Unit 1: The Land and Early People
Chapter 1 – Our Country’s Geography
Land and Regions – Bodies of Water
Climate and Vegetation Regions– Using the Land- Where People Live and Work
Chapter 2 – The Earliest Americans
The First Americans – Ancient Indians – The Desert Southwest
The Northwest Coast and the Arctic – The Plains – The Eastern Woodlands
Inside this Unit
Pre-Test
Teacher Directions for Unit
Activity Flow Chart with Activities
Post Test
Daily Log of Activities
Literature Connections
Unit 1: The Land and Early People - Pre-Test
(Form 1)
Name: ____________________________________
Answer each question below including all the details you know.
1. Name the two largest mountain ranges in the United States.
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2. What are landforms? Name a region of the country that has each type of landform.
(Mountains, Plains, Hills, orValleys)
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3. Explain why oceans, rivers and lakes are important to the United States?
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4. What main vegetation regions cover most of the United States?
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5. How do people in the United States use the land?
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6. What is the relationship and difference between suburban areas and rural areas?
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7. When describing locations on a map both latitude and longitude lines are used. Describe
the difference between the two and how they might be helpful for mapmakers?
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8. What is migration and how do you think Native Americans arrived in the America’s?
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9. What are nomads?
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10. Why did the ancient Indians have to change their way of life?
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11. The Pueblo people and Navajo people both resided in the desert southwest. How did the
environment and climate affect these groups?
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12. Compare and contrast the Pueblo people and the Navajo people.
13. What is a totem pole and what does it represent?
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14. How did the people of the plains use the natural resources around them to survive?
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15. The Iroquois tribe developed a league that acted as a confederation. Explain what a
confederation is and how it can help people.
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Unit 1: The Land and Early People – Pre-Test (Form 2)
Name: ___________
Landforms and Regions
Use the map above to complete the following activities:
1. Label the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
2. Fill in the directions on the compass rose.
3. Draw and label the Mississippi River.
4. Draw
’s to show the location of the Rocky Mountains. Label them.
5. Label the Gulf of Mexico.
6. Draw a
to show the location of the Great Plains and label them.
7. Color the Great Lakes blue.
8. Color Canada purple and Mexico green.
9. Draw
’s to show the location of the Appalachian Mountains. Label them.
10. Hawaii is not shown on the map. Draw and label Hawaii in its correct location.
Latitude and Longitude
Place the cities listed below in the correct locations on the map and label them.
Name of City
Latitude
Longitude
Austin, TX
30.3°N
97.7°W
Boston, MA
42.4°N
71.1°W
Chicago, IL
41.9°N
87.6°W
Seattle, WA
47.5°N
122.3°W
Washington, DC
38.9°N
77.4°W
The Earliest Americans
1. Which of the following theories explains how people believe the earliest people arrived in the
Americas?
a. Ice-age hunters walked across a land bridge from Asia to Alaska.
b. People from Asia crossed the Pacific Ocean in boats.
c. People have always lived in the Americas.
d. All of the above.
2. The main source of food and shelter for the First Americans was a. corn
b. fish
c. clams
d. mammoths
3. Which of the following shows the correct order of development of civilizations in the
Americas?
a. the Olmecs, the Maya, the Mound Builders, the Anasazi
b. the Olmecs, the Mound Builders, the Anasazi, the Maya
c. the Maya, the Olmecs, the Mound Builders, the Anasazi
d. the Olmecs, the Maya, the Anasazi, the Mound Builders
4. Which statement best describes the people of the Desert Southwest?
a. They adapted their ways of life to fit the environment.
b. They believed in gods of the sun, rain and Earth.
c. They lived in dome-shaped shelters called hogans.
d. They hunted deer in the forests.
5. The Plains Indians –
a. hunted buffalo
b. built tepees with hides
c. built lodges with sod
d. all of the above
Reading Time Lines
Use the time line to answer the questions below.
700 AD
800 AD
900 AD
1000 AD
1100 AD
1200 AD
1300 AD
Mound Builders begin
flourishing
Collapse of the Mayan
civilization
Leif Ericson sails to
North America
1. For how many years did the Toltecs rule over Chichen Itza? _________________
2. The Mayan civilization collapsed in the year 850. Draw a line from the box above to the
correct spot on the time line.
