Georgia Regions
and Habitats
Mrs. Martin’s Class
GPS
S3L1. Students will investigate the habitats of different
organisms and the dependence of organisms on their habitat.
S3L2. Students will recognize the effects of pollution and
humans on the environment.
Before we get
started, what is a
region and a habitat?
Do you know?
Vocabulary
• Region – a territory, a big area
• Habitat – (Watch the video to
understand what a habitat is)
• A habitat is…
A plant needs…
• Sunlight
Which habitat needs more
sunlight—a mountain or
piedmont (rolling hills)?
• Water
• Gas (carbon dioxide)
• Space/soil
An Animal needs…
• Food
• Shelter
• Water
• Gas (oxygen)
• space
What will happen if
these needs are not in
the organism’s habitat?
Where in the world is
Georgia?
Do you know?
Georgia is in the Southeastern
part of the United States, on
the continent of North America.
There it is!
Georgia itself is divided
into different regions. Each
region is different from the
others in their own special
ways. They have different
habitats.
Your teacher will give you a
Georgia Map.
The 3 northern regions,
from left to right, are the
1. Appalachian
Plateau,
2. the Ridge and
Valley, and
3. the Blue Ridge).
The habitat in these
regions:
MOUNTAIN
The central part of
Georgia is called
the Piedmont
Region. It is also
the name of the
habitat.
The southernmost part of
Georgia is called
the Coastal Plain
Region (swamps
and marshes).
Georgia borders
the Atlantic Ocean,
so it also has a
coastline and an
abundance of
barrier islands.
Neat!
Activity:
• Predict: Which plants and animals can be
found in each habitat? Can some plants and
animals live in more than one kind of habitat?
• Write the names of plants and animals on
your chart.
Let’s review on how a living thing or an organism
survives in an environment.
A plant needs…
• Sunlight
• Water
• Gas (carbon dioxide)
• Space/soil
An animal needs…
• Food
• Shelter
• Water
• Gas (oxygen)
• space
Let’s talk about ADAPTATION!
• An adaptation is a part or
behavior that helps an
organism get what it needs
from its environment.
What are different plant
adaptations?
1. Leaves
a.
If a plant gets plenty of sunlight what could be the size of its
leaves—broad (big)or needle-like (tiny)?
b.
Which plant has smaller leaves—a plant near water or a plant that
lives in a dry and sunny place?
Some plants/trees lose their leaves to save the food/nutrients in the
stem for the winter.
c.
What are different plant
adaptations?
2. Stems
a. Some water plants have longer stems.
b. Trees have bark to protect the inside of the
trunk/stem.
What are different plant
adaptations?
• 3. Roots
• Which root system has stronger support?
Watch brainpopjr.com video on
Plant Adaptation
What are different animal
adaptations?
• How do animals adapt to cold weather?
hibernation and thick fur
• Which animal can catch more prey? Why?
How can each animal get away from
the predators(hunters)? Why?
How do these birds avoid the cold?
They migrate—move from one place to
another (north, summer; south, winter).
Use the pictures and identify their
adaptation/s. Use the first person point
of view.
• Body parts like strong shell or
carapace, slick body, claws, legs,
fur, thick bark, strong roots and
many others
• Behavior like migration,
hibernation, camouflage, and
many others
Are you ready to find out
what makes each region
special?
Do you want to know
what kinds of plants and
animals might be found
in each?
Let’s start in
Georgia’s
Mountain!
Take your
prediction chart
and Georgia map
with you.
Let’s take a little
field trip, shall we?
The Georgia
Mountains…
The Georgia Mountains…
•The elevation is higher, and it’s
shaded by trees. These things make
the temperature cooler.
•The terrain also makes it harder to get
around. Some people live in the
mountains, but it’s not highly
populated. Can you think of some
reasons why few people live in this
region?
In the mountains, you
might see…
beautiful waterfalls.
This is Amicola Falls
in the North Georgia
Mountains.
In the mountains, you might
see…
really tall trees like the Tulip Poplar and
the Hemlock. BEGIN CHECKING IF
THESE ORGANISMS (living things) are
on your MOUNTAIN LIST.
You might also see
some cool animals
that call the Georgia
Mountains their home.
Let’s see what
we can find!
Mudpuppies and
American Toads are
two amphibians
which live in this
habitat.
