Section 1
Geography Shapes History
Key Idea
To understand history, we must first look at a map.
Geography is the study of the land, water, and climate of a place. It is the setting for the human story, and it influences how that story unfolds.
In this Grade 5 lesson from Social Studies Alive! America's Past, students learn foundational geography skills including how to read globes and maps, use latitude and longitude to locate places on Earth, and identify key geographic terms such as landforms, physical features, climate, and vegetation. Students explore the different regions of the United States and examine how physical surroundings like mountains and climate have shaped the way people lived throughout American history.
Section 1
Geography Shapes History
To understand history, we must first look at a map.
Geography is the study of the land, water, and climate of a place. It is the setting for the human story, and it influences how that story unfolds.
Section 2
Geographers Use Tools to Understand Earth
A globe is a model of our planet, Earth.
It shows the world's huge land areas, called continents, and the vast bodies of salt water that surround them, called oceans. These features help us see the world as a whole.
Section 3
Geographers Map America's Land and States
The United States is a vast country with many different natural features.
A physical map shows these features, from the tall Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east. It also shows major rivers, like the Mississippi, that flow through large areas of flat land called the Great Plains.
Section 4
Geography Shapes Where People Live
Geography guides where people build their homes and communities.
These choices create patterns of human settlement. People often settle near rivers for water and transportation or on flat, fertile plains to grow food. The physical features, climate, and vegetation of a place all shape how people live.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
Geography Shapes History
To understand history, we must first look at a map.
Geography is the study of the land, water, and climate of a place. It is the setting for the human story, and it influences how that story unfolds.
Section 2
Geographers Use Tools to Understand Earth
A globe is a model of our planet, Earth.
It shows the world's huge land areas, called continents, and the vast bodies of salt water that surround them, called oceans. These features help us see the world as a whole.
Section 3
Geographers Map America's Land and States
The United States is a vast country with many different natural features.
A physical map shows these features, from the tall Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east. It also shows major rivers, like the Mississippi, that flow through large areas of flat land called the Great Plains.
Section 4
Geography Shapes Where People Live
Geography guides where people build their homes and communities.
These choices create patterns of human settlement. People often settle near rivers for water and transportation or on flat, fertile plains to grow food. The physical features, climate, and vegetation of a place all shape how people live.