Michigan

Ages 5–11 · 18 minutes · Geography

Discover Mackinac Island, the Great Lakes and more!

Explore Michigan’s treasures, from its bordering Great Lakes, to its bountiful cherries, to the one-of-a-kind Mackinac Island.

No prior knowledge needed.

Part of

The 50 States

Standards alignment

Common Core State Standards

D2.Geo.3.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
D2.Geo.6.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
D2.Geo.2.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.3.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.
D2.Civ.1.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

Alabama

SS10.3.2.1 — Using vocabulary associated with geographical features of Earth, including _hill, plateau, valley, peninsula, island, isthmus, ice cap_, and _glacier_
SS10.3.2.2 — Locating major mountain ranges, oceans, rivers, and lakes throughout the world (Alabama)
SS10.5.1.1 — Locating on a map states and capitals east of the Mississippi River
SS10.2.6 — Identify states, continents, oceans, and the equator using maps, globes, and technology.

Alaska

1 — know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics;
1 — use maps and globes to locate places and regions;
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
7 — understand that a region is a distinct area defined by one or more cultural or physical features; and

Arizona

2.G1.1 — Use and construct maps, graphs, and other geographic representations of familiar and unfamiliar places in the world; and locate physical and human features. • Key physical features include but are not limited to seven continents, oceans, lakes, rivers, mountain ranges, coasts, seas, and deserts • Key human features include but are not limited to equator, hemispheres, North and South Pole, cities, states, countries, regions, and landmarks
2.G2.1 — Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in a place or region being studied.
5.G1.1 — Use and construct maps and graphs to represent changes in the United States. • Key concepts include but are not limited to physical and human features of the United States, the regions of the United States and their characteristics, geographic location of major events, the growth of the United States through territorial expansion, demographic changes, and the states and their capitals
2.E3.1 — Identify and describe the goods and services that are produced around the world.

Arkansas

G.1.2.2 — Describe the physical and human characteristics of a place using geographic tools such as maps, globes, and charts.
G.1.2.6 — Explain the influence of weather, climate, and physical characteristics on people’s daily lives in a place or region.
G.1.3.6 — Investigate the influence of physical characteristics upon people’s choices in Arkansas and the United States (i.e., where people live and work).
C.1.3.3 — Explain the functions and structure of state government.

California

2.2.2 — Label from memory a simple map of the North American continent, including the countries, oceans, Great Lakes, major rivers, and mountain ranges. Identify the essential map elements: title, legend, directional indicator, scale, and date.
3 — Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries and to explain the historical migration of people, expansion and disintegration of empires, and the growth of economic systems.

Colorado

SS.5.2.1 — Use geographic tools and sources to research and answer questions about United States geography.
SS.K.2.1 — Recognize that geographic tools represent places and spaces.
SS.P.2.1 — Develop spatial understanding, perspectives, and connections to the world

Connecticut

GEO 2.6 — Identify cultural and environmental characteristics of a place/region.
GEO 2.4 — Explain how the environment affects people’s lives.
GEO 3.2 — Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
GEO 3.3 — Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.

Delaware

K-3a — Students will use the concepts of place and region to explain simple patterns of connections between and among places across the country and the world. Grade 3
G.1.4-5a — Students will demonstrate development of mental maps of Delaware and of the United States which include the relative location and characteristics of major physical features, political divisions, and human settlements. Grade 4
G.1.K-3a — Students will understand the nature and uses of maps, globes, and other geo-graphics. Grade K and Grade 3
G.2.K-3a — Students will distinguish different types of climate and landforms and explain why they occur. Grade 2
G.2.4-5a — Students will apply a knowledge of topography, climate, soils, and vegetation of Delaware and the United States to understand how human society alters, and is affected by, the physical environment. Grade 5

Florida

SS.3.G.2.4 — Describe the physical features of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SS.3.G.2.5 — Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SS.5.G.1.6 — Locate and identify states, capitals, and United States Territories on a map.
SS.5.G.1.3 — Identify major United States physical features on a map of North America.

Georgia

SS4G1.a — Locate major physical features of the United States: the Atlantic Coastal Plain, the Great Plains, the Continental Divide, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes.

