Northern and Central South America: Geographic Passport

Students are introduced to the physical geography of Northern and Central South America. They identify the countries in this region and explore a map with political, physical, population, and climate layers, and compare and contrast the countries. Then they select two countries and compare and contrast their natural resources as well as the impact of those resources on the economy. Finally, they do independent research on environmental issues in the region.

This learning experience is designed for device-enabled classrooms. The teacher guides the lesson, and students use embedded resources, social media skills, and critical thinking skills to actively participate. To get access to a free version of the complete lesson, sign up for an exploros account.

Engage

Overview

In this experience, students examine the physical and human geography of Northern and Central South America. They identify countries in the region and use political, physical, population, and climate maps to investigate geographic patterns. Students then examine how climate and other physical features shape natural environments in selected countries. Finally, they research an environmental issue affecting one country and explain how the issue is connected to its geography, its effects on people and the environment, and efforts to address it.

The Northern and Central South American countries in this region include:

Ecuador
Colombia
Venezuela
Guyana
Suriname
Uruguay
Paraguay
Bolivia

Objectives:

Identify major geographic features of Northern and Central South America
Describe the impact of physical geography on human settlement patterns and land use patterns
Describe major environmental problems that face the region today

Northern and central South America include countries with a wide range of landscapes, from Caribbean coastlines and tropical forests to mountains, rivers, grasslands, and highland regions. These physical features influence climate, settlement, transportation, natural resources, and the ways people use the land.

In this experience, you will explore the geography of countries in northern and central South America and examine the physical and human features that make the region distinct.

Objectives:

Identify major geographic features of Northern and Central South America
Describe the impact of physical geography on human settlement patterns and land use patterns
Describe major environmental problems that face the region today

Political Map of South America

South America includes a wide variety of physical environments, including mountains, grasslands, tropical forests, deserts, rivers, and long coastlines.

Watch South America | Destination World to get an overview of the continent’s geography. As you watch, pay attention to the different landscapes and physical features you notice.

What is one geographic pattern you notice on the map of Northern and Central South America? Use evidence from the map to explain your answer.

Post your answer

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