Lesson 5.1

​Welcome to Europe!

Unit 5, Lesson 1

Please take the next 5 minutes to complete your Knowledge Check (lesson 5.1).

Remember, a knowledge check includes materials from previous lessons AND materials you have not yet learned. Try your best!

Open Ended

My favorite place to go on vacation is ___________ because...

• explore Europe

• learn about the nations in Europe

• explore the history and culture of Europe

This Unit:

• discuss physical geography of Europe

• make connections to prior lessons/units

Today:

Welcome to Europe!

Let's Begin!

As we go through this unit, we will see many familiar terms and concepts, as well as new ideas.

Remember to access your prior knowledge for EVERY lesson!

​Geography has helped culture spread, and has determined where people live and how they build houses, towns, and cities.

Physical features help form the political borders of countries.

Vosges (borders France and Germany)










Alps (borders France and Italy)


Pyrenees (borders France and Spain)

Let's use France as an example that supports this claim.

Multiple Select

Which physical features form natural borders between countries?

• Rivers

• Lakes

• Mountains

• Canals

Many large cities are located near water, such as the coast or major rivers.

Paris - located on the Siene (sen)

Nantes - located on the Loire (la-war)

Strasbourg - located on the Rhine

Lyon - located on the Rhone (row-n)

Toulouse - located on the Garonne

Let's use France as an example that supports this claim.

Multiple Select

Many large cities are located near these features (select 3).

• Lakes

• Deserts

• Rivers

• Oceans (coasts)

Rivers flow towards the larger bodies of water that surround Europe.

English Channel


Atlantic Ocean


Bay of Biscay


Mediterranean Sea


North Sea

Let's use France as an example that supports this claim.

Which continent is to the EAST of Europe?
Which continent is to the SOUTH of Europe?
Which continent is to the WEST of Europe?

Asia is to the EAST of Europe.
Africa is to the SOUTH of Europe.
North America is to the WEST of Europe.

These statements describe the relative location of Europe.

Peninsula: a piece of land almost entirely surrounded by water

Scandinavian Mountains in Norway and Sweden.
Alps run through 8 countries in Europe!
Pyrenees Mountains in France and Spain

Danube River runs through 10 countries!
Rhine River runs through 6 countries!

Great European Plains: large flat areas in Europe.

Open Ended

Choose one of the following prompts to reply to:

Why are rivers important in Europe?

Why do a lot of large cities form near bodies of water?

Go submit lesson 5.1 blank!

Tomorrow, we will discuss how people use the mountains, rivers, and plains in Europe.