4-1 Solar and Wind Power
We need power to have lights, run machines, and live comfortably today. P
Oil causes pollution to the air when it is used in cars and other machines. P
Hydroelectric dams flood rivers and land. P
Nuclear power produces dangerous radioactive waste. P
Coal power plants, also, pollute the air like oil. P
Scientists are trying to come up with another way to produce power that is better for the environment. P
One way to produce cleaner power is to use solar and wind. P
Solar power uses the light from the sun. P
People put panels on the roofs of building to get solar power to make things in buildings work. P
Wind power uses the power of very fast winds to move large propellers or wings to generate power. P
In a windy location, wind generators are very practical. P
Using natural forces to produce power is a good idea because it does not harm the environment. P
4-2 Habitat Loss
A habitat is an area where certain plants and animals live. P
The animals and plants in habitat can only live in that habitat. P
If the habitat is destroyed then the animals and plants cannot live there or anywhere else. P
One type of habitat is a forest. P
The animals and plants of a forest can only live in a forest. P
A jungle is another habitat. The animals of the jungle cannot live in a forest. P
When a habitat is lost then the world loses everything in the habitat. P
All around the world, people are consuming resources. P
Resources are things people use that are from the earth. P
There are resources people use to live in every habitat. P
In the forest, people need to cut down forest trees to make buildings. P
If people do not plant new trees then the forest habitat can be lost. P
It is important to give back to habitats and not destroy them. P
If they are destroyed then everything in the habitat becomes extinct. P
4-3 Compost
Compost is natural plant matter that helps plants grow. P
Compost is also a way to recycle and it is good for the environment. P
Anyone can make compost. People make compost with old food, dirt, and waste. P
Compost is made when the items you put in it decompose completely. P
It can take up to a year for compost to completely decompose. P
When you put old food and dirt in a compost pile, when it breaks down or decomposes you can mix it together and use it as food for your plants. P
People use compost for a number of things. P
Some farmers put it on vegetables and fruit to help them grow better. P
Compost is a type of food for plants to help them grow. P
When compost is used along with lots of water and air, plants can grow to be very big and healthy. P
A lot of people make compost to help recycle and it is good for the environment. P
Some big cities have compost trashcans, for people that do not have room to make a compost pile at home. P
4-4 Overview of Geography
Geography is a science that deals with the earth's surface and arrangement of elements like soil, elevation, vegetation and population. P
Some study physical geography and others specialize in cultural geography. P
Physical geography deals with the elements. P
For example, the geography of countries close to the equator is different than countries closer to the North Pole. P
A scientist studies the elements and how man interacts with these elements. P
Cultural geography focuses on the impact of human culture on the landscape. P
An understanding of the groups of people who occupy a land is important in this type of geography. P
Maps that show what people in a country produce provide an understanding of the culture and the people who live there. P
Some people who live close to an ocean eat fish while those who live in a warm climate may eat fruits that can only be grown in that climate. P
4-5 Mountains
Mountains are a natural elevation of the Earth's surface. P
There are many mountain ranges in the U.S.A. P
Some of the ranges are quite large. P
In the state of California there are many mountains. P
Mt Shasta, Mt. Whitney and Mt. Baldy are just a few of the large mountains in California. P
Some people choose to live in the mountains. P
They choose to live in the mountains because the scenery is beautiful. P
There are problems involved with living in the mountains too. P
There are not enough jobs for mountain dwellers. P
Many have to commute to cities down the hill to work. P
This can be difficult because the climate in the mountains makes travel hard at times. P
Those who find a way to work close to home have an easier time than those who travel. P
There are other problems that come up due to the landscape of the mountains. P
Fires, animal problems, and lack of resources are just a few of the issues. P
4-6 Beaches
Beaches have many names. P
Some people call beaches the shore others call it the ocean. P
A beach is the sandy area that is next to the ocean. P
People like to live by the coast or the ocean. P
Some enjoy the mild weather at the beach. P
Some people enjoy fishing so they like to live at the beach. P
The weather is not cold and snowy at the beach but it can be damp and foggy. P
Many beaches take on a casual atmosphere and the culture reflects this by people dressing in comfortable clothing. P
The salt water in the ocean provides a natural treatment for the skin. P
The warm sun tans the skin and often lightens the hair. P
People who live at the beach are tan and look healthy. P
Seafood is served at many restaurants at the beach. P
The sound of the waves at the beach can be soothing and relaxing which adds to the nice atmosphere at the beach. P
4-7 Valleys
Valleys are a depression or hollow between mountains or hills. P
Valleys can be very beautiful especially on a clear day when you can see the mountains and hills surrounding the valley. P
