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Name: _________________________
Study Guide
Exams will be held in August. Please be prepared for the exams! Below, is what you need to review for the
exam for Social Studies and Language. It is everything we have learned from August to now. You can also
review your tests, homework packets, class notes, and chapter handouts for better preparation. In order to
ensure that you are successful, please show this to your parents so they are aware that you need to study!
1. Social Studies
A.) Canada’s Regions
Canada can be divided into seven landform regions. They are: (1) Cordillera, (2) Interior Plains, (3) Arctic
Lowlands, (4) Canadian Shield, (5) Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Lowlands, (6) Hudson Bay Lowlands, and (7)
Appalachian Region. Know where these are located on a map also review the vocabulary terms using the
glossary to help you. You should be able to evaluate the effects that using natural resources or industrial
practices have on the environment, analyze maps, and identify the characteristics of the region and the
human activities that take place there. Also, think about how people can be good environmental stewards.
1. The Cordillera
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Main= Mountain ranges. Also has many rivers, an ocean, coniferous forests, and plateaus. There is
tundra in the north part of this region.
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Winter= warm, wet wends from the Pacific Ocean along the coast.
Interior is cooler with a lot of snow. Very cold in the north part of the region.
Summer = warm and dry. Southern interior gets very hot. Slightly cooler in northern area.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Logging, mining, software development, filmmaking, ocean-based tourism, fishing, and fruit
canning
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main = British Columbia and Yukon Territories. Minor = Alberta and Northwest Territories
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits= Warmer climate near coast, ocean playground, scenic mountains, mountain playgrounds
(skiing), multicultural, and many industries for jobs.
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= The north part of the region is tundra and is very cold in the winter. Territories do not
get to make their own decisions on laws and education –Canadian government does this and they
may not be as sensitive to the issues and needs of the territories. Much of the land is mountainous,
that leaves little room for homes to be built. We see that in Vancouver they must build high into
the sky as the mountains are right behind the city. Homes are very expensive as a result of this
inability to expand the city. Thus, it’s very costly to live there.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: cordillera, physical features, plateau, tundra, climate, natural resources, non-
renewable resources, sustainable, coniferous trees, clear-cutting, hydro-electric power, thematic
map, scale, compass rose
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2. The Interior Plains
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Plains, rolling prairie grasslands, foothills, large lakes, long rivers, and wetlands
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Affected by dry, westerly winds. Sometimes the warm air gets pushed west, over the mountains in
the winter. In the northern part of the region, cold arctic air brings cold air south. A fairly dry region
that is cold in the winter and hot in the summer- except for the most northern part that is cold
year-round.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Mining, farming, and ranching
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main= Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Northwest Territories. Minor = British Columbia and Manitoba
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits = dry climate, scenic mountains, mountain playgrounds (skiing), multicultural, fertile soil
for farming and ranching, and many oil drilling and mining jobs
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
The north part of the region is tundra and is very cold in the winter. Territories do not get to make
their own decisions on laws and education – Canadian government does this and they may not be
as sensitive to the issues and needs of the territories. With all of the mining, it will be hard to keep
the environment clean and not destroy wildlife habitats.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: secondary industries, tertiary industries, quaternary industries, ranching
3. The Arctic Lowlands
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Islands, lowlands, plateaus, and mountains. Arctic Ocean covered with sea ice, land is tundra, and
ground is frozen
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Affected by how north this region is. Little precipitation during winter because too cold. Climate
change making it warmer. In summer rains more in eastern area of region.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Mining, fishing, and hunting
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main= Northwest Territories and Nunavut
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits = A lot of unspoiled nature. Mining is a growing industry that is producing new jobs.
Becoming multicultural.
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= The cold weather and limited access for transportation. Goods are expensive. Will
mining hurt the environment here?
g.) Vocabulary Term: permafrost
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4. The Canadian Shield
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Bare rocks, plateaus, and uplands. Many lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Both coniferous and
deciduous trees.
b.) What is the climate in this region?
In the northern part you get cold winters and coolness during the summer. Too cold for
precipitation in the winter. Southern part has milder winters with a lot of snow. Summers are warm
and humid.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Mining, forestry (pulp and paper), and tourism
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main = Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador
Minor= Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits= Huge mining industry, lots of wildlife and woodlands. Cottage country with many bodies
of water. Multicultural. Many healthcare jobs. Tourism.
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= The cold weather and limited access for Transportation in north. Goods are expensive.
Will mining hurt the environment here? When mines close you are left with ghost towns.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: uplands, deciduous trees, humid, smelting, elect
5. The Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Lowlands
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Low, flat land and gently sloping hills. Attached to large bodies of water. Flat plain along the St.
Lawrence River. Oak Ridges Moraine and Niagara Escarpment run through region
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Summer is hot and humid. Winter is cold and snowy. Since land is low, flooding occurs with
melting snow and heavy rains. Extreme heat and humidity results in severe weather during the
summer.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Farming, manufacturing, transportation, and generating energy
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main= Ontario and Quebec
Minor= Newfoundland and Labrador
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits= Major employer as there is a large manufacturing sector. Jobs in all 4 industries.