Hawaii

SS.2.3.13.4 — Describe major geographic features of places using maps, photos, and other geographic representations
SS.1.1.13.3 — Use maps and map features to describe places
SS.1.2.14.3 — Investigate cultural and environmental characteristics of your community
SS.3.3.13.1 — Analyze how geographical features affect human life in local communities and those around the world
SS.2.1.6.1 — Investigate school, community, and national leaders and their responsibilities

Idaho

3.SS.2.1.3 — Locate on a map waterways, landforms, cities, states, and national boundaries, using standard map symbols.
5.SS.2.1.4 — Name and locate the 50 States and their Capitals, and U.S. Territories.
3.SS.2.1.1 — Describe the concepts of globe, continent, country, state, county, city/town, and neighborhood.

Illinois

SS.2.G.1 — With guidance and support, use print and digital maps, globes and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
LS4.D-P1 — There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
SS.3.G.1 — Use print and digital maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify topographic and other graphic representations of both familiar and unfamiliar locations.
SS.5.G.1 — Use print and digital maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.

Indiana

3.G.2 — Label a map of the Midwest, identifying states, major rivers, lakes, and the Great Lakes. (E)
5.G.2 — Use maps and globes to locate states, capitals, major cities, major rivers, the Great Lakes, and mountain ranges in the United States. (E)
3.G.5 — Explain that regions are areas that have similar physical and cultural characteristics. Identify Indiana and the local community as part of a specific region.
5.G.5 — Identify major sources of accessible fresh water, and describe the impact of access on the local and regional communities.

Iowa

SS.K.14. — Compare environmental characteristics in Iowa with other places.

Kansas

Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in any area.
Benchmark 5.1 — The student will recognize and evaluate dynamic relationships that impact lives in communities, states, and nations.
Benchmark 4.5.1 — The student will recognize and evaluate dynamic relationships that impact lives in communities, states, and nations.

Kentucky

Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in any area.
2.G.GR.1 — Examine geographic features of places in North America, using a variety of geographic data, including maps, photos and other geographic tools.

Louisiana

2.21 — Describe geographic features and physical characteristics of places in the United States and the world, including mountains, hills, plains, deserts, coasts, islands, peninsulas, lakes, oceans, and rivers.
3.20 — Describe the geographic features of places in the United States.
3.21 — Interpret geographic features of the United States using a variety of tools such as different types of maps and photos.

Maine

4-ESS2-2 — Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
F2 — Identifying the major regions of the Earth and their major physical features and political boundaries using a variety of geographic tools including digital tools and resources. *

Maryland

identifying the local, state, and federal levels of government.

Massachusetts

1.T2.3 — Explain that a city that is called a capital is the center of government for a state or nation.
4.T1.1 — On a physical map of North America, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legend (symbols for mountains, rivers, deserts, lakes, cities), and title to locate and identify important physical features (e.g., Mississippi and Rio Grande Rivers, Great Lakes, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, Hudson’s Bay, Appalachian Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre, the Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan Deserts, the Yucatan Peninsula, the Caribbean Sea).
4.T4c.1 — On a political map of the United States, locate the states in the Midwest; add to the timeline the admission dates for states in the Midwest (listed alphabetically: Illinois-1818, Indiana-1816, Iowa-1846, Kansas-1861, Michigan-1838, Minnesota-1858, Missouri-1821, Nebraska-1867, North Dakota-1889, Ohio-1803, South Dakota-1889, Wisconsin-1848).

Michigan

3–G1.0.2 — Use thematic maps to identify and describe the physical and human characteristics of Michigan.
3–G2.0.2 — Describe different regions to which Michigan belongs.
3–G4.0.1 — Describe major kinds of economic activity in Michigan today, such as agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, services and tourism, and research and development, and explain the factors influencing the location of these economic activities.
3–G5.0.1 — Describe how people are a part of, adapt to, use, and modify the physical environment of Michigan.
2-ESS2-3 MI — Obtain information to identify where fresh water is found on Earth, including the Great Lakes and Great Lakes Basin.

Minnesota

4.3.2.3.1 — Locate and identify the physical and human characteristics of places in the United States, and also Canada or Mexico. For example: Physical characteristics—landforms (Rocky Mountains), ecosystems (forest), bodies of water (Mississippi River, Hudson Bay), soil, vegetation, weather and climate. Human characteristics— structures (Statue of Liberty), bridges (Golden Gate Bridge), canals (Erie Canal), cities, political boundaries, population distribution, settlement patterns, language, ethnicity, nationality, religious beliefs.
4.3.2.4.1 — Name and locate states and territories, major cities and state capitals in the United States.
2.3.1.1.3 — Use maps, photos or other geographic tools to identify and locate major landmarks or major physical features of the United States. For example: Physical features—the Atlantic Coast, Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, Lake Superior. Landmarks—Statue of Liberty, Angel Island, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial.
3.3.1.1.1 — Use maps and concepts of location (relative location words and cardinal and intermediate directions) to describe places in one’s community, the state of Minnesota, the United States or the world. For example: Relative location words— close to, above, bordering. Description using relative location words—"Our school is across from the post office." Description using cardinal directions— "Mexico is south of the United States." Description using intermediate directions—“Hawaii is southwest of the continental United States.”

