Lesson 2: The Northeast
Activities
Activity 1: About the Northeast
Materials: Smart About the Fifty States: A Class Report by Jon Buller
On the "About the Northeast" pages, summarize the information you learned about the region. Some of the information for these pages will come from the book Smart About the Fifty States, but you will also need to use other sources such as the Internet or an encyclopedia.
These pages can include illustrations as well as written information. Include the following information:
These pages can include illustrations as well as written information. Include the following information:
- States (List the names.)
- Climate (Describe the overall climate of the region and how it changes with the seasons.)
- Natural resources (List and/or illustrate at least five natural resources found in the region.)
- Important landforms and bodies of water (Describe important landform(s) and bodies of water in the region. Include at least one landform and one body of water.)
- Culture (Describe the people and their way of life. What unique traditions do they have? How are they recognized by the rest of the country?)
- Wildlife (Illustrate and label at least two plants and two animals found in the region.)
- Famous person (Describe a famous person from the region and what the person has accomplished.)
- Jobs (List two important industries in the region.)
To find more information about this region, use the following websites or an encyclopedia. NOTE: The maps at the following websites do not display correctly on an iPad. Use a computer to view the websites or look for specific information using a search engine (for example, "New England climate").
Web Link
Interactive Map of New England
This interactive map features information about the Northernmost states of the Northeast region (New England).
This link was verified on 11/3/2023.
Web Link
Interactive Map of Mid-Atlantic States
This interactive map provides information about the Mid-Atlantic states, the more southern portion of the Northeastern region.
This link was verified on 10/6/2023.
Web Link
New World Encyclopedia: Northeastern United States
This link was verified on 8/12/2023.
Student Activity Page
Student Activity Page
Review the information your child provided on the "About the Northeast" pages. Discuss where she might need to add more detail or correct her information. NOTE: The maps at the websites provided do not display correctly on an iPad. Your child should use a computer to view the websites or look for specific information using a search engine (for example, "New England climate").
Activity 2: Letter to an Immigrant or Nature Field Guide
Materials: "Timeline of American History"*, colored pencils*, supplies to make a short book*
The Spanish founded St. Augustine in Florida in 1565, and the English came to Virginia in 1607 and called their settlement Jamestown. (Both Florida and Virginia are part of the Southeast). Before we had states, we had regions called colonies. Many of the people who came to America arrived in the states of the Northeast; that is where the original thirteen colonies were established. In 1620, the Pilgrims landed in what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts, and established Plymouth Plantation. If you are using the "Timeline of American History," add the date the Pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock.
The colonial Americans were not the only immigrants to come to the Northeast region of our country. The waves of immigrants who arrived throughout the 1800's and into the early 1900's came by boat to Ellis Island, New York.
One reason the Northeast is so populated is because many of the early immigrants stayed in this area and raised families. Most of the early commerce and government in our country started in this region.
Complete one of the following options:
The colonial Americans were not the only immigrants to come to the Northeast region of our country. The waves of immigrants who arrived throughout the 1800's and into the early 1900's came by boat to Ellis Island, New York.
One reason the Northeast is so populated is because many of the early immigrants stayed in this area and raised families. Most of the early commerce and government in our country started in this region.
Complete one of the following options:
For this activity, your child can select one of the following options:
Option 1
Pretend you are writing a letter to an immigrant who will arrive in New York in two months. In your letter, describe what he will discover upon his arrival. Also describe the climate, geography, and anything you know about the culture of the Northeast.
For this option, your child is asked to write a letter to an immigrant who will be moving to the Northeast. The letter should outline what the immigrant can expect to find upon arrival. Read your child's letter to be sure the information is accurate and that sufficient details are provided.
Option 2
Pretend it is the early 1880s and your family lives in the Northeast. Create a field guide for a new immigrant to the Northeast that describes the plants and animals the immigrant will find when he arrives. Remember to draw a realistic picture of each living thing so that the immigrant can accurately identify it. Write a sentence or two to describe each one and possibly how the plant or animal might be of use. Include at least ten items in your field guide.
Look over your child's field guide to check that the illustrations are accurate, that she includes at least ten living things, and that she explains how each living thing might be useful to the immigrant.