The World and Our Nation The world is made up of water and seven large land areas known as continents. Our country is called the United States of America. It is located on the continent of North America.
Name _________________________ The Seven Continents
CLUES #1 The largest continent is where The world's tallest mountain reaches into the air. One out of every four people in the world live there. It's the home of the panda bear. Can you name the continent? The highest point is Mt. Everest... This is continent # ________________. #2 The 2nd largest continent has tigers and elephants. The world's longest river flows past the pyramids. Sahara desert gets so hot Some years it doesn't rain one drop. Can you name the continent? The Egyptian pyramids, are in‌ This is continent # ________________. #3 On the 3rd largest continent you'll get To see landforms you won't forget. Like the Rocky Mountains or 5 great lakes; The Grand Canyon with its eagles and rattlesnakes. Can you name the continent? It includes Mexico and Canada. This is continent # ________________.
#4 The rainiest place in the world is here; Gets more than 22 feet of rain in a year. The Andes Mountains run all the way from North to South. Piranhas in the Amazon would like to put you in their mouth! Can you name the continent? This is continent # ________________. #5 It's so cold everywhere you go. Penguins wish they had a coat. Ice and snow! Ice and snow! This is continent # ________________. #6 Many small countries form this 2nd smallest continent. The Rhine and Thames and Danube rivers run through it. Spain, Greece, France and Italy Surround the Mediterranean Sea. Can you name the continent? The "Euro" is their common currency. This is continent # ________________. #7 Koala bears in eucalyptus trees live on the Smallest continent, surrounded by seas. Hopping around are kangaroos and wallabies. It's native people are called Aborigines Can you name the continent? Some people call it Oceania. This is continent # ________________.
“Continents” Answer Key 1) 4 2) 5 3) 1 4) 2 5) 3 6) 7 7) 6
Our Nation: North America North America is made up of different countries. Each country has its own government that makes decisions for the people who live there. One of the countries in North America is the United States of America. Above the United States is a country called Canada. Below the United States is a country called Mexico.
To the right (east) of the United States is a body of water called the Atlantic Ocean and to the left (west) is another body of water called the Pacific Ocean.
Our Nation: The United States The United States of America is located on the continent of North America. There are 50 states in the U.S. The U.S. borders (the line separating two countries) Canada to the north and Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. On the east coast, the U.S. is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the west coast it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean. To the northwest of Canada is the state of Alaska. The state of Hawaii is located in the Pacific Ocean, southwest of California.
Our Nation: The 50 States The United States is made up of 50 states. Most of the states border each other. There are two states that do not touch the rest of the states. These are Alaska and Hawaii.
Our Capital: Washington, D.C. Every country has a capital. This is where the government makes important decisions, such as laws. It is also where the President lives and Congress meets. The Supreme Court justices work here, too. The capital of the United States is Washington, D.C. It is named after George Washington, who was the first President of the United States, and Christopher Columbus, a famous explorer. Washington, D.C. is located on the east coast and is surrounded by the states of Maryland and Virginia on the Potomac River.
The United States of America Capital City: Washington, D.C. Motto: In God We Trust Largest Cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, San Jose
Population: 298,444,215 (July 2006 est.) Land Area: 3,615,123 sq. mi. (9,375,720 sq. km.) Largest State: Alaska Smallest State: Rhode Island National Bird: Bald Eagle National Flower: Rose National Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner
New York State Capital City: Albany Nickname: Empire State / Excelsior State Motto: Excelsior (Ever upward) Largest Cities: New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse Border States: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont Land Area: 47,224 sq.mi., 30th largest State Bird: Bluebird State Flower: Rose State Tree: Sugar Maple State Song: I Love New York Suggested Activity: Have student’s research one additional state @ http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/state/index.html
Name __________________________________________ To learn about another state in the United States go to the following website: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/state/index.html. Choose one of the states on the map and click on that state to learn more. State ____________________________________ Capital City: Nickname: Motto: Largest Cities:
Border States:
Land Area: State Bird: State Flower: State Tree: State Song:
Our Government Why do we need a government? Imagine what school would be like if no one was in charge. Each class would make its own rules. Who gets to use the gym if two classes want to use it at the same time? Who would clean the classrooms? Who decides if you learn about Mars or playing kickball? Sounds confusing, right? This is why schools have people who are in charge, such as the principal and teachers. Our nation has people who are in charge and they make up the government.