Seasonable weather for farming and daily life. Extremely multicultural and multi-lingual. Buy
local food
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= controlling urban sprawl to protect habitats. Pollution from industry and cars as
region has a high and dense population.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: moraine, escarpment, glaciers, rural, urban, urban development, urban
sprawl, multicultural
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6. The Hudson Bay Lowlands
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Swampy wetlands, permafrost, streams, and wide, slow-moving rivers. Small trees.
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Cold winds from the frozen Hudson’s Bay during the winter. Spring brings moisture and rain
from bay. Summers are foggy and warm.
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Mining, ecotourism, hunting and fishing
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main= Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits= mining industry that wants to protect the environment, lots of wildlife for
ecotourism. Healthcare even in remote location. Many industry jobs for location. Responsible
hunting and fishing location. Self-governing for native people (aboriginals)
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= The cold weather and limited access for transportation in north. Goods are
expensive. Will mining hurt the environment here? Visitors could be hurting environment if not
careful during ecotourism.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: muskeg, ecotourism, quotas, elevation, topographic maps, reserves, band
councils, elders
7. The Appalachian Region
a.) What are the physical features of this region?
Low, rolling mountains. Flat uplands, fertile plains, and swampy lowlands. Atlantic Ocean
surrounds much of it.
b.) What is the climate in this region?
Heavily influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. A lot of rain and snow. Ocean winds bring fog,
hurricanes, ice storms, and snow storms. Cold, stormy winter; warm, wet summers for most of
the provinces in the region
c.) What are the industries of this region?
Fishing, aquaculture, mining, forestry and farming, manufacturing
d.) What are the political regions (provinces and/or territories) in this region?
Main= New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador
e.) List some benefits of living in this region.
Benefits= Ocean provides jobs (both fishing and oil drilling). Variety of jobs. Beaches and
beautiful scenery.
f.) List some challenges of living in this region.
Challenges= The unpredictable weather coming from the ocean winds. Some industries have
been hit with quotas or an outright ban to preserve or regenerate the renewable resources
(example: cod fish). Thus, some industries hit hard with job losses. Overfishing depleted the
cod stocks and a ban on fishing was needed to save this renewable resource.
g.) Vocabulary Terms: overfishing, aquaculture, port authority
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B.) Early Societies
The Early Societies we have focused on are Medieval England, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient
China. How did the natural environment affect early societies? You should understand the relationship
between the way of life and the environment in these places. You should also be able to describe the
importance of the environment and its effect on the early societies.
1. Medieval England and the Environment
a.) The Environment of Medieval England
Medieval England was located on an island off the northwest coast of Europe. During Roman rule, it
was called Brittania.
b.) Physical Features and Locations of Settlements of Medieval England
Physical features include lowlands, plains, highlands, mountains, and weald. People settled around
the River Thames.
c.) What were the Agricultural and Farming Practices?
People mostly grew wheat, barley, peas, and oats, as well as some vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
People also raised livestock such as cows, pigs, and sheep. Farms were usually owned by a lord or
lady, and peasants worked on it. The ‘Labours of the Month’ was a popular subject of art during
that period which showed activities that took place on the land during each year of the month.
d.) What was the Relationship between People and the Environment?
Natural resources helped shape how people lived. Fresh water came from wells. Fertile soil made it
possible to farm. Stone was used for buildings, walls, roads, and bridges. Clay was used for dishes,
pots and jugs. Tin and lead was mined in Medieval England. Wood was very important and used for
making tools, boats, buildings, and cooking. People produced salt from brine springs. Salt used to
keep meat from spoiling and to season food.
2. Ancient Rome and the Environment
a.) The Environment of Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was located in what is now the country of Italy. It began as a small village on the
Tiber River. It became very powerful and stretched into areas of what are now Europe, Asia, and
Africa. The Mediterranean Sea surrounded the area.
b.) Physical Features and Locations of Settlements of Ancient Rome
Physical features include the Tiber River, Latium Plain, Salt Flats, and the Apennine Mountains.
People settled around the Tiber River.
c.) What were the Agricultural and Farming Practices?
Grains, fruits, and vegetables grew well in the Latium Plain. Wheat, olives, figs, and grapes were the
most important crops. They also raised duck, geese, pigs, cows, goat, and sheep. In early times,
farms were run by families. Later on, they were only owned by wealthy people who had slaves
work on them. The ancient Romans had advanced farming methods and grew different crops year-
round.
d.) What as the Relationship between People and the Environment?
Natural resources helped shape how people lived. Ancient Romans built aqueducts that carried
water to where it was needed. Fertile soil made it possible to farm. Stone was used for buildings,
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walls, roads, and bridges. Clay was used for dishes, pots and jugs. Gold, silver, and copper were
valuable. Metal weapons made armies more powerful. The ancient Romans mined minerals across
their empire. Wood was very important and used for making tools, boats, buildings, and cooking.
