Geography: 1 Geospatial Skills

People use geographic representations and geospatial technologies to acquire, process and report information within a spatial context.

Benchmark: Students will obtain and analyze geographic information from print and electronic resources to investigate a place or answer a specific geographic question 8.3.1.1.1. (Skills)

Geography: 2 Places and Regions

Places have physical characteristics (such as climate, topography, and vegetation) and human characteristics (such as culture, population, political and economic systems).

Benchmark: Students will use geographic tools to analyze and explain the distribution of physical and human characteristics of places 8.3.2.3.1

Activity: Look closely at a physical map of Latin America and examine the location of major physical features. Be prepared to explain the impact of these physical features on Latin American life.

Discussion Questions: Whole group or small group activity. Complete the Lesson 2 Graphic Organizer.

• What major bodies of water are in or around Latin America?
• What natural physical features (landforms) are in or around Latin America?
• How might the location of major landforms and waterways impact the cultural geography of Latin America? (Consider a society’s economy, culture, and development)
• How do people impact the physical geography and environment?

Reading Activity and Assignment: Complete the Read to Discover Worksheet

Read National Geographic Society: South America: Physical Geography

Read to Discover:

1) What factors have shaped the formation of Latin America's landforms?

2) How has the Latin American landscape influenced the patterns of human settlement?

Read to Discover:

3) What climate regions are represented in Latin America?

4) How do Latin America's location and landforms affect climates? 5) How are the natural vegetation and agriculture of Latin America influenced by climatic patterns?

Mapping Activity:

MapMaker Interactive is a great resource from National Geographic that allows teachers and students to explore the world with map themes, data, and geospatial tools for customizing maps. To help answer the Read to Discover questions you may explore the MapMaker Interactive link to create maps by manipulating data and map layers. Teachers can walk students through using this website or students can explore individually.

* Source National Geographic Society