Navigation
Explore the diverse West region, featuring high mountain ranges and massive timber resources.
Did you know that some trees in the West are older than the United States itself and taller than the Statue of Liberty?
The West is a massive region filled with 'giants.' To the east, the Rocky Mountains stretch like a spine from Canada all the way down to New Mexico. These mountains are famous for their high, snowy peaks and jagged edges. To the far west, the land meets the Pacific Ocean. This area is called the Pacific Coast. Because the West is so big, the weather changes a lot. Near the coast, it is often rainy and cool, while high in the mountains, it can be freezing with deep snow. This variety in land and weather is what makes the West so special.
Quick Check
Which mountain range acts like a 'spine' running through the West region?
Answer
The Rocky Mountains.
In the Pacific Northwest (states like Washington and Oregon), it rains a lot! All that water helps grow some of the biggest trees in the world, like the Douglas Fir. This area is famous for its timber industry. Timber is wood that is used for building houses, making paper, and creating furniture. Because there are so many trees, logging (cutting down trees for wood) is a major job for people living there. To keep the forests healthy, loggers often practice reforestation, which means they plant new seeds for every tree they cut down.
How does a tree become your kitchen table? 1. Growth: A tree grows for to years in the rainy Northwest. 2. Harvest: Loggers carefully cut the tree down. 3. Milling: The log is sent to a sawmill to be cut into flat boards. 4. Building: Carpenters use those boards to build furniture.
Quick Check
Why does the Pacific Northwest have so many massive trees compared to a desert?
Answer
Because it receives a large amount of rain, which trees need to grow tall.
The West isn't just about trees. Because the terrain (the shape of the land) changes so much, we find different natural resources everywhere. In the rocky mountains, miners find minerals like gold, silver, and copper. In the flat, fertile valleys between mountain ranges, farmers grow fruits like apples and grapes. Along the Pacific Coast, the ocean provides a huge supply of fish. It’s like a giant treasure map where the land tells you what you can find! If the land is rocky, look for metals; if it is rainy, look for trees; if it is coastal, look for fish.
Imagine you are an explorer. Where would you go to find these items? 1. Silver Coins: You would head to the Rocky Mountains to mine for metals. 2. Salmon Dinner: You would head to the Pacific Coast to fish in the ocean. 3. Apple Pie: You would head to a fertile valley where the soil is good for farming.
Which industry is most famous in the rainy Pacific Northwest?
Where would you most likely find minerals like gold and silver?
Reforestation means cutting down all the trees in a forest and never returning.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to name the two major geographical features that border the West (the mountains and the ocean).
Practice Activity
Look around your house. Can you find three things made of timber? Remember, timber comes from the giant forests of the West!