Both need to live by
mountain streams,
but they love to
hang out in the
woods!
Box Turtles and
Copperhead
Snakes are two
reptiles which live
in this mountain
habitat.
Can you think of a
reason why these
two would be
perfectly at home
in the woods?
Lots of animals love to
be high in the trees of
the Georgia Mountains!
Can you name these
three?
Black Bears,
Mountain Lions,
and Coyotes are
major predators
in the mountains!
They’re so furry!
Why??
Activity 2
• Read: Georgia, My State Habitats: Mountains
• Write names of organisms you can find from
the book.
The Black Vulture is a
scavenger that keeps
this habitat clean- they
have an important job
here! Sadly, they were
almost wiped out due to
DDT- it made their eggs
too soft to hatch. Now
they are on the
Threatened List, so they
are making a comeback.
Humans’ use of DDT changed this
habit just enough to almost kill off an
entire species of bird.
Can you think of other ways humans
could possibly change this habitat,
thus affecting the plants and animals
that thrive here?
Activity 3: LET’S REVIEW!
• Read pp. 36-40 of your textbook and answer
the study guide.
• Draw: Georgia Mountains Habitat
We have a special guest today
• Let’s listen and guess who
he/she is.
Hop back on the bus! It’s time to
leave the Mountain Region!
We’re heading
south to the
Piedmont Region of
Georgia! Let’s go!
The Piedmont
Region…
The Piedmont Region…
•It’s farther south, so the temperature
is warmer than in the mountains.
•The land consists of rolling hills,
lakes, and rivers.
•Atlanta is in the Piedmont, making it
the highest populated region of
Georgia. Why do so many people like
this region?
In the Piedmont, you
might see…
lots of tall buildings
and twisting
highways.
Hey… what’s that
building with the
gold dome? Pretty!
In the
Piedmont, you might see…
Dogwood, Sweet Gum, and Hickory
Trees! What kinds of trees lose
their leaves in cold weather? What
kinds of trees have leaves all year
round? (coniferous or
deciduous)Why?
Let’s see what animals
we can find here!
No hiking boots
needed this time!
We could use a canoe
though! Let’s check
out the lakes and
rivers first!
Near the Chattahoochee River and
Lake Lanier, we might find some
interesting critters! Water makes a
great habitat!
Snapping Turtles
and River Otters
thrive in the
Piedmont
Region.
Can you think of
some reasons why
these two would be
perfectly at home
in the water?
The Piedmont is home
to the Red-Cockaded
Woodpecker and the
Mourning Dove.
Peck, peck, peck,
peck, peck, peck,
peck…..
The Piedmont is also home
to White-tailed Deer. They
prefer wooded areas, but as
we continue to populate the
area, we force them into
unsafe territory.
Don’t do it little
guy!
Look both ways!
As we increase the human population in
this region, we continue to push animals
out of their natural habitats. Here are some
coyotes in downtown Atlanta- if caught,
they are most likely re-released outside of
the state. They are not a threat to humans,
but they do prey upon family pets now that
we share a habitat with them.
Can you think of other ways
humans could possibly change
this habitat, thus affecting the
plants and animals that thrive
here? How can we protect the
environment?
Activity 5:
• Read pages 68-73 of your textbook and
answer the study guide.
• Fill out the habitats chart.
Load up! Let’s head farther south
into the Coastal Plain Region! It’s
a big region, so we have lots to
explore!
Coastal Plain
The Coastal Plain
Region…
The Coastal Plain Region…
•It makes up southern Georgia, so
it’s the warmest region of the
state.
•The land is flat, and the soil is
mostly sandy. This creates a
unique environment for many
different plants and animals.
In the Coastal Plain,
you might see…
a lack of hills and
an abundance of
water. Actually,
most of the water
is on the east
side of the state.
The western side
is pretty, but flat.
In the Coastal Plain, you will see…
marshes and swamps. The
Okefenokee Swamp one of
the largest swamps in the
U.S. and is a habitat for
many different species of
plants and animals. Want to
see some? Let’s hop in the
air or fan boat!
Swamps
• Swamps are wetlands with
many trees and shrubs.
The Okefenokee
Swamp is
obviously a very
wet, mucky
place to be!
Most trees would
drown in this
habitat, but not the
Cypress- it loves
all that muck!
