Physicalfeatures
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Latin America's diverse physical geography includes mountain ranges, rivers, deserts, and seas. The Sierra Madre mountains dominate Mexico and Central America. Central America is an isthmus connecting North and South America, with many volcanoes. The Panama Canal crosses the isthmus. The Caribbean islands vary in size from coral reefs to larger islands with volcanic peaks. The towering Andes mountains run along the western coast of South America. Major physical features also include the Amazon rainforest, the Atacama Desert in Chile, and the Amazon and other rivers.
Physicalfeatures
- 1. Latin America’s Physical Geography EQ: What are characteristics of Latin America’s physical features?
- 2. Your Task: We are going to participate in a Museum Walk! You will travel around the room with a partner and complete sections of your chart at each station. Do NOT draw the illustrations at this time. You will work on those when I show you the photographs.
- 3. Latin America is divided into 3 Regions: Mexico and Central America The Caribbean South America
- 5. I. Mexico and Central America 2,500 miles (about as wide as the US) Mountains dominate the region Part of a huge system that extends from Canada, through the US, and all the way to the tip of South America Central plateau in Mexico Lies between Sierra Madre mountains and makes up more than half the country’s area Central America is an Isthmus Isthmus = a narrow strip of land that has water on both sides and joins 2 larger bodies of water Many volcanoes in Central America, as a result, their soil is arable (fertile) and many people farm lands
- 6. Mexico and Central America
- 7. Gulf of Mexico Body of water Bordered by the US to the north, 5 Mexican states to the south, and Cuba to the east
- 8. Sierra Madre Mountains Mountain system in Mexico Three major chains: the Sierra Madre Occidental in the west, the Sierra Madre Oriental in the east, and the Sierra Madre del Sur, which extends along the southern coast The Sierra Madre range contains some of the highest mountains and volcanoes in Mexico.
- 11. Panama Canal canal across the isthmus of Panama in Central America Major “shortcut” that allows ships to travel between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans handles a large volume of world shipping and enables vessels to avoid traveling around South America, reducing their voyages by thousands of miles and many days. Consists of artificially created lakes, channels, and a series of locks, or water-filled chambers, that raise and lower ships through the mountainous terrain of central Panama
- 12. Panama Canal
- 13. The Panama CanalThe Panama Canal
- 14. The Caribbean Islands Small islands are made of coral Skeletons of tiny sea animals, rock-like substance Larger islands are tops of underwater mountains Examples: Cuba, Jamaica
- 15. Caribbean Sea Surrounds the islands of the West Indies East of Central America A major trade route for Latin American countries A popular tourist area— noted for its mild tropical climate and beautiful waters
- 16. Caribbean Sea
- 17. South America Andes Mountains—4,500 miles along west coast of South America They rise at some points to 20,000 feet—same height as twenty 100 story buildings stacked on top of each other 2nd largest mountains; Himalayas are the 1st Amazon River Basin—contains the largest tropical rain forest (Amazon Rain Forest) in the world; covers 1/3 of the continent
- 18. Andes
- 21. Llamas in the Andes
- 24. Deforestation in the Amazon
- 25. South America Atacama Desert (Chile)—one of the driest places on earth; very little rainfall Between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains
- 26. Atacama Desert
- 28. South America—Water Rivers serve as natural highways where it’s hard to build roads provide food and hydroelectric power Amazon River—2nd largest river in the world (1st --Nile River) 4,000 miles from Peru across to Atlantic Ocean Contains 20% of all fresh water in the world!
- 29. Amazon River—view from space
- 31. Pacific Ocean World’s largest ocean Covers the western coast of South America
- 32. Your Task We are going to create a class “quilt” of Latin America’s physical features! On your sheet of construction paper, please include the following: 1. Name of feature 2. What it is 3. Where it’s located 4. COLORFUL illustration