Atlas.* OBJECTIVE Students should understand * how to interpret and evaluate statistical data. * how to use maps, graphs, and charts to compare and contrast information. * BACKGROUND Most statistical information about the people of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. either comes from or is based on data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau Noun 1. Census Bureau - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United States Bureau of the Census (part of the U.S. Department of Commerce). The first U.S. census, taken in 1790, counted 3.9 million people. A full census count takes place every 10 years. The 2000 census counted 281.4 million. The U.S. census is required by the Constitution (in Article I, Section 2). Originally, it was just a head count. Over time, however, it has developed into a gathering of a wide range of categories of information about Americans. * CRITICAL THINKING MAKING PART-WHOLE CONNECTIONS: How many categories of information on pp. 16-17 apply to you? Were any of the figures what you expected? Were any surprising? Explain. (Answers will vary.) LOCATING INFORMATION: Is American Samoa American Samoa, officially Territory of American Samoa, unincorporated territory of the United States (2000 pop. 57,291), comprising the eastern half of the Samoa island chain in the South Pacific. a U.S. state A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States, although four states use the official title "commonwealth". The separate state governments and the federal government share sovereignty, in that an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and , federal district, U.S. territory, or self-governing commonwealth? (U.S. territory; answer on p. 20) * ACTIVITY BE A STATISTICIAN: Find your hometown's main region on the GeoSkills map that appears on pp. 14-15. Make a list of all the states in your region. Then choose five categories of figures from the U.S. in Focus tables (pp. 18-22). Use the figures to create a table showing the data for all five categories for every state in your region. Then compare. What have you learned about your home region? STANDARDS SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8 * People, places, and environments: Who lives where in the United States. * Production, distribution, and consumption: Comparing statistical data on income, employment, and other facets of U.S. life. RESOURCE * Ashabranner, Melissa, and Ashabranner, Brent K., Counting America: The Story of the United States Census The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution.[1] The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats ("congressional apportionment"), electoral votes, and government program (Penguin, 1989).Grades 5-13. * McCave, Marta E., Counting Heads and More: The Work of the U.S. Census Bureau (Lerner Publishing Group, 1996). Grades 6-12. WEB SITES * Census Bureau Geography www.census.gov/geo/www * Census data for your community facffinder.census.gov QUESTIONS This map of the U.S. shows state boundaries, capitals and other major cities, bodies of water, and national parks This is a list of national parks ordered by nation. Africa
You can use the map as a handy reference all year. But first, use it to answer these questions. 1. Which states border Mexico? 2. Which color represents the highest land areas? 3. Which state is closest to Canada's capital? 4. Which city shown is closest to 35[degrees]N, 90[degrees]W? 5. Which state capital is closest to the same coordinates? 6. What geographic feature divides Ohio and West Virginia West Virginia, E central state of the United States. It is bordered by Pennsylvania and Maryland (N), Virginia (E and S), and Kentucky and, across the Ohio R., Ohio (W). Facts and Figures Area, 24,181 sq mi (62,629 sq km). Pop. ? 7. Two major cities of New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). lie on which river? 8. Most of Minnesota is at which range of elevation? 9. What is the approximate straight-line distance between the capitals of North Dakota North Dakota, state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). and South Dakota? 10. Which U.S. national park is closest to the equator? * Bonus question In the U.S., most of the Continental Divide runs through the Rocky Mountains. How is the Continental Divide indicated on this map? ANSWERS 1. California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas 2. dark orange 3. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of (closest to Ottawa) 4. Memphis, Tennessee 5. Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock, Arkansas required military intervention to desegregate schools (1957–1958). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 556–557] See : Bigotry 6. Ohio River 7. the Rio Grande (The cities are Albuquerque and Las Cruces.) 8. 1,001 to 2,000 feet above sea level 9. roughly 175 miles (200 is an acceptable answer.) 10. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, 209,695 acres (84,926 hectares), on Hawaii island, Hawaii; est. 1916. The park contains two of the most active volcanoes in the world—Kilauea with its fire pit, called Halemaumau, and Mauna Loa with the active Mokuaweoweo crater (It is farthest south-just below 20[degrees]N.) Bonus question: with a dotted red line ATLAS/ALMANAC: THE U.S. IN FOCUS, PAGES 12-22 Write the letter of the correct answer on the line before each question. 16. The Appalachian Mountains run roughly parallel to which U.S. coast? A. Atlantic Ocean B. Gulf of Mexico Noun 1. Gulf of Mexico - an arm of the Atlantic to the south of the United States and to the east of Mexico Golfo de Mexico Atlantic, Atlantic Ocean - the 2nd largest ocean; separates North and South America on the west from Europe and Africa on the east C. Pacific Ocean 17. Which of these is not one of the four main regions of the United States? A. Midwest B. Northeast C. Southeast 18. Which was the most popular type of pet in both 1994 and 2004? A. cat B. dog C. freshwater fish 19. The majority of teens polled used which form of communication most often with friends? A. cell phone B. e-mail C. landline phone 20. The U.S. Congress has 100 Senators and how many Representatives in the House? A. 354 B. 435 C. 534 ANSWER 16. A 17. C 18. B 19. C 20. B |
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