Fourth GradeChapter 3

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Fourth Grade-Chapter 3

• The Southeastern Environment

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The area known as the Southeast consists of 12
states and the island of Puerto Rico.Look at the
map belowDo you live in the Southeast?
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THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI

• Native Americans named it this because it means
  Big water or
• Father of the Waters

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The source

• The source or starting point of the Mississippi
  is Lake Itasca in Minnesota.

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• The river begins its 2,552 mile journey to the
  sea from its headwaters in Itasca State Park.
  From its ankle-deep source, the mighty
  Mississippi winds its way through Minnesota -
  from the northern wilderness through
  contemporary, cosmopolitan cities to rich
  farmlands and plains. Each bend of the river
  offers something new in the land of 15,000 lakes.
  From professional baseball thrills in the
  Metrodome, to the Mall of America, the nation's
  largest fully enclosed shopping and entertainment
  complex, to more than 500 beautiful golf courses,
  the good times flow like the river. 

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The mouth

• The mouth of the river is the place where it
  empties into the ocean or another large body of
  water.

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The tributaries

• Smaller rivers which feed into the Mississippi
  are called tributaries.

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The Body of the Nation

• Some of the Mississippis tributaries are large
  rivers themselves.
• The Missouri River and the Ohio River empty in
  the Mississippi.

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River Basin

• A river basin is all the land that is drained by
  a river and the rivers tributaries.
• The Mississippi has an enormous or very large
  river basin.
• Its basin drains land in 31 of the Unites States
  and two Canadian provinces.

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Think about this

• Because of its size, Mark Twain called the
  basin of the Mississippi the Body of the nation.

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For centuries Americans have used the
Mississippi for travel and trade.

• Can you think of some reasons why?

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Shipping by boat is a cheap way to transport
goods!
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Piloting a riverboat
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It takes great skill to pilot a riverboat down
the Mississippi.

• The river is constantly changing
• and you have to study the changes to prevent
  accidents.

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Bob Gardner spent many years as a river boat
pilot on the Mississippi.

• The river flows in a series of bends and
  crossings, like an S-shape. Where the water
  strikes a bend, it wears away the land.
  Gradually, then, a curve might become straight.
  Every six months you seem to be looking at a new
  river!

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Mark Twain

• Mark Twain was a river pilot in the 1850s.
• He studied the river very carefully.
• He wrote about the river. (The Adventures of
  Hucklebetrry Finn.)

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New Orleans!

• The city of New Orleans is located near the mouth
  of the river.
• Its great location has been the key to its
  growth.
• Goods from all over the United States come
  downriver.
• Its port is one of the busiest of the nation.

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A Port

• A port is the place where ships load and unload
  their goods.

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Delta

• A delta is the land formed by the soil the river
  deposits as it flows into the sea.
• Delta soil is rich and dark and good for farming.
• The Mississippis river delta is located in the
  state of Louisiana.

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Map showing the Mississippi River delta
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Wetlands

• A wetland is a wet area such as a swamp or a
  marsh.
• Wetlands play an important role in the
  environment.
• Help control floods by soaking up water.
• Can you guess how much water a wetland can soak
  up?

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One acre can absorb 300,000 gallons of water!

• Wetlands also provide a home for many animals and
  plants (like crawfish, alligators, falcons, and
  the rare Florida panther.)

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Welcome to the Everglades!
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Two samples of wetlands in the Southeast are

• The wetlands west of New Orleans
• and
• The Florida Everglades

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The Florida Everglades
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Lets sum it up

• The Mississippi river contributed to the
  development of life in the Southeast.
• The Mississippi is a very important route to
  transportation and trade.
• Cities like New Orleans and Memphis, TN grew
  because of their key location by the Mississippi.

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• The Mississippi has been our countrys main
  highway for many years.
• Art, literature and music has been created as a
  reflection of the importance of the Mississippi.