Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities

Europe’s

STANDARDS:SS6G8 The student will locate selected features of Europe. a. Locate on a world and regional political- physical

map: the Danube River, Rhine River, English Channel, Mediterranean Sea, European Plain, the Alps, Pyrenees, Ural Mountains, Iberian Peninsula, and Scandinavian Peninsula.

b. b. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map the countries of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.

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TEACHER INFO:• Print off the following page for each

student.

• Students should use an atlas to label the map before the presentation.

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I. Political Features:Label the following countries on the map:

• Portugal

• Spain

• France

• Italy

• United Kingdom

• Belgium

• Ukraine

• Russia

• Poland

• Germany

II. Physical Features:Create a map key that includes symbols for:• Mountains• Rivers• Seas• Channels• Peninsulas• Plains

Label the following physical

features:

• Rhine River

• Danube River

• Alps

• Pyrenees Mountains

• Ural Mountains

• English Channel

• Scandinavian Peninsula

• Mediterranean Sea

• European Plain

Draw the symbol for each feature next to the correct label on the map. Color all symbols!

Map Key

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I. Political Features:Label the following countries on the map:

• Portugal

• Spain

• France

• Italy

• United Kingdom

• Belgium

• Ukraine

• Russia

• Poland

• Germany

II. Physical Features:Create a map key that includes symbols for:• Mountains• Rivers• Seas• Channels• Peninsulas• Plains

Label the following physical

features:

• Rhine River

• Danube River

• Alps

• Pyrenees Mountains

• Ural Mountains

• English Channel

• Scandinavian Peninsula

• Mediterranean Sea

• European Plain

Draw the symbol for each feature next to the correct label on the map. Color all symbols!

Map Key

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Scandinavian Peninsula

Ural Mountains

European Plain

Alps

English Channel

Pyrenees

Mediterranean Sea

Iberian Peninsula

SpainPortugal

France

Italy

United Kingdom

BelgiumUkraine

Russia

GermanyPoland

TEACHER INFO:• Print off the following slides for each student.

(Print front-to-back to save paper.)

• They should complete the chart while discussing the presentation.

• Check answers as a class when finished. If time, have students color their pictures.

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©B

rain

Wrin

kle

s

Euro

pe

’s Physic

al Fe

atu

res

Dir

ectio

ns: C

om

ple

te th

e c

hart b

elo

w w

ith in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou le

arn d

urin

g th

e

pre

senta

tion. If tim

e a

llow

s, c

olo

r your illu

stra

tions.

Rhine Riv

er

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Da

nu

be

Rive

rW

hat:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

The A

lps

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Pyre

nee

s Mo

unta

ins

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Ura

l Mo

unta

ins

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Eng

lish Cha

nne

lW

hat:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Ibe

rian

Pen

insu

laW

hat:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Sca

nd

ina

via

n Pe

nin

sula

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

©B

rain

Wrin

kle

s

Euro

pe

’s Physic

al Fe

atu

res

Dir

ectio

ns: C

om

ple

te th

e c

hart b

elo

w w

ith in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou le

arn d

urin

g th

e

pre

senta

tion. If tim

e a

llow

s, c

olo

r your illu

stra

tions.

Me

dite

rrane

an

Sea

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

Euro

pe

an

Plain

What:

Where

:

Illustra

tion

:

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rain

Wrin

kle

s

Euro

pe

’s Physic

al Fe

atu

res

Dir

ectio

ns: C

om

ple

te th

e c

hart b

elo

w w

ith in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou le

arn d

urin

g th

e

pre

senta

tion. If tim

e a

llow

s, c

olo

r your illu

stra

tions.