Mississippi

2.G.1.2 — Identify political and physical borders in the United States and across the globe.
3.CI.2.3 — Recognize locations where government is practiced at the national, state, and local levels.
5.1.2 — Identify and locate the main mountain ranges, rivers, and other key bodies of water.
5.10.2 — Identify and label each of the 50 states on a map.

Missouri

4.EG.5.B.a — Name and locate specific regions, states, capitals, river systems and mountain ranges in the United States based on historical or current topics.
4.EG.5.C.a — Identify and compare physical characteristics of specific regions within the nation.
4.EG.5.F.a — Identify different regions in the United States and analyze how their characteristics affect people who live there.

Montana

SS.G.5.1 — identify and label US regions, territories, states and their capitals/major cities;
SS.G.3.3 — identify landforms and other physical characteristics of the Americas.
SS.G.K — The geography content standard for kindergarten is that each student will use maps, and other representations, to describe place characteristics.

Nebraska

SS 5.3.1.a — Use maps and atlases to locate major human and physical features in the United States.
SS 3.3.1.d — Locate specific places on maps and globes.
SS 5.3.2.b — Identify and classify regions and places within the United States using physical and human features.
SS 1.3.2 — Explore places and regions.

New Hampshire

SS.GE.2.1.3 — Identify major physical and human features in the United States and on Earth, e.g., cities, oceans, or continents. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment, G: Science, Technology, and Society)
SS.GE.4.1.3 — Locate major physical and human features in the United States and on Earth, e.g., mountain ranges, principal parallels or meridians. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment, G: Science, Technology, and Society)
SS.GE.6.5.3 — Appreciate how characteristics of different physical environments provide opportunities human activities or place constraints on human activities, e.g., winter sports tourism or annual flood patterns. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment)

New Jersey

6.1.2.Geo.SV.1 — Use maps to identify physical features (e.g., continents, oceans, rivers, lakes, mountains).
6.1.5.GeoSV.2 — Use maps to explain the impact of location and place on the relationships between places in New Jersey, the United States and other countries.
6.1.5.CivicsPI.5 — Explain how government functions at the local, county, and state level.

New Mexico

1.18 — Use a variety of maps to locate specific places and identify major landforms, bodies of water, and other places of significance around the United States.
5.27 — Using a map, identify and locate the 50 states in the United States and know the capitals of each state along with the surrounding U.S. territories.
2.8 — Understand the purposes and structures of government (tribal, local, state, national government).

New York

Maps show where things are located. One can map the shapes and kinds of land and water in any area.
3 — Geography
E.3.1 — Geography can be divided into six essential elements which can be used to analyze important historic, geographic, economic, and environmental questions and issues. These six elements include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical settings (including natural resources), human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography. (Adapted from The National Geography Standards, 1994: Geography for Life)
K.6c — Places, physical features, and man-made structures can be located on a map or globe and described using specific geographic vocabulary.

North Carolina

1.G.1.1 — Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to identify various types of landforms of places around the world.
K.G.1.1 — Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to locate places in the classroom, school, community, and around the world.
K.G.1.2 — Identify physical features of places using maps, globes, and/or digital representations.
3.C&G.1.2 — Classify the roles and responsibilities of leaders in state and local government.

Ohio

1.5 — Places are distinctive because of their physical characteristics (land forms and bodies of water) and human characteristics (structures built by people).
K.LS.2 — Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
3.5 — Daily life is influenced by the agriculture, industry and natural resources in different communities.

Oklahoma

4.2.2 — Identify major physical features in the United States and analyze how physical processes shape places. A. Identify and describe the physical characteristics of places, including the major landforms, bodies of water, vegetation and climates in the United States. B. Describe the location and characteristics of the major ecosystems in the United States.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area and they exist in different places on land and in water. (2.LS4.1)
4.2.4 — Describe how physical processes of the Earth’s surface impact humans and their environment. A. Identify and describe the different climates in the United States using maps, globes, and graphs. B. Explain how climate and natural processes including floods, wind, and storms impact how we live.
4.3.2 — Examine the characteristics of culture, including the distribution and complexity of the regions of the United States. A. Identify the characteristics of culture (language, customs, beliefs, food, clothing, shelter) and compare the cultural characteristics of different regions of the United States. B. Explain how the characteristics of culture affect the ways in which people live.
4.2.3 — Explain how people create regions using common geographic characteristics. A. Identify and describe the major physical, cultural, and economic regions of the United States, comparing one’s own region to the other regions. B. Explain how and why regions change over time by comparing regions in the past with life in the same regions in the present.