Our Government The Constitution
Over 200 years ago, our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. The Constitution is the most important laws and rules in our country and explains how our government works. The Constitution divides the government into three branches. 1. __________________________________ 2. __________________________________ 3. __________________________________
Our Government: The Legislative Branch The legislative branch makes laws for the nation and is also known as Congress. Congress meets at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
Our Government: The Executive Branch The executive branch makes sure people follow the laws that the legislative branch makes. The leaders of this branch are the President and Vice-President. The President lives at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Our Government: The Judicial Branch Sometimes people are not sure what a law means. The judicial branch listens to many different opinions and then makes a decision about what they law means. The judicial branch is made up of courts. The highest or most important is the U.S. Supreme Court and is made up of 9 judges. They meet at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Capitol Built on a hill, the U.S. Capitol is the home of the United States Congress and is where the laws are made. Atop the iron dome, is a statue of a woman representing Freedom, by the American sculptor Thomas Crawford. The height of the Capitol from the ground to the top of the statue is 287.5 feet.
1. Where is the US Capitol building located? _____________________________________________ 2. Who works in the U. S. Capitol? _____________________________________________ 3. What is located at the top of the building? _____________________________________________ 4. Which branch of the government works in the US Capitol? _____________________________________________
The White House
The address of the White House is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. Every president of the United States has lived in the White House except for George Washington. The house was not built in time! The White House has six floors, two basements, two public floors, and two floors for the First Family. The First Family is the President and his family. There is an Oval Office where the President works. 1. Where is The White House located? _____________________________________________ 2. Who works in The White House? _____________________________________________ 3. Which branch of the government works in The White House? _____________________________________________
The Supreme Court Building This building is located in Washington, DC near the Capitol building. There are sixteen marble columns at the main entrance
of the Court. This is the building is where the Supreme Court meets. Above the entrance to the Supreme Court Building is written "Equal Justice Under Law." 1. Where is the Supreme Court building located? _____________________________________________ 2. Who works in the Supreme Court building? _____________________________________________ 3. What does it say above the entrance to the building? _____________________________________________ 4. Which branch of the government works in the Supreme Court building? _____________________________________________
The Statue of Liberty Located in New York, the statue is 151 feet tall (305 feet if you ad the base and pedestal). The Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom throughout the world. The Statue was a gift from the people of France. The statue is made of copper and is a woman who has fought and won her freedom. Her right hand holds a burning torch that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with the date "July 4, 1776." She is wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize the seven seas and continent Pictured below is the Statue of Liberty's 25-foot-long left foot!
Mount Rushmore In the Black Hills of South Dakota is Mount Rushmore. It was designed as to show the growth and strength of our country and its great leaders. It is carved out of rock and is 60feet high. The monument shows four great U.S. Presidents.
They are:
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Theodore Roosevelt
Abraham Lincoln
The Flag
The U.S. flag was first flown in 1777 and looked much different back then! Back then, there were only thirteen states. Stars were added to the flag as new states joined the country. Now our flag has 50 stars. Ever wonder why the flag is red, white, and blue?
White: means purity Red: means bravery Blue: means care, determination, and justice
Why stars and stripes? Stars are considered a symbol of the heavens and the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light from the sun.
The Bald Eagle The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term "bald" does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from an old word that means "marked with white." The bald eagle was made the national bird of the United States in 1782. The bald eagle can be found in many places in the U.S., such as on the President's flag and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle was chosen because it symbolized strength, courage, and freedom. Hundreds of years ago there were as many as 25,000 to 50,000 bald eagles in North America, but populations have since dropped. Many eagles were captured for getting too close to poultry or fishing nets; some were captured for falconry; and many eagles were poisoned by pesticides. In 1967, the bald eagle was included on the Endangered Species List. Federal laws, such as the Bald Eagle Protection Act, protect the bald eagle and have led to the recovery of bald eagle populations. In 2007, populations have improved and the bald eagle was removed from the list.