3. About what year did the Aztecs found Tenochtitlan? ________________
4. About how many years was the Mound Builder civilization flourishing before Leif Ericson
sailed to North America? ______________
5. Columbus sailed to the Americas in 1492. How would you change the time line to
include Columbus’ voyage?
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__________________________________________________________________________
Unit 1- The Land and Early People
Directions for the teacher:
1. Copy the instructional Power Points onto classroom computers.
2. Administer the Unit 1 Pre-Test.
3. Give each student a copy of the Unit 1 Flow Chart and their corrected pre-test.
4. Students will follow the steps in the Flow Chart based on their own performance on the
pre-test. Students who need more instruction will view Power Points for the sections
they need and complete an activity with each Power Point. Students who have
mastered a concept will have extension activities to complete.
5. All students will complete the Create-A-Continent project and the Native American Time
Line project.
6. Students take the post-test to complete the flow chart.
7. Grades may be taken on activities, worksheets, or the post-test.
8. Additional practice activities are included in the Supplemental Activities folder.
The First Americans Activity
The First Americans slide show describes three different theories of how the First Americans
arrived on the North American continent. Which theory do you believe is the correct one?
Write a paragraph describing that theory and explain why you chose it.
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Use the following map to show where the four ancient American civilizations were located.
The First Americans Activity (continued)
Olmec
Years
(Began and Ended)
Diet
Inventions
Art
Interesting
Facts
Mound
Builders
Anasazi
Mayan
Mayan Folktale Activity
We all remember the story of how the tortoise tricked the hair. The Mayans had a trickery folktale about
a rabbit and a crab. Predict how you think the tales may be similar. Then go to
http://www.indigenouspeople.net/rabbcrab.htm and read the Mayan folktale about the rabbit and the
crab. Then go to http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/maya/hartort.htm and read about the tortoise and the
hare. After reading both stories, compare them using the Venn Diagram below.
Prediction of how the tales are alike:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Now read both tales and compare:
The Rabbit and the Crab
The Tortoise and the Hare
Where in the World Are We?
Fill in the blanks.
1. The ___________________ is the latitude line at 0 degrees that divides the Earth into
northern and southern hemispheres.
2. The ____________ _________________ is the longitude line at 0 degrees that divides
the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres.
3. Lines of latitude are also called ____________________ because they are always the
same distance from each other.
4. The North Pole is at _____________________ north latitude.
5. The prime meridian and the equator divide the Earth into four ________________.
Complete the chart below by listing the quadrant, or quadrants, where each place is located.
Place
Quadrant(s)
Africa
Asia
Atlantic Ocean
Australia
Indian Ocean
North America
Complete the chart below by writing the name of the continent where each location can be
found.
Location
50°N, 20°E
40°S, 70°W
20°S, 140°E
40°N, 100°W
20°N, 20°E
Continent
North American Landforms Map
Follow the directions on the PowerPoint to complete the map below.
Create-A-Continent
Map Skills and Geography Terms Cumulative Project
Completed Map due: _______________________
Your assignment is to design your own continent using the paper your teacher will give you with
latitude and longitude lines marked on it. You will first have to choose a theme for your continent. All
countries, cities, rivers, mountains, etc. must follow your theme. For example, you may name your
continent the Continent of Cat. The countries might have names such as Manx and Persian, the rivers
might be called the Tabby River and the mountains could be called the Catnip Mountains.
After you have your idea, you must design your continent using an appropriate shape. You may want
to create a rough draft of your creation before beginning on the special paper. You must divide your
shape into at least four sections for each of your four countries. Each country must include a capital
city and at least one other city. All country names must be written in all capital letters. All other labels
must start with a capital letter. Your continent must include all of the things listed in the worksheet
below. You may also include up to 10 extra credit items. Use the terms in your History Alive book,
section 1.4.