Valleys can be good places to grow crops or fruit trees. P
California has many valleys. Many other states and countries have valleys too. P
Living in a valley is pleasant. P
Valley's can be found where mountain ranges come together. P
Sometimes polluted air can be trapped in a valley. P
A nice windy day will clear the polluted air out. P
Life is enjoyable in a valley. P
The elevation of valleys may vary depending upon the location of the valley. P
Some valleys are in the foothills of a mountain and they have a higher elevation. P
4-8 Deserts
A region that is arid because of little rainfall with widely spaced vegetation is a desert. P
Many deserts are sandy and dry. P
People who live in cold climates come to vacation in desert spots like Las Vegas or Palm Springs. P
These places are popular because the weather is usually nice and warm even in the winter. P
Certain fruits and nuts grow very well in this climate. P
The fig is a fruit that grows well in the desert. P
Deserts are warm so the main type of dress in a desert is casual dress. P
Women often wear cool dresses or casual pants outfits in the desert. P
Men wear lightweight clothing in the desert too. P
Hats are worn to protect the skin in the desert. P
Sunglasses are worn in the desert too. P
It is best to wear sunscreen everyday in the desert. P
It is advisable to drink plenty of water in the desert too. P
4-9 Rivers
Rivers are natural streams of water that flow in a direction or current. P
Rivers become more full after the rain. P
Some people fish in the river. P
Some people like to water ski or swim in the river. P
The river provides a form of transportation for those who travel by boat. P
Rivers provide a change in the landscape. P
The water can change the rocks and shoreline. P
In California and Arizona the Colorado River is a popular vacation spot. P
The Grand Canyon is an example of rock that was changed by water. P
The water in the river changes the look of the land that is close to the river. P
Popular casinos and restaurants can be found around rivers. P
Motels, hotels and vacation homes can be found at the river too. P
Rivers eventually flow into the ocean. P
4-10 Prairie
A prairie is an extensive level and mostly treeless tract of land. P
Kansas is known as a state that has prairies. P
Certain animals do well in a prairie. P
Many birds and animals enjoy the prairie. P
When the early American settlers moved to wide opened, undeveloped lands, those were often prairies. P
When tornados hit the prairies suffer. P
In fact, many people who live on the prairies have homes with storm cellars. P
The prairies have been lost to development. P
As the prairies have been built on we have lost the open fields of prairies. P
There are grasslands in prairies. P
Movies and television shows have been set on the prairie. P
"The Wizard of Oz" began in Kansas on the prairie. P
4-11 Sea level
Sea level is the horizontal plane or level corresponding to the surface of the sea between high and low tide. P
Most city signs in America list facts that tell you a little bit about the geography of the location. P
They list the population and the sea level. P
If you go into the mountains you see that you are thousands of feet above sea level. P
If you go to the ocean you are maybe ten feet above sea level. P
Many cities are somewhere between the ocean and mountain level. P
There are a few locations that are below sea level. P
One of these areas is Salton Sea in California. P
Salton Sea was a lake that was surrounded by land. P
It was filled with seawater. P
The water has evaporated over time and now what remains is land that is below sea level. P
4-12 Dense Population
Dense population is a term referred to in Cultural Geography. P
It means a population that is crowded closely together. P
Many cities have a dense population. P
Many rural areas do not have a dense population. P
Rural areas have a population that is spread out. P
When you see an area with many apartment buildings in a row, it is a dense population. P
There is more crime usually in a neighborhood that is densely populated. P
People seem to get on each other's nerves more when they live very close together. P
As humans we need others but we also need space. P
Neighborhoods that have yards and space between the houses seem to be more peaceful than densely populated apartment buildings. P
4-13 New York
New York City is the largest city in America. P
There are more than eight million people living there. P
It is also the largest metropolitan area in the world. P
New York City has a large contribution to every industry in the world. P
It is located on a large natural harbor on the east coast of America. P
The east coast of America borders the Atlantic Ocean. P
A natural harbor is a natural place where boats can dock, and it's not man-made. P
New York City, sometimes called The Big Apple, is the United Nations Headquarters. P
Leaders from countries all over the world come to New York City to talk about things going on in the world. P
Many people in America travel to New York City to see all of the things in the city. P
Popular things to visit are The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and Times Square. P
There are many people in New York City that moved to America from other countries. It's a big place! P
4-14 Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is an ancient city ruin in Mexico. P
It is located near Cancun, Mexico. P
Over one thousand years ago, the Mayan people built this great city. P
The Mayans were the people that lived there during that time. P
They were very smart and advanced for their time. P
