1. Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
Unit 1 Geography
Georgia Performance Standard (GPS)
SS8G1: The student will describe Georgia with regard to physical features and location.

2. SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.
Both the Equator and Prime Meridian are used to divide the earth into hemispheres.
Hemispheres – two halves of a sphere.

3. SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

4. SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

5. SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.

6. SS8G1 a. Locate Georgia in relation to region, nation, continent, and hemispheres.
Georgia is bordered by five states.
Georgia is N of Florida. Georgia is S of Tennessee and North Carolina. Georgia is E of Alabama. Georgia is W of South Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean.

7. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.

8. Georgia’s 5 physiographic regions:
1) The Appalachian Plateau
2) The Ridge & Valley Region
3) The Blue Ridge Region
4) The Piedmont Plateau
5) The Coastal Plain

9. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
Appalachian Plateau:
Smallest of the regions-includes only Dade and Walker County
It is a maze of limestone caves, deep canyons, and interesting rock formations
Far northwestern corner of the state-TAG Corner

10. Ridge and Valley (Rome, GA):
SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
Ridge and Valley (Rome, GA):
Has low open valleys and narrow ridges that run parallel to the valleys.
Forests & pastures dominate the region, but there are flat and fertile farmlands.
Dalton, GA is home to the largest textile industry in the US.

11. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
Blue Ridge Region:
Located in northeastern GA
The highest and largest group of mountains in Georgia is in this region.
The site for the first US Gold Rush
Has the highest avg. rainfall per year (Up to 80 inches in places)

12. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
Blue Ridge (cont.):
Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in the state, is located in this region. (Almost 5000 ft. high)

13. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
Piedmont:
Begins in the mountain foothills of GA and goes to the central part of the state
This granite-based landform makes up about 1/3 of the state’s land area.
Contains rusty red soil often called “Georgia red clay.”
About ½ of the state’s population lives in the Piedmont region
Contains the industrial/business
heart of Georgia, Atlanta, the
states largest city.

14. SS8G1 b. Describe the five geographic regions of Georgia, include the Blue Ridge Mountains, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
The Coastal Plain:
Largest region, occupies three-fifths of the state
Is divided into the Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer Coastal Plain.
It is the major agricultural region of the state, with soil that varies from limestone to clay.
Crops include peaches, peanuts and cotton.
The Coastal Plain region is separated from the Piedmont Plateau by a natural boundary known as the Fall Line.

15. c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.

16. The Fall Line Separates the Piedmont and Coastal plain
c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
The Fall Line
Separates the Piedmont and Coastal plain
a boundary about 20 miles wide that runs across Georgia.
Called Fall Line due to its many water falls and is believed to represent Georgia’s coastline for millions of years.
Major Cities along Fall Line:
1. Augusta
2. Macon
3. Columbus
4. Milledgeville

17. c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
Okefenokee Swamp
Located in the southeast corner of Georgia
It is the largest swamp in North America. (Almost covers 700 miles)
Home to more than 400 species of animals.
Became the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in 1937

18. Appalachian Mountains
c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
Appalachian Mountains
Southernmost part of the Appalachian Mountain Range and are the Blue Ridge Mountains in GA.
The main industry is mining.

19. Chattahoochee River Begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains
c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
Chattahoochee River
Begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Flows southwest towards Alabama and into the Gulf of Mexico
Important for Georgians for:
1. Drinking Water
2. hydroelectric power
3. recreation

20. Savannah River Natural boundary between Georgia and South Carolina
c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
Savannah River
Natural boundary between Georgia and South Carolina
Flows southeast into the Atlantic Ocean
The dramatic drop in elevation near the Fall Line causes rivers to form waterfalls.

21. c. Locate and evaluate the importance of key physical features on the development of Georgia; include the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp, Appalachian Mountains, Chattahoochee and Savannah Rivers, and barrier islands.
Barrier Islands
Barrier islands are found along nearly the entire eastern seaboard of United States.
They protect the mainland from storms.
Important for tourism, fishing, and paper production

22. d. Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development.
Weather – The day to day change of the earth’s atmosphere in regard to temperature, moisture, wind velocity and pressure.
Climate – the average of weather patterns measured over a long period of time.

23. d. Evaluate the impact of climate on Georgia’s development.
Georgia, like most regions, has a vertical climate. What do you think that means?
Overall, Georgia has a mild climate. Winters in Georgia are cool while summers are warm to hot. The Coastal Plain region has longer and hotter summers because of their location near/in between the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. This climate is called subtropical.
Georgia has 4 distinct seasons.