Central America
Lesson 1 Geography
Central
America
Anticipation Guide
Chapter 6 lesson 1 Central America
Anticipation Guide
Statement
1. Brazil is in Central America.
2. Volcanic eruptions are common in
Central America.
3. The Ring of Fire is a piece of jewelry.
4. Coniferous trees are cone-bearing
evergreens.
5. The Panama Canal is located in Costa
Rica.
Before
After
Essential Question:
What are the main geographical features of
Central America, and how do they affect the
people who live there?
Define the vocabulary.
 Coniferous
 Ring
of Fire
 Isthmus
coniferous

A kind of cone-bearing tree
Ring of Fire -The circle of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean.
Isthmus
A
small strip of land, with water on both
sides that connects two larger areas of
land.
How would you explain the geography of Central America?
Graphic Organizer
Form groups of three with two other
students.
1. Read pages 194-196. Take turns reading
paragraphs so that everyone gets a
chance.
Do Now 5-17-12
 Put
your name on the half sheet of paper.
Answer the following questions:
1) What does Archipelago mean?
2) Where is the Ring of Fire?
3) Why is this area called the Ring of Fire?
You must answer in complete sentences!!!
Countries and Capitals
1. Belize-
Belmopan
2. Guatemala- Guatemala City
3. Honduras- Tegucigalpa
4. Costa Rica- San Jose
5. Nicaragua- Managua
6. Panama- Panama City
7. El Salvador- San Salvador
Bodies of Water
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Pacific Ocean (west)
Caribbean Sea (east)
Panama Canal
Atlantic Ocean
Lake Nicaragua
Lake Managua
Lake Gatun
Landforms
Lowlands-
1.
Pacific Lowlands (west) - more narrow than Atlantic
b.
Atlantic Lowlands (east)- most of the world’s
banana crop is grown here.
Both Lowlands have a tropical climate and average
100-250 inches of rain per year
a.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Highlands- Rugged mountains- Coniferous
Forest- most people live on plantations and
grow most of the world’s coffee
Ring of Fire-circle of volcanoes
Rainforest
Isthmus of Panama
Panama Canal
•Located on the Isthmus of Panama- narrowest part is 30
miles long
•Canal links the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
•Started by the French in 1879 but the United States took
over and completed it in 1914. It costs 380 million dollars
to build.
•United States ran the Panama Canal until 2000.
•The canal helped shorten the trip from New York to San
Francisco from 13,000 miles to 5,200 miles.
•It takes a ship 10 hours to navigate the canal
Central America’s Geography
 Video-
Add information to your graphic
organizer from the video.
 ..\video\geography of central america.asx
 Complete
the 4-3-2-1 on the video
Map Assignment
 ..\..\Social
Studies\Chapter 6 Central
America\Learning Focus Lesson Central
America\Lesson 1 Geography\Map Rubric
Assignment.doc
Do Now: Quietly review your graphic
organizer from last week.
Countries
1.
Belize
2.
Guatemala
3.
Honduras
4.
Costa Rica
5.
Nicaragua
6.
Panama
7.
El Salvador
Landforms
Bodies of Water
Pacific Ocean (west)
Caribbean Sea (east)
Panama Canal
Atlantic Ocean
Lake Nicaragua
Lake Managua
Panama Canal
1.
United States built the canal and
completed it in 1914.
2.
Today Panama owns and
operates the canal.
3.
Isthmus of Panama-cut by a
human-made waterway to link
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
4.
Shorter trip for ships
LowlandsPacific Lowlands
Atlantic Lowlands
coastal lowlands
Highlands- Rugged mountains- Coniferous
Forest
Ring of Fire-circle of volcanoes
Rainforest
Isthmus of Panama
The Panama Canal
In the Panama Canal section of your graphic
organizer or on the back of the organizer,
please write 4 facts from the video about
the Panama Canal and its history.
E.Q. How would you explain the geography of
Central America?
Countries
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Belize
Guatemala
Honduras
Costa Rica
Nicaragua
Panama
El Salvador
Landforms
LowlandsPacific Lowlands
Atlantic Lowlands
coastal lowlands
Highlands- Rugged mountains- Coniferous
Forest
Ring of Fire-circle of volcanoes
Rainforest
Isthmus of Panama
Bodies of Water
Panama Canal
Pacific Ocean (west)
Caribbean Sea (east)
Panama Canal
Atlantic Ocean
Lake Nicaragua
Lake Managua
1.
2.
3.
4.
United States built the canal and
completed it in 1914.
Today Panama owns and
operates the canal.
Isthmus of Panama-cut by a
human-made waterway to link
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Shorter trip for ships
Answer the essential question in
your notebook.
 How
would you explain the
geography of Central America?
Do Now- 5-10-13
 Review
your graphic organizer on Central
America’s Geography!!!
Anticipation Guide
Chapter 6 lesson 1 Central America
Anticipation Guide
Revisit your anticipation guide.
Complete the after column.
Statement
1. Brazil is in Central America.
2. Volcanic eruptions are common in
Central America.
3. The Ring of Fire is a piece of jewelry.
4. Coniferous trees are cone-bearing
evergreens.
5. The Panama Canal is located in Costa
Rica.
Before
After
Anticipation Guide
Chapter 6 lesson 1 Central America
Anticipation Guide
Statement
Before
After
1. Brazil is in Central America.
Disagree
2. Volcanic eruptions are common in
Central America.
Agree
3. The Ring of Fire is a piece of jewelry.
Disagree
4. Coniferous trees are cone-bearing
evergreens.
Agree
5. The Panama Canal is located in Costa
Rica.
disagree
Ticket Out the Door
 4-
Name four countries in Central America.
 3- Name three landforms in Central
America.
 2- Name two bodies of water in Central
America.
 1- Name 1 fact about the Panama Canal.
Do Now Review
your graphic organizer on Central
America’s Geography!!!
 Get with a partner, discuss the EQ and
write an answer to the EQ: