Rivers and Regions Louisiana's Geography: Rivers and ...
2 Louisiana’s Geography: Rivers and Regions
Chapter
Chapter Preview Terms: absolute location, relative location, time zones, navigable, bayou, elevation, relief, alluvial, swamp, estuary, topography, marsh, salt dome, geologist, weather, climate, precipitation, hurricane, tornado, growing season, wetlands, subsidence, barrier islands Places: Mississippi River, Pearl River, Gulf of Mexico, Sabine River, Toledo Bend, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Pontchartrain, Driskill Mountain, Mississippi Floodplain region, Terraces region, Marsh region, Red River Valley region, Hills region
34
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he LaBranche Wetlands Watchers at Hurst Middle School in St. Charles Parish adopted an area of wetlands as their service learning project. They invited more than 350 fifth graders to their huge Wetlands Celebration. The all-day event was held at the LaBranche Wetlands site in the Bonnet Carre (BO nuh KER ree) Spillway area. Younger students learned the value of this wetland through exhibits and activities. They did fish printing and learned to cast fishing lines. Under the direction of science teacher Barry Guillot, the LaBranche Wetlands Watchers have collected hundreds of bags of trash, performed water quality tests, and planted almost a thousand trees. They have begun work on another major project, the first public nature trail in their area. The students have also made speeches to more than 40,000 people, spreading awareness of the endangered wetlands. Their audiences have ranged from kindergarten classes to adult community clubs. The LaBranche Wetlands Watchers have received national attention and many major awards for this outstanding project. They were featured on an ABC “Chil-
Louisiana The History of an American State
dren First” special hosted by Diane Sawyer and a CNN special, “People Count.” Local television stations have often interviewed the students. When the students have been asked to comment about the LaBranche Wetlands Watchers, they did not mention the awards or the publicity. Instead, they talked about the personal rewards. One student said, “I am glad to be part of an organization that is working to understand and improve the world we live in.” Another mentioned working with the younger students, “I felt responsible being a role model for the fifth graders we took out in the wetlands. It was so much fun teaching them what we had learned.” Another project member understood the need to keep up the efforts, “It might take more than one try, but if we keep going out there picking up trash we can make the wetlands a better place.” Another student saw the connection between Louisiana’s past and the future through her experience. “My dad and my granddad always have stories to tell about their childhood in the LaBranche Wetlands. Now I have some to tell my children.”
Chapter 2
Above: Wetlands, like this one near Lake Pontchartrain, provide habitats for millions of waterfowl and migratory birds.
Louisiana’s Geography: Rivers and Regions
35
Focus on Skills Reading Maps
Defining the Skill
A map provides information in a graphic manner. There are many types of maps, including topographical, physical/political, historical, and satellite. Some common forms of maps that are found in textbooks include climate, weather regions, movement, transportation routes, distance, waterways, and natural resources. To properly read a map, you should • look at the title to determine the subject or purpose, • determine the type of information it displays, • look at the key or legend to determine the meaning of symbols or colors, and • look at the scale and compass rose to determine distance and direction.
While you examine the map, answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What is the subject of the map? 2. What type of information is displayed on the map? 3. What does the scale tell you? 4. According to the map, what natural and/or manmade features form Louisiana’s western boundary? 5. According to the map, what forms Louisiana’s southern boundary? 6. According to the map, what state lies to the north of Louisiana?
Try This!
Look at the map and answer the questions that follow. 1. What is the subject of the map? 2. What type information is found on the map? 3. Is there a scale? If yes, what does it tell you? 4. Is there a legend? If yes, what does it tell you?
It’s Your Turn!
Chapter 2 contains a number of Louisiana maps. Look at Map 4 on page 39.
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Chapter 2 Louisiana’s Geography: Rivers and Regions
Chapter
Chapter Preview Terms: absolute location, relative location, time zones, navigable, bayou, elevation, relief, alluvial, swamp, estuary, topography, marsh, salt dome, geologist, weather, climate, precipitation, hurricane, tornado, growing season, wetlands, subsidence, barrier islands Places: Mississippi River, Pearl River, Gulf of Mexico, Sabine River, Toledo Bend, Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Lake Pontchartrain, Driskill Mountain, Mississippi Floodplain region, Terraces region, Marsh region, Red River Valley region, Hills region
34
T
he LaBranche Wetlands Watchers at Hurst Middle School in St. Charles Parish adopted an area of wetlands as their service learning project. They invited more than 350 fifth graders to their huge Wetlands Celebration. The all-day event was held at the LaBranche Wetlands site in the Bonnet Carre (BO nuh KER ree) Spillway area. Younger students learned the value of this wetland through exhibits and activities. They did fish printing and learned to cast fishing lines. Under the direction of science teacher Barry Guillot, the LaBranche Wetlands Watchers have collected hundreds of bags of trash, performed water quality tests, and planted almost a thousand trees. They have begun work on another major project, the first public nature trail in their area. The students have also made speeches to more than 40,000 people, spreading awareness of the endangered wetlands. Their audiences have ranged from kindergarten classes to adult community clubs. The LaBranche Wetlands Watchers have received national attention and many major awards for this outstanding project. They were featured on an ABC “Chil-
Louisiana The History of an American State
dren First” special hosted by Diane Sawyer and a CNN special, “People Count.” Local television stations have often interviewed the students. When the students have been asked to comment about the LaBranche Wetlands Watchers, they did not mention the awards or the publicity. Instead, they talked about the personal rewards. One student said, “I am glad to be part of an organization that is working to understand and improve the world we live in.” Another mentioned working with the younger students, “I felt responsible being a role model for the fifth graders we took out in the wetlands. It was so much fun teaching them what we had learned.” Another project member understood the need to keep up the efforts, “It might take more than one try, but if we keep going out there picking up trash we can make the wetlands a better place.” Another student saw the connection between Louisiana’s past and the future through her experience. “My dad and my granddad always have stories to tell about their childhood in the LaBranche Wetlands. Now I have some to tell my children.”
Chapter 2
Above: Wetlands, like this one near Lake Pontchartrain, provide habitats for millions of waterfowl and migratory birds.
Louisiana’s Geography: Rivers and Regions
35
Focus on Skills Reading Maps
Defining the Skill
A map provides information in a graphic manner. There are many types of maps, including topographical, physical/political, historical, and satellite. Some common forms of maps that are found in textbooks include climate, weather regions, movement, transportation routes, distance, waterways, and natural resources. To properly read a map, you should • look at the title to determine the subject or purpose, • determine the type of information it displays, • look at the key or legend to determine the meaning of symbols or colors, and • look at the scale and compass rose to determine distance and direction.
While you examine the map, answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What is the subject of the map? 2. What type of information is displayed on the map? 3. What does the scale tell you? 4. According to the map, what natural and/or manmade features form Louisiana’s western boundary? 5. According to the map, what forms Louisiana’s southern boundary? 6. According to the map, what state lies to the north of Louisiana?
Try This!
Look at the map and answer the questions that follow. 1. What is the subject of the map? 2. What type information is found on the map? 3. Is there a scale? If yes, what does it tell you? 4. Is there a legend? If yes, what does it tell you?
It’s Your Turn!
Chapter 2 contains a number of Louisiana maps. Look at Map 4 on page 39.
36
Chapter 2 Louisiana’s Geography: Rivers and Regions