After you have drawn and labeled your map, you will go over all labels and boundary lines in ultra-thin
black Sharpie. Include a compass rose and a key. Be sure your key includes all symbols used in your
map. Your name should be written in the top right corner. Then, color your map completely using
colored pencil or crayon. Each country should be a different color. All water should be blue, all
mountains green or brown.
Continent Name: __________________________________ (carefully written in all capital letters,
easy to read and fits my theme.)
Names of Countries, Capitals and Cities: (Country names written in all capital letters. City names
written in lower case letters with a capital letter at the beginning. Capital cities indicated with a star
or other special symbol. Other cities indicated with a black dot. Include these symbols in the key. All
names must fit theme.)
Country One: _____________________________________
Capital: ____________________________________
City: ______________________________________
Country Two: _____________________________________
Capital: ____________________________________
City: ______________________________________
Country Three: _____________________________________
Capital: ____________________________________
City: ______________________________________
Country Four: _____________________________________
Capital: ____________________________________
City: ______________________________________
Names of mountains, mountain ranges, and/or volcanoes: (carefully marked and labeled, label
included in your key, fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Names of lakes, rivers, and/or waterfalls: (carefully marked and labeled, label included in your key if
appropriate, fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Names of peninsula, delta, forest, and/or cape: (carefully marked and labeled, label included in your
key if appropriate, fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Names of channel, strait, gulf and/or bay: (carefully marked and labeled, label included in your key if
appropriate, fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Names of islands and/or archipelago: (carefully marked and labeled, label included in your key if
appropriate, fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Names of oceans and seas: (carefully marked and labeled, label included in your key if appropriate,
fits your theme.)
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
Include:
________ Compass Rose
________ Complete Key
________ Your name clearly written in the top right corner
________ Colored completely and neatly and carefully outlined
Create-A-Continent
Map Skills and Geography Terms Cumulative Project
Extra Credit Form
Must indicate name and type of item:
Example: Tuna City in Persian
Fur River River
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________
6. _________________________________________________________________
7. _________________________________________________________________
8. _________________________________________________________________
9. _________________________________________________________________
10. _________________________________________________________________
This form must be turned in with your Create-A-Continent Question Worksheet to get credit
for your extra credit items.
Create-A-Continent
Map Skills and Geography Terms Cumulative Project
Question Worksheet
Now that you are all done with your masterpiece, it is time to answer some questions about your map! Look
carefully at your creation and answer the following questions.
Name four of your countries and one geographical landmark that lie within the boundaries of that country.
This could be a city, capital, bay, river, etc. Then, tell the latitude and longitude of the landmark.
Country
A.
B.
C.
D.
Landmark
Latitude
Longitude
Ancient American Timelines Project
Step 1: Research the tribes from the following areas and record your data in the chart.
The Southwest
The Eastern
Woodlands
The Plains
Northwest Coast
Names of
Tribes
(At least 2)
Two
Important
Events with
Dates
Transportatio
n
Food
Sources/
Shelter
Adaptations
to
Environment
Step 2:
Create a timeline of the tribes you learned about in Step 1. Ask your teacher for a 3 foot
piece of bulletin board paper or a poster for this activity. Make sure you include:
 A neatly drawn timeline with regular intervals labeled
 The important dates listed in your chart
 Illustrations of shelter, food sources, methods of transportation, etc.
 1492 – Columbus’ discovery of the Americas
Step 3: Write a report to go with your timeline that explains how the Native Americans from
each region adapted to their environments by using readily-available resources.
Landforms and Regions
Use the map to the right to complete the questions below. Write the name of the letter of
the landform or region on the map next to its description below.
A
B
A
C
F
G
H
D
E
I
_____ 1. Approximate location of the Hawaiian Islands.
_____ 2. The country of Mexico.
_____ 3. The Rocky Mountains.
_____ 4. The Atlantic Ocean.
_____ 5. The Gulf of Mexico.
_____ 6. The United States’ largest peninsula.
_____ 7. The country of Canada.
_____ 8. The Great Plains.
_____ 9 . The Appalachian Mountains.
_____ 10. The Great Lakes
J
Latitude and Longitude
Write the name of the continent at each location listed in the chart below.
