Engage

Overview

In this experience, students explore the physical geography of Europe using political, population-density, and topographic maps to identify patterns and relationships. They examine Europe’s major physical regions and consider how landforms, waterways, climate, and other geographic features influence settlement and human activity. Finally, students research one European region and create a postcard that highlights an important physical feature and explains how it affects people who live there.

Objectives:

Describe the physical features of Europe
Identify the four physical regions of Europe
Trace patterns of settlement throughout Europe, particularly as it relates to physical geography

Europe is a relatively small continent, but its geography is highly varied. Mountain ranges, broad plains, long coastlines, major rivers, and many peninsulas have helped shape how people move, settle, farm, trade, and build communities.

As you explore Europe, you will look for geographic patterns across its different regions and consider how physical features influence human activity.

In this experience, you will examine Europe’s major landforms and bodies of water and use geography to help explain why people live and work in different ways across the continent.

Objectives:

Describe the physical features of Europe
Identify the four physical regions of Europe
Trace patterns of settlement throughout Europe, particularly as it relates to physical geography

Satellite View of Europe at Night

Europe’s geography includes a wide variety of landforms, waterways, climates, and natural features. These features have influenced where people settle, how they travel, what kinds of economic activities develop, and how communities adapt to their environments.

Read the following facts to get a quick introduction to some of the geographic patterns and features you will explore in this lesson.

Europe has a long, irregular coastline with many seas, bays, islands, and peninsulas.
Europe contains several major peninsulas, including the Iberian, Italian, Balkan, and Scandinavian peninsulas.
The Alps stretch across several European countries and affect climate, transportation, settlement, farming, and tourism.
The North European Plain stretches across a large part of northern Europe and has supported farming, transportation, and the growth of cities.
The Volga is the longest river in Europe. It flows through western Russia and empties into the Caspian Sea.
The Danube River flows through or along more countries than any other major European river.
Norway’s coastline contains thousands of fjords, which are long, narrow inlets formed by glaciers.
Iceland lies near the boundary of two tectonic plates, giving it volcanoes, earthquakes, hot springs, and geothermal energy.
Parts of the Netherlands are at or below sea level, so people have built dikes and drainage systems to manage water.
Europe includes several climate regions, from colder northern climates to Mediterranean climates with hot, dry summers.

After reading the facts, what questions do you have about Europe’s geography? Write two questions that you would like to be able to answer by the end of this lesson.

Invite several students to share one of their questions. Record a few examples and look for common themes, such as mountains, rivers, coastlines, climate, transportation, settlement, or human adaptation to the environment.

Do not answer the questions yet. Explain that students should keep their questions in mind as they move through the lesson and notice which ones they are able to answer using the maps, readings, and activities.

When everyone is ready to continue, unlock the next scene.

Europe: Geographic Passport