Michigan Geography Study Guide – Third Grade

⭐️ Words to Know: 

• Community – A place where people live, work, and have fun together. 

• Boundary – A line that shows where one area ends and another begins (like state lines). 

• Landform – A natural shape on Earth’s surface, like mountains, hills, lakes, or valleys. 

• Natural Resource – Something found in nature that people use (like water, trees, or soil). 

• Geography – The study of Earth and how people live on it. 

• Region – A large area that has things in common, like weather, land, or people. 

• Peninsula – Land with water on three sides. Michigan has two peninsulas! 

• Culture – The way people live, including their language, holidays, food, music, and traditions. 

• Environment – Everything that is around us: land, water, air, animals, and plants. 

• Erosion – When wind or water slowly wears away the land. 

• Glaciers – Huge sheets of ice that helped shape Michigan's land long ago. 

• Renewable Resource – A natural resource that can be replaced, like trees or wind. 

• Nonrenewable Resource – A resource that can't be replaced easily, like oil or coal. 

• Wetlands – Land that is wet most of the year, like swamps or marshes. 

• Industry – Businesses where people make things, like cars or furniture. 

• Tourism – When people visit a place for fun, like going to lakes, beaches, or parks. 

 Key Ideas: 

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• Michigan’s land was shaped by glaciers during the Ice Age. 

• Students must be to fill in the Great Lake States and Great Lakes on a map

• Renewable resources can be replaced naturally in time.  

• Nonrenewable resources take a long time to form and can run out. 

• Natural resources found in Michigan such as trees or soil.  

• Michigan has two main parts: the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. 

• There are different regions in Michigan with different landforms and weather. 

• Tourism is important because people come to enjoy Michigan's nature and lakes. 

• Michigan has many industries, especially the auto industry (cars!). 

💡 Extra Tips for Studying: 

• Practice matching vocabulary with their meanings. 

• Talk with someone about Michigan’s land and resources. 

• Look at a map of Michigan to see the two peninsulas. 

• Think about what natural resources are around you every day. 

Students will be making notecards for each chapter.  It is encouraged that these notecards be reviewed several times a week so they are prepared for vocabulary quizzes.