Turn in: Regions postcards (if needed), any late work

On your desk: warm-up, worksheet from front table entitled “borders and countries”

Warm-up:

Thursday 09-13-2012

Write these questions:

1. How do countries determine their borders with surrounding countries?2. What is a country?

On the Border……….

Key Vocabulary for lesson:

1. Political Unit- the area that a government controls

2. Border- a boundary set between countries3. Sovereign- having complete independence and

control over your own government/country

Add these three together and you get a…. COUNTRY- recognized region based on its

political unit, borders and sovereign government.

USA: a political unit with recognized borders, with a sovereign government.

Examples of countries….

Have you ever wondered why countries have such unique shapes?

How do countries determine their borders with surrounding countries?

1. Physical-Setting a border on a physical feature such as

a river, mountain range, desert or sea.2. Cultural-Setting a border based on a cultural feature

such as language, religion, or ethnicity.3. Geometric-Setting a border based on a drawn line, such

as a line of latitude.

There are 3 ways to make a border..

Boundaries drawn along a physical land feature such as a …..

RiverMountain range DesertSea

Physical Borders:

Where might a border be drawn in Europe?

Pyrenees mountains separate Spain and France

The Danube River in Europe forms several borders between countries

Cultural borders are drawn where 2 cultures come together.

Examples of culture?LanguageReligionEthnicity

Cultural Borders

Pakistan

India

Bangladesh

Ethnic groups in Europe

Czechoslovakia was split into 2 countries based on ethnic groups: the Czechs and Slovaks.

Geometric Borders

Borders drawn along a set line, without regard to any feature. Such as a line of latitude or longitude

Look for straight lines.

The border between North and South Korea is at the 38N line of latitude, often called the 38th parallel.

You will now have the opportunity to create borders on a fictional continent.

You will receive a blank map of a continent.You will then receive maps of that continent’s

religions, physical features, and languages.You will determine where the countries’

borders should be.Choose to draw between 5-10 countries.Justify why you drew the border on your

worksheet.

Activity

Now, go back and answer the 2 guiding questions from the beginning of the lesson.

Homework:TEST REVIEW!TEST NEXT CLASS!!Complete the review for 5 bonus points on

the test.It must be totally completed for the bonus to

count.