Learning About
the Geography of Latin America

Introduction

Why do people modify (change) the environment? During this unit you will work in a group to study one country in Latin America and through your research you will learn that:

· A country may have many different natural environments.

· Humans change their environment to meet many needs.

· The culture of a country is shaped by its geography (both physical and human characteristics).

Overview of the Research

Your group will use a variety of resources to answer the following three questions:

Question 1: What is the natural environment of your country?

Environmental Regions: What are the major physical features located in these regions? What is the climate like in these regions?

Animal and Plant Life: What types of natural vegetation are located in your country? What animals are found in the different regions of natural vegetation in your country?

Question 2: How has the natural environment in your country been modified?

Urban Centers: What major cities are found in your country? What are the populations of these cities? What percentage of your country is urban and rural? How is the natural environment changed when cities grow or are added to a region?

Economic Activities: What types of economic activities exist in your country? What percentage of people work in each economic sector? How do you think these economic activities have modified the natural environment?

Cultural Sites: What sites of historical or cultural significance are located in your country? How might these sites change the natural environment?

Question 3: Why was the environment of your country modified by humans? (You will answer this after researching information for questions 1 and 2.)

Research Resources:

The following books, databases, and websites each contain information about countries in Latin America. It is often necessary to click on a link within a site to reach the needed information. You will need to evaluate whether or not an individual site has the information you are looking for. Use the books, and listed websites and databases for your research. You may not use Google or Wikipedia! Use Noodletools to cite your sources. Usernames and passwords are available in edline.