Rhine Riv

er

What: Longest river in G

ermany;

important w

aterway for trade

Where: Starts in Sw

itzerland and flow

s through Germ

any, France, Luxem

bourg, & Netherlands

Illustra

tion: W

ill vary

Da

nu

be

Rive

rW

hat: 2

ndlargest river in Europe; 1

770

miles long; vital role in developm

ent of central Europe because it’s im

portant for trade

Whe

re: 1

2 countries in Europe –G

ermany, A

ustria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, B

osnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, B

ulgaria, Rom

ania, and Ukraine

Illustra

tion: W

ill vary

The A

lps

What: M

ountain range that extends for alm

ost 700 m

iles; tourist destination in Europe

Where: A

ustria, France, Sw

itzerland, Germ

any, Italy, Slovenia, & Liechtenstein

Illustra

tion: W

ill vary

Pyre

nee

s Mo

unta

ins

What: M

ountain range that extends for roughly 270

m

iles

Where

: Form natural border

between France and Spain

Illustra

tion: W

ill vary

Ura

l Mo

unta

ins

What: Extend for alm

ost 150

0

miles; huge deposits of natural

resources (minerals)

Where: N

atural boundary betw

een Europe & Asia; located in

Russia

Illustra

tion: W

ill vary

Eng

lish Cha

nne

lW

hat: Sm

all body of water –

350 m

iles long; important

for trade and travel

Where

: Betw

een UK and France

Illustra

tion

: Will vary

Ibe

rian

Pen

insu

la

What: 2

ndlargest peninsula in

Europe; Pyrenees form

northern border

Where

: Spain and Portugal

Illustra

tion

: Will vary

Sca

nd

ina

via

n Pe

nin

sula

What: Largest peninsula in

Europe; 1150

miles long; rich

in natural resources

Where

: Norw

ay, Sweden, and

Finland

Illustra

tion

: Will vary

©B

rain

Wrin

kle

s

Euro

pe

’s Physic

al Fe

atu

res

Dir

ectio

ns: C

om

ple

te th

e c

hart b

elo

w w

ith in

form

atio

n th

at y

ou le

arn d

urin

g th

e

pre

senta

tion. If tim

e a

llow

s, c

olo

r your illu

stra

tions.

Me

dite

rrane

an

Sea

What: Sea that is 965,0

00

square miles; im

portant route for trade and cultural exchange

Where: B

etween 2 continents –

Europe, Africa, and A

sia; surrounds Italy

Illustra

tion

: Will vary

Euro

pe

an

Plain

What: Extends 20

00 m

iles; largest m

ountain-free landform

in Europe; good agricultural area

Where: Stretches from

Pyrenees to Ural M

ountains

Illustration

: Will vary

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• The Rhine River starts in Switzerland and flows through Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

• It’s the longest river in Germany.

• The Rhine is an important waterway for trade for the European continent.

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• The Danube River flows through 12 countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine) for a total of 1,770 miles!

• It is the 2nd largest river in Europe. (The Volga River is first.)

• It has played a vital role in the development of central Europe in terms of trade and cultural diffusion.

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• The Alps are a mountain range located in Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, and Liechtenstein.

• They extend for almost 700 miles!

• The Alps are a major tourist destination.

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• The Pyrenees are a mountain range that form the natural border between France and Spain.

• They extend for roughly 270 miles.

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• The Ural Mountains are considered to be the natural boundary between Europe and Asia.• They actually divide Russia between the

continents: ¼ of Russia is in Europe and ¾of the country is in Asia.

• They extend for almost 1,500 miles!

• The Ural Mountains are among the world’s oldest mountain ranges.

• They have huge deposits of gold, nickel, silver, platinum, coal, iron, and other minerals.

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• The English Channel is a small body of water that separates the United Kingdom from the European mainland (specifically, from France).

• It is 350 miles long.

• In the past, it was used as a good system of defense for England.

• The English Channel was and still is an important waterway for trade.

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• The Iberian Peninsula includes the countries of Spain and Portugal.

• The Pyrenees Mountains form the northern border.

• It is the second largest peninsula in Europe.

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• The Scandinavian Peninsula consists of Norway, Sweden, and the northern region of Finland.

• It is the largest peninsula in Europe.• It’s 1,150 miles long.

• The region is rich in timber, iron, and copper.

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• The Mediterranean Sea is the crossroads for 3 continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia.• The name means “in the middle of the earth”

(it’s surrounded by land).

• It surrounds Italy.

• This sea covers an area of 965,000 square miles.

• It has always been an important route for trade and cultural exchange.