Salt was mined from salt flats near the Mediterranean Sea. There was even a time when Roman
soldiers were paid in salt.
3. Ancient Egypt and the Environment
a.) The Environment of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was located along the Nile River in Northeast Africa. The Nile River played an
important role in shaping the lives and society of Ancient Egypt and provided Ancient Egyptians
with food, transportation, building materials, and more.
b.) Physical Features and Locations of Settlements of Ancient Egypt
Much of Egypt was surrounded by deserts full of sand dunes, mountains, and cliffs. Rich soil was
found near the banks of the Nile River. ‘Black land’ was the fertile land near the banks of the river.
‘Red land’ was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. Ancient Egypt was divided into
two regions: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.
c.) What were the Agricultural and Farming Practices?
The three most important crops were wheat, flax, and papyrus. Egyptians sold wheat throughout
the Middle East, helping them to become rich. Flax was spun into linen cloth. Papyrus was used for
paper, baskets, rope, and sandals.
d.) What was the Relationship between People and the Environment?
The greatest natural resource was the Nile River because it provided fish, transportation, and an
annual flood that fertilized that land for growing good groups. The river provided a lot of building
materials such as mud to make sundried bricks, limestone, and sandstone. The Egyptians mined
from various areas of Egypt. They would mine white limestone, sandstone, copper, flint, and
steatite.
4. Ancient China and the Environment
a.) The Environment of Ancient China
The civilization was located along the Yellow River. Rivers played an important role as they were a
great source of fresh water, food, fertile soil, and transportation.
b.) Physical Features and Locations of Settlements of Ancient China
The large land was isolated from the rest of the world by the Gobi Desert to the north and the
Taklamakan Desert to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and large Himalaya Mountains to the
south. The Great Wall of China was built to keep out invaders from the north. Two of the most
important rivers that flowed through central China were the Yellow River to the North and the
Yangtze River to the south. The civilization began near the banks of the Yellow River.
c.) What were the Agricultural and Farming Practices?
The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers contained a deposit of silt which contained nutrients that made the
banks very fertile and good for farming. The Chinese grew rice on the delta. They raised oxen,
water buffaloes, and sheep, which they used for food, clothing, and farming activities. In the North,
the crops included wheat or millet. In the South, the main crop was rice. Other crops included tea,
sugar, and cotton.
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Farmers had a tough and difficult life and were often very poor. They worked on farms owned by a
noble or king. Most of the farm work was done by hand. They would use dogs and oxen to help.
One unique natural thread produced in China was silk. It was made from the cocoon of silkworms.
Silk thread was made into beautiful and colourful cloth. The high demand for silk in ancient Greece
and Rome led to the creation of the Silk Road, a very long trading route stretching west through
Central Asia to the Mediterranean Sea.
d.) What was the Relationship between People and the Environment?
Some of the natural resources from Ancient China are coal, iron, ore, tin, lead, copper, gold, salt,
clay, pine, and bamboo. The natural resources were used for farming equipment, weapons,
jewelry, money, wheels, cooking utensils, and containers.
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2. Language Arts
Personal Narrative Writing
1. Non-fiction writing about real events that have happened in your life. Contains a strong introduction,
interesting details, and strong conclusion with focus on dialogue and description. (Example: A Time I
Lost Something, My Favorite Holiday, The Time I Went on a Family Trip)
Mystery Writing
2. Fiction writing which includes a victim, suspect, mystery, clues, suspense, red herrings, and alibi.
(Example: The Case of the Missing Bread, Geronimo Stilton mysteries)
Grammar
3. Know how to proofread, edit, and punctuate sentences. (Language Power Now Workbook Activities
from Morning Work)
Novel Study
4. James and the Giant Peach: Recall the main events in the story and understand the central theme of
friendship and adventure.
Figurative Language
5. Figure of speech is a word or phrase that is used for a specialized meaning to create a vivid effect.
Some examples of it are shared below:
a. Simile: Comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind using like or as (Example:
She is as brave as a lion. He is silly like a monkey.)
b. Metaphor: Comparison of one thing with another thing (Example: You are the apple of my eye.)
c. Alliteration: When the same letter or sound is repeated more than two times at the beginning
of a word. (Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.)
d. Personification: When human characteristics are given to something non-human. (Example:
Lightning danced across the sky.)
Historical Fiction Writing
6. Fiction writing about an event that could have taken place during a time period in history. Elements of
historical fiction include realistic characters, setting during a historical period, dialogue, theme, plot,
and conflict. (Example: I Survived series, Magic Tree House series)
Elements of Plot
7. Identifying elements of plot: Sequence of events in a story
a. Exposition: Introduction of characters, protagonist, and setting.
b. Rising Action: The sequence of events of the conflict or problem of the story. An antagonist
could be involved.
c. Climax: The highest point of conflict in which the problem is at the highest point in the story.
d. Falling Action: The tension decreases and everything begins to settle down.
e. Resolution/Conclusion: Conflict is solved and happy/sad ending is reached.
