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Learning why different parts of the country or world specialize in different products based on their resources.
Have you ever wondered why we don't grow tropical pineapples in the snowy mountains or find fresh ocean lobster in the middle of a dry desert?
Imagine if you had to make your own shoes, grow all your own food, and build your own phone. It would be impossible! Instead, people and places practice specialization. This means focusing on producing a few things really well rather than trying to do everything. Regional specialization happens when an entire area focuses on one product because they have the best natural resources for it. For example, a place with lots of trees will specialize in lumber, while a place with rich soil and flat land will specialize in farming.
Quick Check
If a town is located right next to a massive forest, what product are they most likely to specialize in?
Answer
Lumber or wood products.
Why can't every state grow oranges? It's all about climate (the weather over a long time) and geography (the shape of the land). Oranges need a warm, sunny climate without frost, which is why Florida specializes in them. On the other hand, wheat grows best in the wide, flat plains of the Midwest, like in Kansas. Geography also includes things like being near an ocean. Maine specializes in lobster because it has a long, rocky coastline perfect for fishing. Nature provides the 'ingredients,' and the people in that region use them to specialize!
Let's look at why Kansas is famous for wheat: 1. Geography: The land is very flat, making it easy to use large machines for planting. 2. Climate: The region gets the right amount of rain and sun for grains to grow. 3. Result: Because they have the perfect setup, Kansas produces about of all wheat grown in the United States!
Quick Check
Why would a very cold, snowy mountain region be a bad place to specialize in growing watermelons?
Answer
Watermelons need a warm climate and flat land to grow, which mountains and snow do not provide.
If Florida only grows oranges and Kansas only grows wheat, how do people in Florida get bread? This is where transportation and interdependence come in. Interdependence means regions depend on each other for the things they don't make. We use trucks, trains, ships, and planes to move goods across the country. This creates a giant web of trade. Without fast transportation, specialized goods would spoil or never reach the people who need them. Your breakfast might have come from three different states!
Think about the ingredients in a pepperoni pizza and where they might come from: 1. Wheat for crust: From the flat plains of Kansas. 2. Tomato sauce: From the sunny valleys of California. 3. Cheese: From the grassy dairy farms of Wisconsin. 4. Transportation: All these ingredients are shipped to your local pizza shop using refrigerated trucks.
Without regional specialization and transportation, your pizza would be missing most of its toppings!
Which of these is the best example of regional specialization?
If a region has a very rocky coastline and cold ocean water, what are they most likely to specialize in?
Transportation is only important for regions that do NOT specialize.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, look at the labels on the food in your kitchen. Can you find three items and guess which region they might have come from based on their climate?
Practice Activity
Draw a 'Pizza Map' and draw lines from different states to show where the crust, cheese, and sauce might have started their journey!