Latitude
Longitude
30°N
10°E
30°S
120°E
15°S
60°W
60°N
120°W
60°N
90°E
Name of Continent
The Earliest Americans
1. All of the following are theories that explain how scientists believe the earliest people
arrived in the Americas EXCEPT a. People have always lived in the Americas.
b. People migrated across the South Pole from Australia.
c. People from Asia crossed the Pacific Ocean in boats.
d. Ice-age hunters walked across a land bridge from Asia to Alaska.
2. Large animals hunted by the First Americans were a. badgers
b. giraffes
c. mammoths
d. horses
3. Which of the following is considered the “mother civilization” for the advanced cultures
of the Americas?
a. the Olmecs
b. the Mound Builders
c. the Maya
d. the Anasazi
4. Which of these resources insured the survival of Northwest Coast Tribes?
a. Adobe homes
b. Fertile plains
c. Cactus plants
d. Salmon
5. The Pueblo Indians adapted to the harsh desert environment by a. Relocating to areas with more rainfall
b. Planting crops along riverbanks
c. Building homes protected by cliffs
d. all of the above
Reading Time Lines
Use the time line to answer the questions below.
1000 AD
1100 AD
1200 AD
1300 AD
1492 Columbus
discover Americas
1400 AD
1500 AD
1600 AD
990 Toltecs take over
Chichen Itza
1150 Collapse of the
Toltec civilization
1350 Beginning of Inca
Empire
1. The Aztecs were defeated by Cortes 194 years after the founding of Tenochtitlan. In
what year was Tenochtitlan founded ? _________________
2. The Toltec civilization collapsed in the year 1150. Draw a line from the box above to the
correct spot on the time line.
3. For how many years did the Incan Empire exist? ________________
4. About how many years was the Incan civilization flourishing before Columbus sailed to
the Americas?______________
5. Which civilization ruled longer – the Aztecs or the Incans? _____________________
Unit 1: The Land and Early People– GT Differentiation Chart
Lesson
Chapter 1 Lesson 1
Land and Regions
Chapter 1 Lesson 2
Bodies of Water
Chapter 1 Lesson 3
Climate and Vegetation
Regions
Chapter 1 Lesson 4 & 5
Using the Land/Where
People Live and Work
Chapter 2 Lesson 1 & 2
The First Americans
and Ancient Indians
Chapter 2 Lesson 3
The Desert Southwest
Auditory/Analytic
Visual / Global
Research the explorers that
first visited the major
landforms in the United
States.
Use a map to locate the city
where your school is
located and identify major
landforms in the area.
Sculpt a landform of your
choice using modeling clay
and explain its significance
to a region of the United
States.
Research Samuel Clemens
and write a one page
summary of his life.
Compare and contrast the
three elevation maps on Pg
24 in Chapter 2.
Make a map including the
major bodies of water in
the United States and how
they help make life easier.
Research and
Compare/Contrast the
difference between El Nino
and La Nina.
Make a K-W-L chart for the
climate and vegetation in
the regions of the United
States.
Create a weather report skit
for the region of the United
States in which we live,
more specifically Houston.
Write a letter to someone
who is thinking about
moving to the United States
describing how the climate
changes from east to west
and include information
about the major cities in
which they could reside.
Write a diary entry as a
descendent of one of the
first Americans.
With a partner use the map
on page 45 and take turns
indentifying the regions and
states included in each
region across the United
States.
Make a poster showing the
non renewable and
renewable resources found
in the United States.
Compare/Contrast two of
the ancient cultures found
on the map on pg 65 in
Chapter 2 .
Draw an artifact left behind
by an ancient society and
present your drawing to the
class.
Write an essay describing
the purpose of cultural
maps.
Make a graphic organizer
about the way of life of the
Hopis.
Make an ancient Pueblo
Adobe using a material of
your choice.
Make a collage of items
representing your family
history.
Create a totem pole that
represents the history and
importance of your school.
Examine the painting on
page 81 and name traits
needed to catch buffalo.
Make a replica of a tepee
the Nomads lived in on the
Plains.