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• The European Plain stretches from the Pyrenees in the west to the Ural Mountains in the east.• It extends for 2,000 miles.

• It is the largest mountain-free landform in Europe.

• The European Plain is a successful agricultural area.

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TEACHER INFO: Trading Cards• Print off the blank trading card page. You can have

students create just one trading card, or they can create a card for each feature (10).

• When finished, the students can use the cards to play Memory or to quiz themselves about the features.

• Project the directions slide onto the board while students are working so that they know what goes in each section.

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Your Task: Create trading cards for the 10 important physical features of Europe. Use the cards to play “Memory” or to quiz yourself.

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Instructions:1. Fill out each box in the cards below according to the template.2. Color your pictures and anything else that will make your cards look more realistic.3. Cut out your trading card.4. Fold along the middle.5. Tape the sides together.

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TEACHER INFO: Pass the Paper• Put the students into small groups (you will need 10 groups

total).• Print off the following 10 slides and give one paper to each

group. • Give each group about 30 seconds to write down everything

the know about the feature—but they can’t write something that is already written. (They can also draw pictures or symbols.)

• When time is up, they must pass the paper to the next group.

• This continues until every group has worked with each of the 10 papers.

• Have each group share the paper & discuss the information.

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• With your group, you will have 30 seconds to write or draw everything that you know about the feature on your paper.

• Every group member must participate – angle yourselves so that you can all write at the same time.

• The catch is that you cannot write or draw something that is already written!

• When I say that time is up, you must pass the paper on to the next group.

• We will continue to “Pass the Paper” until each group has seen all 10 papers.

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EuropeanPlain

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ScandinavianPeninsula

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UralMountains

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RhineRiver

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The Alps

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MediterraneanSea

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IberianPeninsula

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EnglishChannel

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DanubeRiver

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PyreneesMountains

TEACHER INFO: Postcard• Print off the postcard page for each student.

• On the front, the students will draw one of the physical features of Europe. They should also include a short greeting/title. (Example: Cheers from the English Channel!)

• On the back, they will write a note to someone as if they have visited some of the features.

• When finished, they should cut out the postcard, fold along the dotted line, & tape the sides together.

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Front: Draw a colorful illustration of one of the physical features that we have studied. Include a short greeting (title).

Back:Write a note to your family as if you have visited some of the features that we have studied in Europe. (Include descriptions for at least 3 of the features.) Don’t forget to draw & color the stamp!

*Cut out your postcard, fold along the dotted line, & tape the sides together.© Brain Wrinkles

TEACHER INFO: Flyswatter Review• Project a blank map of Europe on the whiteboard.

• Put the students into groups and have one member from each group come to the board.

• Call out different places/features in Europe and have the students use flyswatters to hit the location.

• The first person to hit it correctly wins!

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• One member from each team will come to the board.

• I will call out different political and physical features of Europe.

•

If you know where the feature or country is located, you should hit the location on the map.

• The first person to correctly hit the location wins a point!

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TEACHER INFO: Roll a Six!• Print off the blank map of Europe for each student. • The students will need to work in partners, with only 1 pencil

to share.• Each group needs a dice. • Project the features/countries that you want the students

to label on the board. • One student begins labeling his map as fast as he can while

the other is constantly rolling the dice. • As soon as the student rolls a 6, the other student gives him

the pencil and he begins labeling. • This is a race to see who can complete the map first, but

the catch is they can only label if they roll a 6.

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• You will work with a partner, with only 1 pencil to share.

• When I say “Go”, one person will begin labeling the map as fast as you can.

• The other person should start rolling the dice. As soon as you roll a 6, you take the pencil and begin labeling your map. Your partner should start rolling the dice now.

• This is a race to see who can complete the map first, but the catch is you can only label your map if you roll a 6!

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TEACHER INFO: TICKET OUT THE DOOR

• Print off the following slide & make a copy for each student. (They are two-per-page).

• Have students write down five important things that they learned about Europe’s physical features. If time, call on students to share.

• Collect these as the students leave the classroom.

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Write down 5 important things that you learned from today’s lesson.

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Write down 5 important things that you learned from today’s lesson.

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