Unit 1

Describe San Antonio in a few words.◦Climate, soil, landforms, animal life, vegetation, language, religion, population distribution,

◦Think back to 6th grade.

You just name the physical and human characteristics of San Antonio. We learned about this in 6th grade and now we are going to apply what we learned to Texas regions.

Landforms are features on Earth’s surface.

Texas has 4 major landforms: hills, mountains, plains, and plateaus.

Plains are areas of flat or gently rolling land without a sharp rise or fall in elevation.

Areas of flat elevated land one that drop sharply on one or more sides.

Texas has several water features: lakes, rivers and streams

Water from all of the rivers and streams in Texas eventually flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

Texas has few natural lakes but many man made.

Aquifers are formations of natural gravel, rock and sand that trap and hold rainwater underground. Aquifers provide water for farms, homes and industry.

Climate is the weather at a particular place over a period of years.

Location affects climate: distance from equator, proximity to large bodies of water

Climate, landforms and soil all help to determine where a plant will grow.◦ Brush, bushes, grasses, trees, wildflowers

Vegetation of Texas provide a habitat to a wide variety of animals.◦ Armadillos, deer, javelinas, prairie hens, raccoons,

wildcats, skunks, wild turkey and wolves◦ Alligators, catfish, oysters, redfish, shrimp

Agricultural◦ Crops and animals◦ Timber

Energy◦ Oil, coal and natural gas

The state of Texas is divided into 4 regions. How do you think it is divided? What do you feel the divisions are based

on? Geographers used climate, landforms, plant

life and soil to divide Texas into 4 regions

There are 4 natural regions in Texas◦ Great Plains◦ Central Plains◦ Gulf Coastal Plains◦ Mountains and Basins

Great Plains

Mountains and Basins

Central Plains

Gulf Coastal Plains

Gulf Coastal Plain

Covers 1/3 of the land of Texas Northeast border is the Sabine River Southeast border is the Gulf of Mexico West border is the Balcones Escarpment

Flat and low Wooded land and Coastal sands Big Thicket National Preserve - forest in SE

Texas Rivers - Brazos, Colorado, Trinity Good soils along rivers

Hot and damp, humid

Tornadoes, hurricanes

30-55 inches of rain per year

Plants - pine trees, hardwood trees (elm, oak, cottonwood, pecan)

Various Animals Minerals Bodies of water

Farming Fishing Ranching Tree farms-lumber businesses Oil and gas (Spindletop 1901) Factories Ports

Austin Houston Dallas San Antonio Texarkana Corpus Christi Brownsville

Most populated region

How do people who live in the Gulf Coastal Plain adapt to or modify their environment and why?◦ Houses, jobs, food, money

EX: Houses are made of lumber because of all the trees.

Central Plains

Part of the Great Central Plains of the US and Canada

East border is the Coastal Plains South border is the Colorado River North border is the Red River West border is the Cap Rock Escarpment

Rolling grassy lands Thick grasses Cross Timbers area - large areas of

hardwood trees Limestone rock Higher elevation because limestone doesn't

wear down easily

Dry air Tornadoes 20-30 inches of rain per year

Limestone Minerals Streams Fertile lands for crops

Farming - fruits, vegetables, watermelons, oats

Ranching - cattle, angora goats (mohair) Cedar trees - fenceposts Oil and gas

Fort Worth Abilene Wichita Falls San Angelo

videohttp://www.texaslegacy.org/m/regions/crosstimbers.html

Great Plains

Great Plains

Part of the Great Plains of the US and Canada

Most of the Panhandle and Edwards Plateau East & South borders are escarpments Southwest border is the Mountains and

Basins Region

Flat Few trees Canyons in North (Palo Duro Canyon) Higher elevation than Central Plains Cap Rock Escarpment Edwards Plateau

Dry air Hot summers Cold winters Dust storms 16-20 inches of rain per year

Short grasses Mesquite, cedar, pecan, and oak trees in

Edward Plateau area Deer Wild turkeys

Farming - cotton, wheat (irrigation from wells)

Ranching - cattle, sheep, goat

Oil and gas in the Permian Basin

Amarillo Lubbock Midland Odessa Kerrville Fredericksburg Del Rio

In your IAN, give, me some examples of how people who live in the Great Plains Region will adapt to or modify their environment and why.◦ Houses, jobs, food, money

EX: Houses are made of lumber because of all the trees.

In your IAN, on the map. ◦ Color the Great Plains Region.◦ Create a map key.◦ Label 3 landforms.◦ Label 2 cities.◦ Label 2 natural resources.◦ Label 2 economic resources.◦ Label one example of climate.

MountainsAnd Basins

Far west Texas East border near Pecos River South border is the Rio Grande North border is New Mexico

150 mountains in the mountain ranges Plateaus and basins Deserts Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers Big Bend National Park

Driest part of state 8 inches of rain per year, 20 in mountains Hot days, cool nights

Plants - short grasses, shrubs, desert plants in plateaus and basins; pine forests in mountains

Ranching - cattle, sheep, goat Farming - cotton, fruits, vegetables,

cantaloupes (irrigation in El Paso and Pecos River Valley)

Oil and gas - part of Permian Basin

El Paso Pecos Kermit Monahans Fort Davis Marfa Alpine