Research the methods used
for barter
Chapter 2 Lesson 4 today
organizations and create a
The Northwest Coast and system that could be used
Arctic
in your community.
Chapter 2 Lesson 5 & 6
The Plains and The
Eastern Woodlands
Make a fact file with note
cards about Life on the
Plains.
Tactile Kinesthetic /
Global
Daily Log of Extension Work
Name: ___________________________________
Project: __________________________________
* Adapted from Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner ©2001. Free Spirit Publishing Company Inc. Minneapolis, MN 866/703-7322.*
Today’s
Date
What I accomplished today
What I plan to accomplish during
tomorrow’s work period.
Unit 1: The Land and Early People – Literature Connections
Author
Title
Year
Averu. Susan.
EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN
INDIANS.
1992
0516005839
Averu presents biographical data on leading Native
Americans.
Begay, Shonto.
NAVAJO: VISIONS AND
VOICES ACROSS THE
MESA.
1995
0-590-46153-2
THE BOY WHO LIVED WITH
THE BEARS AND
OTHER IROQUOIS STORIES.
1995
0-06-021287-X
Duncan, Lois.
THE MAGIC OF SPIDER
WOMAN.
1996
0590461559
This is a collection of poems and paintings about
the Navajo Indians. The poems depict their values
and beliefs which teachers can compare with those
found in Lois Duncan’s THE MAGIC OF SPIDER
WOMAN.
This folklore collection includes six Iroquois tales.
Bruchac’s introduction includes information about
the Iroquois that may be used to expand knowledge
about the culture.
This folktale told by the Navajo Indians explains
their values and beliefs. The tale also reflects the
geography of the Southwest. It is excellent for
developing a literary elements web.
Jones, Jennifer.
HEETUNKA’S HARVEST: A
TALE OF THE PLAINS
INDIANS.
1994
1-879373-17-3
In this traditional tale, a Dakota woman learns her
lesson after she is greedy.
NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE
RESERVATION
IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
1996
0-89490-769-7
This book describes the movement of Native
Americans onto government-run reservations and
presents a look at reservation life today.
Roessel, Monty.
KINAALDLA: A NAVAJO
GIRL GROWS UP.
1993
0-8225-2655-7
Celinda McKelvey, a Navajo girl, participates in
the Kinaalda, the traditional coming-of-age
ceremony of her people.
Rosen, Michael.
CROW & HAWK: A
TRADITIONAL PUEBLO
INDIAN STORY.
1995
0-15-200257-X
This Pueblo tale reflects the importance of
responsibility to one’s children.
THE SERPENT’S TONGUE:
PROSE, POETRY, AND
ART OF THE NEW MEXICO
PUEBLOS.
1997
0-525-45514-0.
This is a large collection of literature including
stories divided according to the following:
Creation, Childhood, A Lasting Way of Life, Abode
of the Souls, Pueblo, Hunting, Ceremony and
Courtship, and Two Worlds. The text includes
notes about the contributors, selected bibliography,
literature sources, and art sources.
Bruchac, Joseph.
McCormick, Anita
Louise.
Wood, Nancy.
ISBN
Summary
Reading Response Sheet
Name: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________________
Title of Book: ___________________________________________________________________
Author’s Name: ___________________________________ Pages read today: ________________
My reactions/feelings to today’s reading: _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What’s really great about this book so far: ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
How does the information in the book relate to the textbook or research you have done (check accuracy): ______
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
New words from this book: ___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Lasting thought: ____________________________________________________________________________
* Adapted from Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner ©2001. Free Spirit Publishing Company Inc. Minneapolis, MN 866/703-7322.*
Reading Response Sheet
Name: ____________________________________ Date: _______________________________
Title of Book: ___________________________________________________________________
Author’s Name: ___________________________________ Pages read today: ________________
My reactions/feelings to today’s reading: _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
What’s really great about this book so far: ________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
How does the information in the book relate to the textbook or research you have done (check accuracy): ______
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
New words from this book: ___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Lasting thought: ____________________________________________________________________________
* Adapted from Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom by Susan Winebrenner ©2001. Free Spirit Publishing Company Inc. Minneapolis, MN 866/703-7322.*