PENNSVALLEY
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Lesson 33:
Physical Features of the Southwest Region
The land in the Southwest also has different physical features. These features range from the
warm, humidGulf of Mexico region to the arid, desert-like conditions inArizona.
ACTIVITY 1:
Now thatwehave locatedsomeof thepolitical features, it is time to learnabout someof themainphys-
ical features of this region.Use the regional mapprovidedon thenext page to complete labelingParts
A andB.
Part A – Locating andLabeling
Letters are used to indicate the routes of some of the major rivers and other waterforms in the
Southwest Region.Trace the rivers in blue-colored pencils or crayons and label them. Label the other
waterforms using letters aswell.
Letter Z =RioGrande
Letter T =GalvestonBay
LetterW =ArkansasRiver
Letter X =PecosRiver
Letter R =Gulf of California Letter U = LakeMead
Letter V =RedRiver
LetterY =ColoradoRiver
Letter S =Gulf of Mexico
Part B – Labeling
As you read the following information, take the
boldfaced
wordsandplace themon your regionalmap
in the correct location.Use the table of grid coordinates to help you.
Most of the land in the easternSouthwest Region is a large
gulf coastal plain
(H,5).Thismeans
that the land is quite flat or has gentle, rolling hills.As you travel from east towest, these plains rise in
elevation very slowly.We can start at the Gulf of Mexico with zero elevation, also called sea level.
Farther west, we cross the short grass plains of Texas and NewMexico. As you travel westward into
northernNewMexico, theelevation rises tomore than13,000 feet atWheeler’sPeak.This is thesouth-
ern part of the
RockyMountainRange
(D/E,1-4).
One of themost spectacular sites occurs underground at
CarlsbadCaverns
(E,3) in southwest
NewMexico.The caverns are so large that you could place small cities inside them. Much of this area
has canyons, gorges, and plateaus. A canyon is a deep valleywith steep sides, usuallywith a river or
stream running through it. The
Painted Desert
(C,2) in Arizona is another good example of nature’s
beauty. Because of the minerals in the soil and rocks, the desert often appears in bright colors. The
PetrifiedForest
(C,2), also inArizona, is yet another wonderful example of nature’swork. An old for-
est has been preserved and turned into stone.
The most awesome natural wonder, according to many people who have seen it, is the
Grand
Canyon
(B,1) inArizona. TheColoradoRiver has been carving this huge canyon formillions of years.
It is about onemile deep, 277miles long, and 18miles wide in some areas.
Southwest Region
Using the Internet, choose one of the following places to research.
• CarlsbadCavernsNational Park
• SanAntonioMissionNational Historic Park
• GrandCanyonNational Park
• OrganPipeCactusNational Park
•WhiteSandsNational Monument
• Petrified Forest National Park
In your research, write a one page report in which you answer the
following statements.
1.Draw a small map inwhich you identify where your place is located.
2. Provide the story (past history) about your place.
3. Explain themain features of your place.
Click
&
Learn