They made buildings and cities that other people during that time could not make. P
They made the city using stone and wood. P
The Mayans left the city after many wars. P
This beautiful city was abandoned. P
The wood structures from the city all rotted away over the years, and the jungle covered the stone buildings and preserved them. P
The stone buildings are still around today. P
The buildings are a major tourist attraction. P
People like to go see them because they are apart of history. P
Not many ancient cities are around for people to see today. P
4-15 The Louvre
The Louvre is a very famous museum. P
It's located in the city of Paris. The city of Paris is in the country of France. P
The Louvre is the biggest museum in the world. P
It has two thousand, five hundred employees. P
It has more art than any other museum in the world. P
It has more than thirty-five thousand pieces of art. P
The pieces of art can be paintings, sculptures and pictures. P
Many of the pieces of art are thousands of years old. P
The most famous painting in The Louvre is the Mona Lisa. P
Leonardo DaVinci painted it. The painting became very famous because an Italian man stole it in 1911. P
The man that stole the painting was the same man who made the frame for the painting. P
It was returned to the museum two years later. P
The Mona Lisa is still available to see today at The Louvre. P
When people come to see the Mona Lisa, they can only look, and not touch. P
4-16 Antarctica
Antarctica is a very large continent on Earth. P
It's at the bottom of the planet and the South Pole is on it. P
The continent is almost completely buried in ice. P
However, part of the coastline is exposed. P
There is a peninsula on Antarctica. It's rocky and very dry. P
It's so dry, that the Antarctic is considered a desert. P
Unlike the other deserts of the world, Antarctica is a cold desert. P
Very few animals can live in Antarctica. P
Penguins live and breed on Antarctica. Sea animals live near the shore. P
Nothing lives on the middle of Antarctica because of its ice. P
No people call Antarctica home. Only some scientists live there for part of the year. P
America has a research station in Antarctica, where the American scientists live. P
They live there to study the continent. P
McMurdo Station is the name of the place where they live. P
It is a large glass dome, and it's designed to keep the scientists warm, and to keep the cold out. P
4-17 Sahara
The Sahara desert is the world's largest hot desert. P
It's located on the continent of Africa. It covers most of northern Africa. P
The only other desert that is bigger than the Sahara is Antarctica. P
The Sahara desert is full of sand and dirt. P
When it gets very windy there are sandstorms there. P
This is very bad windstorm sends sand everywhere. P
In the Sahara, there is almost no water at all. P
The Sahara stretches from Egypt to Morocco. P
The only people who live in the desert are the Tuareg people. P
These are people that travel everywhere and do not stay in any place for very long. P
This type of person can also be called a nomad. P
Their lifestyle is adapted to living in the sands of the Sahara. P
They are used to the harsh weather and living conditions in the desert. P
4-18 Hollywood, California
Hollywood is an area in Los Angeles. P
Los Angeles is a city in California. P
There's a big sign on a hill that says, "Hollywood." P
That is how people know they are in Hollywood. P
In Los Angeles, Hollywood is the place where television shows, music, and movies are made. P
It's the home of movie stars, directors, and other people that work on movies. P
If you sit in a cafe in Hollywood, sometimes you may see a movie star there. P
Hollywood has many movie studios. P
In Hollywood there is a place called the Hollywood Walk of Fame. P
It's a sidewalk that has stars with famous peoples name on the stars. P
To get your name on the star you have to be a successful movie star, television star, singer, producer, or person in the entertainment industry. P
Tourists come from all over the world to look at these stars on the sidewalk at the Hollywood Walk of Fame. P
4-19 Mount Everest
The tallest mountain in the world is Mount Everest. P
It is located in the country of Nepal. P
Many people have climbed Mount Everest. P
It is a very hard mountain to climb. P
It's very dangerous and many people have gotten hurt climbing it. P
Near the top of the mountain, there is not enough air to breathe. P
People climbing must where oxygen masks in order to continue climbing. P
This mountain is also extremely cold. P
Snow and ice make the journey to the top very difficult. P
Some people get sick while they climb because it's so cold. P
One strange animal is said to live there. P
The Yeti is a mythical half-man, half-monster that lives on the mountain. P
Many people claim to see it while climbing, but the Yeti creature is a myth and there is no actual proof that he exists. P
4-20 The Great Wall
The Great Wall of China was made thousands of years ago. P
It's the longest human-made structure in the world. P
It protected China from invasion for a thousand years. P
The Chinese created the wall to keep out the Mongolians and northern people that would try to invade China. P
The Great Wall stopped the northerners and Mongolians for a long time. P
However, the Mongolians did eventually breach the wall. P
When the wall was made, many people helped create it. P
Many people died building the wall. P
The people of China were upset about this. P
The Chinese people thought that the architect who built the wall was very cruel. P
The Great Wall is now a great monument. P
Many people travel from all over the world to see the Great Wall. P