That muck is also
a great habitat for
American
Alligators. They
call the swamps
home!
Want to go for a little swim???
(I’ll pass!)
Since mosquitoes
need warm
temperatures and
water in which to
lay their eggs…
The swamps are a
perfect habitat for
the little bloodsuckers! Ouch!
Closer to the coast,
there are lots of tall
pines and Saw
Palmettos.
Georgia’s state
bird, the Brown
Thrasher, might
nest in trees
like these!
If I were a bird, I’d
make my home in
one of Georgia’s
Live Oaks! (It’s
the Georgia State
Tree!)
It has lots of huge
branches to choose
from, and the moss
that grows on them
would make perfect
nesting material!
Marshes
• Marshes are wetlands where grasses and
reeds grow.
Wire grass and sea
weed are two type of
vegetation that
abound near the
coast.
Southern Toads love the
nestle among the vegetation
and catch mosquitoes!
Yummy!
1. Read the book about swamps
and marshes.
2. “If I were a plant or an animal”
Activity
• Answer the study guide.
The Atlantic Ocean…
Where the warm, salty waters of the
Atlantic Ocean meet our state, a very
unique habitat is created.
Welcome to the beaches and
barrier islands of Georgia!
What is a coast?
A coast is the place where the
ocean meets the land.
Do you like the coast? Why?
Double-crested Cormorants, Snowy
Egrets, and Blue Heron love to live near
the coastal waters. Can you guess why?
This region is also home to the
venomous Coral Snake!
Red on black, friend of Jack.
Red on yellow, kill a fellow!
The Little Grass Frog
is one of the tiniest
critters that live in this
coastal habitat.
The armadillo is one of
the most unique
animals that make this
region their home. (They
just don’t fare so well
with the traffic!)
Jekyll Island and St.
Simon’s Island are
two of many barrier
islands along
Georgia’s coast.
Let’s make our field trip
a bit more interesting!
Let’s go farther and
deeper into the ocean!
To see some of Georgia’s coolest
animals, we’ll need one of these!
Sub=Below Marine=Water
The Right Whale is Georgia’s State Mammal!
They were named “Right” because when
they were hunted long ago, they were easy
to catch, they floated when killed, and they
held lots of oil and meat. They were just right
for hunting. Sadly, they were almost hunted
to extinction.
Pilot Whales
and Bottlenose
Dolphins also
live in this
habitat!
Ok, so this habitat
extends beyond our
state, but we are lucky
enough to have these
animals call Georgia
waters home.
Loggerhead Sea Turtles
and Manatees can also
be found in waters off of
Georgia’s coast!
Both are also
considered endangered.
Manatees like to swim
close to the surface,
and so many get killed
or injured by boats. Sea
turtles are caught in
fishing traps and nets
quite often.
Can you think of other ways that
humans put the sea creatures in
danger?
Can you think of some ways we
can try to protect them?
• Read the book “Atlantic Ocean”, and answer
the study guide.
• Play the “Jeopardy Game” to review.
http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/us
ergames/Mar201311/game1363289422.php
I hope you enjoyed our field trip
through Georgia’s Habitats!
Keep going for some cool ideas
to take your learning to the next
level!
Which of Georgia’s regions is your
favorite? Write about what you love
about it!
If you could be one of the many
animals that live in Georgia, which
would you be? Write about a day in
your life as that animal.
Make a list of animals that don’t live in
any of Georgia’s habitats. Why do they
not live here? Why are they not suited
to any of the habitats here?
Think about the features that some
animals have that make them feel
perfectly at home in one of Georgia’s
habitats.
Can you design or create a brand new
animal that has similar features so that
they could survive happily in one of
Georgia’s habitats?
Create a 3-D Diorama of one of
Georgia’s habitats. What animals and
plants must you include to make it
seem more life-like?
Make posters to hang around the
school encouraging others to keep our
environment clean.
Organize a team to periodically clean
up garbage around your school.
Research ways in which we have
impacted the environment locally, thus
making it harder for plants or animals
to survive.
What steps can we take to improve the
environments for these organisms?
Take a trip to Zoo Atlanta!
The zoo has many wonderful animals
that don’t normally live in Georgia.
What special things must the zoo do in
order to make them feel like they are in
their natural habitats while they are in
Georgia?