Mexico
Lesson 1
Do Now
Mexico
Geography
Essential Questions
1) What are the physical and
political features of Mexico?
2) How have the people of Mexico
adapted to its climate and
vegetation?
Lesson #1 Vocabulary
Define the vocabulary:

Vocabulary
isthmus
Peninsula
Tierra caliente
Tierra templada
Tierra fria
Frost
plateau
sierra
Isthmus

A small strip of land, with water on both
sides that connects two larger areas of
land.
Peninsula

A Piece of land that is mostly surrounded
by water.
Tierra Caliente

A climate term used in Mexico meaning
“hot land”.
Tierra templada

A climate term used in Mexico meaning
“temperate land”.
Tierra fria

A climate term used in Mexico meaning
“cold land”.
frost

A covering of tiny ice crystals that form on
a surface when dew or water vapor
freezes
Sierra

A chain of mountains whose peaks look
like the edge of a saw.
Plateau
A high, flat area of land
What are the physical and political
features of Mexico? (p. 172-174)
LANDFORMS (10)
CLIMATE (3)
BODIES OF WATER (6)
CITIES (11)
Don’t Do These
BORDERS(3)
OTHER INTERESTING FACTS (3)
LANDFORMS (10)












Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Baja California
Plateau of Mexico
Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre del Sur
Popocatepetl
Senora Desert
Yucatán Peninsula
Rain Forest
Beaches
Islands
BODIES OF WATER (6)
 Rio Grande (Rio Bravo del Norte)
 Pacific Ocean
 Gulf of Mexico
 Gulf of California
 Caribbean Sea
 Bay of Campeche
CITIES (11)
 Mexico City
 Guadalajara
 Tijuana
 Mexicali
 Ciudad Juarez
 Monterrey
* Cancun
* Acapulco
* Puebla
*Veracruz
BORDERS(3)
 United States
 Belize
 Guatemala
Interesting Facts
Mexico has 31 states.
 Cancun is a tourist spot.
 Volcanoes start in Mexico because the
movement of tectonic plates.

What are the physical and political features of Mexico?
LANDFORMS (10)
BODIES OF WATER (6)
CLIMATE (3 DESCRIBE)
CITIES (11)
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Baja California
Plateau of Mexico
Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre del Sur
Popocatepetl
Senora Desert
Yucatán Peninsula
Rain Forest
BORDERS(3)
United States
Belize
Guatemala
Rio Grande (Rio Grande del Norte)
Pacific Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of California
Caribbean Sea
Bay of Campeche
Mexico City
Guadalajara
Tijuana
Mexicali
Ciudad Juarez
Monterrey
* Cancun
* Acapulco
* Puebla
*Veracruz
OTHER INTERESTING FACTS (3)
Answers will vary
Do Now
Mexico’s
Climate
What are the different climate
zones in Mexico?
Read pages 175-176.
 Complete the main idea chart for Mexico
with a partner.

tierra caliente
 Hot
land
 Elevation sea level to 3,000 feet
 Hot summers
 Mild winters
 No frost
tierra templada
 Temperate
land
 Elevations between 3,000 and 6,000 feet
 Average temperature is between 80F and 50F.
 Most of Mexico’s farms are in this area.
 Most of its people live in this zone.
tierra fria
 Cold
land
 Elevation above 6,000 feet
 Temperatures are not real cold or real hot.
 Frost is unusual in areas below 8,000 feet.
 The highest mountains peak are colder and
covered with snow all year-round.
On the last page (back) in your
notebook: Summarization Activity
Ticket out the door
 Explain the major climate zones in Mexico.
Give at least 2 details for each type of
climate zone.
 Write this in paragraph form.
The three major climate zones in Mexico are
Summarization Activity
Dear Mr. Fisher Letter:
Tell me what important facts you know
about the geography of Mexico. Be as
specific as you can be.