Mapping America Answer Key
Teacher Answer Key • Clave de Respuestas TEKS WG.9A • WG.21B • WG.22A
Max Score: 100 Pts
US & Canada Physical & Political Mapping Key
Cartografía Física y Política de EE. UU. y Canadá • Guía de Calificación y Solucionario
Unit 2.2 • North America Lab
Required Color Protocol Check (40 Pts Total • 10 Pts per category)
Verify neatness, accurate boundaries, & color compliance
Blue / Azul: Water
- • Mississippi River (traced to Gulf)
- • St. Lawrence River (to Atlantic)
- • 5 Great Lakes (H-O-M-E-S)
- • Atlantic & Pacific Oceans
- • Gulf of Mexico (southern basin)
Brown / Marrón: Mtns
- • Rocky Mtns (NM north to Canada)
- • Appalachian Mtns (GA to ME)
- • Sierra Nevada (Eastern CA spine)
- • Continental Divide (along Rockies)
- Tip: Rugged brown shading
Yellow / Amarillo: Arid
- • Great Basin Desert (NV & UT)
- • Mojave Desert (SE CA / S NV)
- • Sonoran Desert (AZ / N Mexico)
- Location: Rain shadow west of Rockies
Green / Verde: Plains
- • Great Plains (Central US/Can)
- • Canadian Shield (Hudson Bay area)
- • Coastal Plains (Atlantic & Gulf)
- Shield: Horseshoe rocky bedrock
Master Cartographic Placement & Sector Verification Map
Geographic Placement Accuracy Guide
Sector 1: Western Highlands Rocosas
Pacific Ocean: West of the continental coastline, colored/labeled blue.
Sierra Nevada: California eastern border; Rockies: Stretching from NM through CO, WY, MT into Canada.
Continental Divide: Ridge along highest peaks of Rockies dividing Atlantic & Pacific drainage.
Deserts (Yellow): Great Basin (NV/UT), Mojave (SE CA), Sonoran (SW AZ).
Check: Continental Divide must be marked as a line along the Rocky Mountain crest.
Sector 2: Central Watershed Cuenca Central
49th Parallel North: Red dashed geometric border line separating US and Canada from Lake of the Woods to Pacific.
Great Plains: Broad green belt between Rockies and Mississippi River.
River Network: Mississippi flows north-to-south into Gulf; Missouri feeds from NW; Ohio feeds from NE.
Canadian Shield: Horseshoe around Hudson Bay, north of Great Lakes.
Check: Mississippi River must terminate in Gulf of Mexico delta.
Sector 3: Lakes & Atlantic Grandes Lagos
5 Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario (all shaded blue).
St. Lawrence Seaway: River traced northeast from Lake Ontario out to Atlantic Ocean.
Appalachian Mtns: Parallel mountain chain inland from eastern seaboard (AL to ME).
★ Capitals: Washington D.C. (US, mid-Atlantic) & Ottawa (Canada, Ontario/Quebec border).
Check: Both national capitals must have a star symbol (★).
Map Metadata & Required Checklist Solutions 15 Pts
Title Included:
Must read: "Physical & Political Systems of North America" at map top.
Compass Rose:
Four cardinal points accurate: N at top, S at bottom, W at left, E at right.
Legend / Key:
All 4 colored boxes matched: Water (Blue), Mtns (Brown), Deserts (Yellow), Plains/Shield (Green).
Compass Rose Answer
N
S
W
E
Oriented True North
Page 1 Scoring: 40 pts (Color Protocol) + 30 pts (Labeling Accuracy) + 15 pts (Checklist & Legend) = 85 Pts Subtotal
Student Mapping Lab • Unit 2.2 North America • Answer Key Page 1 of 2
Part 2 & 3 Answer Key • Clave de Respuestas TEKS WG.9A • Systems Analysis
Parts 2 & 3: 15 Pts (Total Lab: 100 Pts)
Regional Analysis Matrix & Impact Reflection Key
Matriz de Factores Físicos y Reflexión Sintética de Impacto Humano
Part 2: Physical Factors Matrix Answers (8 Pts • 2 Pts Each)
Match factors to descriptions
[ A ]
1. Mississippi River Drainage Basin A. River System
Rationale: Drains 31 states to Gulf; key inland commercial water artery for agricultural grain exports.
[ B ]
2. Arctic Tundra & Boreal Taiga B. Climate / Bioma
Rationale: Polar high-latitude zones with permafrost and extreme cold limiting human settlement density.
[ C ]
3. 49th Parallel & States / Provinces C. Political Units
Rationale: Geometric international border (1818) & sovereign jurisdictions regulating laws, trade, and citizenship.
[ D ]
4. Great Plains & Corn Belt Grasslands D. Vegetation
Rationale: Fertile prairie mollisol soils supporting world-leading grain production and livestock grazing.
Part 3: District Synthesis Reflection Models (7 Pts Total)
Question: "How do physical features impact human life?"
High-Scoring English Model:
"One major physical feature that impacts human activity is the Mississippi River network because it provides essential freshwater irrigation, flat fertile plains for agriculture, and a direct water trade route connecting Midwest crops to global shipping ports. In addition, barriers like the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin Deserts have influenced settlement by making cross-country transit difficult, concentrating populations along coastal valleys and water corridors."
Modelo de Alta Calificación (Español):
"Una característica física clave que impacta la vida humana es la cuenca del Río Misisipi y las Grandes Llanuras porque brinda suelos fértiles para la producción masiva de alimentos y una red navegable de comercio hacia el Golfo de México. Además, barreras naturales como las Montañas Rocosas han influido en el poblamiento porque limitaron la expansión al oeste, concentrando las ciudades cerca de pasos montañosos o recursos hídricos vitales."
Teacher Verification Criteria:
Feature + Benefit (4 Pts): Identifies water/plains feature and links to agriculture, trade, or city development.
Barrier + Adaptation (3 Pts): Identifies mountain/desert barrier and explains how it channeled or hindered human settlement.
100-Point Scoring Breakdown & Rubric (Matriz de Calificación)
Turn-in Verification Checklist Aligned
| Category | Exemplary Criteria (Full Credit) | Common Student Errors | Points |
|---|
| 1. Color Protocol | All 4 colors used: Blue (Water), Brown (Mtns), Yellow (Arid), Green (Plains). | Inappropriate colors used (e.g. red mountains) or uncolored sectors. | 40 Pts |
| 2. Spatial Accuracy | Rockies, Great Lakes, Rivers, Capitals (★), and 49th parallel in correct locations. | Capitals missing star symbol; river flows drawn backwards. | 30 Pts |
| 3. Map Conventions | Title box written; Compass Rose N-S-E-W correct; all 4 legend boxes filled. | Flipped East and West on compass; blank legend boxes. | 15 Pts |
| 4. Part 2 Matrix | All 4 correct: 1-A (River), 2-B (Climate), 3-C (Political), 4-D (Vegetation). | Confusing biome (Taiga) with vegetation (Grasslands). (-2 pts each) | 8 Pts |
| 5. Part 3 Synthesis | Complete sentences with required frames; explains benefit AND natural barrier. | Incomplete frames, one-word fragments, or missing barrier explanation. | 7 Pts |
Student Checklist Key: 4 Colors Used (Blue, Brown, Yellow, Green) Matrix 1-4 Complete (A, B, C, D) Reflection in Full Sentences
Total: 100%
Grading Key Summary: Lab Parts 1-3 • TEKS WG.9A, WG.21B, WG.22A Aligned
Student Mapping Lab • Unit 2.2 North America • Answer Key Page 2 of 2
