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4th grade · Social Studies · Unit 2 of 6

World Regions

Climates, cultures and people on the move

What your child practices

Practices using maps to find continents, countries and regions of the world, how climate and resources shape how people live, and why people move between regions today.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 4.3.14.1; 4.3.13.1; 4.3.16.1 · continents, countries and regions of the world on maps, and how climate shapes places

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. The world can be divided into regions by continent, climate or culture.
  2. Climate and resources shape how people live, work and build.
  3. Many big cities are on coasts or rivers for trade, travel and water. Trade connects regions.

Example: Why are many big cities built on coasts or rivers? Think about what water gives a city. Water is for drinking, travel and trade. Answer: water is useful for trade, travel and drinking

World Regions in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 2 of 6 in 4th grade Social Studies, after States & Capitals and before World Maps & Globes.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Minnesota and parts of southern Canada share a cold, snowy…

    • desert climate
    • winter climate
    • rainforest climate
    • tropical climate

  2. Question 2

    Minnesota is in which region of the United States?

    • The Midwest
    • The Pacific Northwest
    • New England
    • The Southwest

  3. Question 3

    Which is a cultural characteristic of a place?

    • The languages people speak
    • Its rainfall
    • Its mountains
    • Its rivers

  4. Question 4

    How do people modify the environment?

    • By building dams, clearing forests and farming
    • By watching the sky
    • By changing time zones
    • By reading books

  5. Question 5

    How do people adapt to a very cold climate?

    • Wearing light cotton only
    • Sleeping outside
    • Warm clothing and insulated homes
    • Building open huts

  6. Question 6

    Why do so many people in Egypt live along the Nile today?

    • The desert is crowded
    • It's the law
    • Most of Egypt is desert, so water and farmland are near the river
    • The river is cold

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