Unit 1: Before There Was a Georgia
The focus of this unit is the major topographical features of Georgia.
Evidence of Learning
What students should know:
• Georgia has five main regions (Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Appalachian Plateau, Valley and Ridge, and Blue Ridge Mountains).
• The largest region is the Coastal Plain.
• The Coastal Plain is flat or nearly flat land found along the coast.
• Piedmont is another large region of land that is hilly and has many forests.
• Most of Georgia's people live in the Piedmont region.
• The Appalachian Plateau takes up the small corner of northwestern Georgia.
• A plateau is an area of fairly flat land which also has mountains.
• The Valley and Ridge region is found in north Georgia.
• A ridge is a long, narrow strip of highland which also has mountains.
• Many of the ridges in this region are rocky and covered with forests.
• The valleys have good soil for farming.
• The Blue Ridge Mountains are located in the northeastern part of Georgia.
• Georgia's highest mountains are in the southernmost part of the Appalachian Mountains.
• The major rivers in Georgia are: Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Savannah, St. Mary's, Chattahoochee, and Flint.
• In the past, Native Americans lived along these rivers.
• Later, settlers from Europe followed the rivers and built towns on the river banks.
• Many of Georgia's rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Farmers brought their cotton to ships that carried it on the rivers to the coast.
SS2G1
- The student will locate major topographical features of Georgia and will
describe how these features define Georgia’s surface.
SS2G1.a
- Locate all the geographic regions of Georgia: Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont,
Coastal Plain, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian
Plateau.
SS2G1.b
- Locate the major rivers: Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Savannah, St. Mary’s,
Chattahoochee, and Flint.
The focus of this unit is the major topographical features of Georgia.
Evidence of Learning
What students should know:
• Georgia has five main regions (Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Appalachian Plateau, Valley and Ridge, and Blue Ridge Mountains).
• The largest region is the Coastal Plain.
• The Coastal Plain is flat or nearly flat land found along the coast.
• Piedmont is another large region of land that is hilly and has many forests.
• Most of Georgia's people live in the Piedmont region.
• The Appalachian Plateau takes up the small corner of northwestern Georgia.
• A plateau is an area of fairly flat land which also has mountains.
• The Valley and Ridge region is found in north Georgia.
• A ridge is a long, narrow strip of highland which also has mountains.
• Many of the ridges in this region are rocky and covered with forests.
• The valleys have good soil for farming.
• The Blue Ridge Mountains are located in the northeastern part of Georgia.
• Georgia's highest mountains are in the southernmost part of the Appalachian Mountains.
• The major rivers in Georgia are: Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Savannah, St. Mary's, Chattahoochee, and Flint.
• In the past, Native Americans lived along these rivers.
• Later, settlers from Europe followed the rivers and built towns on the river banks.
• Many of Georgia's rivers flow into the Atlantic Ocean.
• Farmers brought their cotton to ships that carried it on the rivers to the coast.
SS2G1
- The student will locate major topographical features of Georgia and will
describe how these features define Georgia’s surface.
SS2G1.a
- Locate all the geographic regions of Georgia: Blue Ridge Mountains, Piedmont,
Coastal Plain, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian
Plateau.
SS2G1.b
- Locate the major rivers: Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Savannah, St. Mary’s,
Chattahoochee, and Flint.