You will have a quiz on Thursday so study 25 questions You will need to know - Texas Rivers ( no word bank for everyone!!!) - Physical geography vocabulary (Geography geoterms/ Types of Maps/borders) - U.S. and Mexican States surrounding Texas ++ Advanced classes (5th/6th will have no word banks) ++ Pre-AP classes (will have a word bank for the vocabulary and states section)

9/13 Warm-up: What is the difference between absolute and relative location? ++ Have your Geography Geoterms we worked on yesterday out and your green Texas Regions map

Absolute Location Relative Location The exact location of a place (the address, or longitude/latitude). Ex. Murchison MS is at 3700 North Hills Dr. Austin, TX 78731 Relative Location The location of a place in relation to other places (where it is relative to other things). Ex. Murchison MS is down the street from HEB and across from Starbucks

Four Regions of Texas The Escarpments help make up the NATURAL BORDERS for the Four Regions of Texas

Major Texas Landforms CAPROCK ESCARPMENT BALCONES ESCARPMENT Escarpment a long steep slope, esp. at the edge of a plateau or separating areas of land at different heights CAPROCK ESCARPMENT High Plains Permian Basin Edwards Plateau Coastal Plains BALCONES ESCARPMENT

BALCONES ESCARPMENT TX Landforms South

CAPROCK ESCARPMENT TX Landforms

Central Plains (Central Lowland) Region Mountains & Basins Region Great Plains Region Coastal Plains Region

The regions of Texas are… Gulf Coastal Plain Central Plains (Central Lowland) Great Plains Mountains and Basins

Texas Regions

Coastal Plains Region

Location of Coastal Region Covers 1/3 of the land of Texas Northeast border is the Sabine River Southeast border is the Gulf of Mexico West border is the Balcones Escarpment

Coastal Cities…… Austin (on the border) Houston Dallas (on the border) Waco (on the border) Texarkana Corpus Christi Brownsville

Coastal Climate……. Hot and damp, humid Tornadoes, hurricanes 30-55 inches of rain per year

Way of life…. The gulf coast is a major center of economic activity. The marshlands provide breeding grounds for ocean life, which make the fish and shrimp businesses very important. The port of Houston is one of the 10 busiest ports in the world.

Economy: OIL AND GAS Along the coastal region you will find many oil rigs that are on-shore and off-shore…. The ocean gives easy access to ship the oil and gas to where it needs to go..

PLANTS The land along the Gulf Coast is very near sea level. It is hard for water to drain off the land, since there is nowhere lower for the water to go. Much of the coast of Texas is made up of marshes----wetlands where a variety of tall grasses grow.

Coastal Animals…. Many kinds of animals live in the coastal region… To name a few… Hundreds of birds-Bald eagle, Quail, Hawk, Owl, etc White tail deer Foxes Skunks River otters Bobcats Alligators in the marshes!!! Some weigh up to 500 lbs!!!

AMAZING ANIMALS OF THE COASTAL PLAINS

And the road runner….

Can you name other coastal animals… … The real road runner….. Can you name other coastal animals… …

North Central Plains NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS

Location of North Central Plains The North Central Plains is bordered in the north by the Red River. In the west, it includes a small piece of the Panhandle. It is border on the east by the Caprock Escarpment in the panhandle and by the Balcones Fault to the southeast. Picture of Edwards Plateau

Central Plains Cities….. Fort Worth Abilene Wichita Falls San Angelo

Central Plains Climate Central Texas is shaped by its many rivers and hills. The climate is subtropical- similar to the coastal plains In a single year the region can receive up to 48 inches of rain, and flooding is common near rivers and in low lying areas.

CENTRAL PLAINS ECONOMY RANCHING COTTON AND WHEAT FARMING NATURAL GAS FROM THE BARNETT SHALE

Central Plain - Plants Blue bonnets Indian Paintbrush Oak Trees Mesquite Trees

Indian Blanket OakTree Blue Sage

North Central Plain - Animals Bobcat Turkeys White-tailed deer Screech Owl Mexican Freetail Bat Cliff Swallow

THE GREAT PLAINS GREAT PLAINS

Location of Great Plains Caprock Escarpment separates Great Plains from North Central Plains in the east. In the north the border is the state of Oklahoma and in the west the border is the state of New Mexico. The Southern border of the Great Plains is the Edwards Plateau In the North lie the High Plains which rises in elevation as you move west. Edwards Plateau which is hilly and is a part of the Texas Hill Country.

Great Plains Cities Amarillo Lubbock Abilene Midland Odessa

Great Plains Climate Dry air Tornadoes Little rain 20-30 inches of rain per year

Great Plains Economy Farming - fruits, vegetables, watermelons, oats Ranching - cattle, angora goats (mohair) Cedar trees - fenceposts Oil and gas

Great Plains Plants Prickly pear Yucca Indian Paintbrush Cactus

Animals of the Great Plains Pronghorn Prairie Dog Snakes Horny Toad

Mountains and Basins

Location of the Mountains and Basins Far west Texas East border near Pecos River South border is the Rio Grande North border is New Mexico

Cities of the Mountains and Basins El Paso Pecos Presidio

Climate of the Mountains and Basins Driest part of state 8 inches of rain per year, 20 in mountains Hot days, cool nights

Mountains and Basins Economy Ranching - cattle, sheep, goat Farming - cotton, fruits, vegetables, cantaloupes (irrigation in El Paso and Pecos River Valley) Oil and gas - part of Permian Basin

Plants of the Mountains and Basins IT IS FLAT!!!!! Some sagebrush

Animals of the Mountains and Basins                                                        Rattlesnakes Armadillos                                                                                                              

Texas Regions Stations Activity You will now complete a stations activity to determine which stations are associated with which Texas regions. You may circle more than one answer, but you should be able to explain them. Make sure to use complete sentences and explain your answer. Station 1: Bluebonnet Which region? (Circle one) Coastal Plains Central Plains Great Plains Basin and Mountains Explain: Bluebonnets are native to the Central Plains.

Stations Expectations No more than one or two to a station Work with your group to answer the questions Do not move on to the next station until you hear the timer Rotate even if you are not finished when you hear the timer; there may be time at the end to complete missing stations If you get done early; wait until you here the time to rotate with the next station. Don’t forget- write in complete sentences!! Have fun and be productive

Middle Latitudes: this means we have a warm, mild climate High Plains (Panhandle) Mountains Grasslands Edwards Plateau Desert Plants (Hill Country) Coastal Plains Caprock Escarpment Barrier Islands Forests (in East TX) Basins Savannas – shrubs (smaller trees) and grasses Ogallala Aquifer Balcones Escarpment Edwards Aquifer Flat land and Rolling hills Grass - (in the Gulf Coast Plains) Gulf of Mexico Oil & Natural Gas In Texas, as you travel from east to west, the LAND gets HIGHER and the CLIMATE gets DRIER!! West Oil & Natural Gas East