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United States and Canada World Geography Unit Bundle
Give your students a solid background of the Geography of the United States with the
Geography of the United States and Canada Bundle.
- 2 Google Slides lessons with note-taking guides: the United States and Canada
- 10 Daily Openers with student worksheets
- Activity Packet (print, digital, editable, and answers)
- Intro Diagnostic Activity
- 4 different checking for understanding quizzes: United States map quiz, United States vocabulary quiz, United States absolute location quiz, Canada map quiz
- Unit Test: regular multiple choice, modified version with fewer choices, answer key and study guide
PLANNING this MINI-UNIT
The United States is the first mini-unit, or topic taught, in the “Geography of the United States and Canada” unit. This topic covers US territories and regions, movement patterns, climate, land use, government, economic indicators, cultural information, destinations, and key land and water features.
Pacing
Teachers should plan three to five days to teach this unit on a traditional schedule with one-hour class periods. However, for those on a block schedule with 1 1/2 hour classes, teachers should plan for 2-3 days. An effective way to structure this unit includes:
Openers
The “Geography of the United States and Canada” unit has 10 openers that review the following topics: Relative location, America’s population patterns, America’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, regional per capita income, climate, Canada’s population distribution, life expectancy, Canadian wildlife, historical background, and Dinosaur Provincial Park. There are 5 openers directly related to the United States for this mini-unit. CLICK HERE for more information on openers for the “Geography of the United States and Canada” unit.
OPENER TOPICS
United States Geography
- Relative Location
- America’s Population Patterns
- America’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Regional Per Capita Income
- USA Climograph
Canada's Geography
- Canada’s historical and political background
- Population distribution
- Dinosaur Provincial Park
- Infant Mortality
- Wildlife in Canada
Google Slides
GOOGLE SLIDES: After the opener, begin the 
Google Slides lesson. Students can take notes on paper using the note-taking guide provided with the Google Slides lesson, or they may take notes digitally with the electronic version (also included with the Google Slides).
TEACHING TIPS
⭐️ TEACHER TIP: I post a PDF version of the Google Slides to Google Classroom so that students can review their notes if they are absent. Click “File, Download, PDF” on the Google Slide to do this.
⭐️ TEACHER TIP: Some teachers post Google Slides in their Google Classroom and digital note-taking guides for students to complete as homework.
⭐️TEACHER TIP: When pressed for time, I will edit the note-taking guides to include answers for some boxes or delete boxes and slides entirely. Teachers should feel free to modify the lesson to meet their student’s needs and individual learning targets.
Activities
Note-Taking Guides
This United States Geography Note-Taking Guide should be paired with Google Slides (see above). Teachers can walk students through these notes or post lecture notes on their chosen platform and have students record the information. Here is a preview of the print and digital versions of the note-taking guides
Student Worksheets & Activities
There are four activities that pair nicely with the Geography of the United States notes. These activities are in both print and digital formats.
- Absolute Location Practice
- Charting Per Capita Income
- U.S. National Parks Reading and Poster
- Creating a Special Purpose Map: USA Climate
UNIT: Introduction Diagnostic Activity
Prior to teaching your geography unit on the United States and Canada, discover what your students already know about the geographic region.
This activity asks students to name countries, place physical features on a map and answer critical thinking questions.
WHAT COMES WITH THE DOWNLOAD:
1. Teacher tips and lesson plans for the activity
2. Student Worksheet
3. Answer Key
Helpful Videos
Break up direct instruction by showing a video that reviews concepts they just learned.
Key Terms & Vocabulary
U.S. Territories
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Guam
- American Samoa
- Northern Mariana Islands
Regions
- West
- Southwest
- Midwest
- Southeast
- Northeast
Climate & Land
- Tornadoes
- Hurricanes
- Ring of Fire
- Sound
- The Great Lakes
- Crater Lake
- Mississippi River
- Rocky Mountains
- Appalachian Mountains
- Sierra Nevada Mountains
Other Key Terms
- Cultural Diffusion
- Republican Government
- National Park Service
LEARNING TARGETS
- Students can identify 5 different regions in the United States and argue what distinguishes each region from the other.
- Students can describe each of America’s branches of government and outline the responsibilities of each branch.
- Students can evaluate America’s level of economic stability using key economic indicators to justify their response.
- Students can identify and locate major land and features in the United States.
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Thank you for stopping by Teacher Bistro. I created this place as a resource for educators who wanted an easy way to find resources. In my first ten years of teaching, I can’t tell you how many hours I spent gathering lesson plans, video guides, and lectures. Hopefully, you have added this site to your bookmarks, and this place can make teaching a little bit easier.