand its plant life. • Some plants grow well in cool, dry climates, while others need warm, wet climates. • Most trees need a lot of rain, so only places with wet climates have forests.

19. Deserts • Deserts have hot, dry climates. • They have plants that don’t need much water.

20. Human-Made Features • Human-Made Features are features that people have added to a place. • The farm the Sheldons built was one of Aurora’s human-made features. • Some examples of human-made features are: buildings, houses, bridges, and roads.

21. Landform Map • Landform maps show the shape of the land. • They tell where the mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains are.