Oregon

2.12 — Identify relative location of school and community in the state, nation and the world.
K.10 — Locate, identify and describe places of importance to self, family, school, and culture.
K.9 — Identify, compare, and contrast pictures, maps, and globes.
2.5 — Identify city and civic leaders and their functions.

Pennsylvania

7.1.3.B — Identify and locate places and regions.
7.2.3.A — Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
7.3.3.E — Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities.
8.3.3.A. — Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history.

Rhode Island

SS3.4.1 — Geography and environment of the Midwest Explain the geography and environment of the Midwestern region of the United States
SS3.4.2 — States in the Midwest Explain the states that make up the Midwestern region including their admittance to the United States and their identities
SS3.4.4 — The Midwestern region today Argue how the geography and environment of the Midwestern region contributed to its social, cultural, and economic development
SS3.1.2 — United States geography and environment Explain the geography of the United States and its neighbors

South Carolina

2.G.2 — Describe and compare various landforms over time within the U.S. through the use of primary and secondary sources. This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into using historic images, maps, narratives, texts, or video, to investigate and compare different landforms around the U.S.
2.G.3 — Explain how the distribution of human features, physical features, and natural resources within the U. S changes over time and impacts economic activity. This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into how rivers, lakes, mountains, and other land features affect economic activity. This indicator also prompts students to explore how different geographic areas support different activities in different times due the availability of resources.
3.1.3.PR — Identify the spatial hierarchy of political and physical geographic features. This indicator prompts students to inquire about spatial hierarchies (i.e. scale) to understand connections between Earth's systems. Political features include cities, states, and countries. Physical features include forests, mountains, oceans, and rivers.
3.2.2.ER — Identify and analyze the ways people interact with the physical environment in different regions of the state, the country, and the world.This indicator prompts students to inquire about a variety of geographic landforms, water bodies, and climate patterns around the world and how humans interact with them, including population distribution and settlement patterns.

South Dakota

1.G.1.3 — Distinguish between landmasses and bodies of water using maps and globes
3.G.1.2 — Locate the seven continents, four oceans, and major physical features and regions of the United States on a map or globe
4.G.1.1 — Locate major political and physical features of South Dakota and the United States on a map or globe
K.G.1.1 — Recognize that maps and globes represent places

Tennessee

3.11 — Identify major physical features of the U.S., including: • Rivers—Colorado, Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande • Mountains—Alaska Range, Appalachian, Rockies • Bodies of Water—Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico • Desert— Great Basin • Landforms—Grand Canyon, Great Plains
2.16 — Compare physical features of the earth, including: • Island • Ocean • Plateau • Lake • Peninsula • River • Mountain • Plain • Valley
2.18 — Analyze how the location of regions affects the way people live, including their: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.
3.09 — Identify and locate the fifty states of the U.S.

Texas

1.5A — identify and describe the physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, Earth's resources, and weather; and
1.5B — identify and describe how geographic location influences the human characteristics of place such as shelter, clothing, food, and activities.
2.4B — locate places, including the local community, Texas, the United States, the state capital, the U.S. capital, and the bordering countries of Canada and Mexico on maps and globes.
5.6B — describe regions in the United States based on physical characteristics such as landform, climate, and vegetation;

Utah

1.3.2.b — Locate physical features (i.e. continents, oceans, rivers, lakes), and man-made features (equator, North and South poles, countries) on a map and on a globe.
2.3 — Standard 3: Students will use geographic tools and skills to locate and describe places on earth.
K.3.1.b — Identify and describe physical features (e.g., mountain/hill, lake/ocean, river, road/highway).

Vermont

D2.Geo.3.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
D2.Geo.6.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
D2.Geo.2.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.3.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.

Virginia

2.11.b — The student will apply history and social science skills to develop geographic mapping skills using world maps and globes by identifying major rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, and other physical features in the United States.
Skill.2.b — The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by applying geographic skills to identify and understand geographic features and connections.
USI.1.c — The student will apply history and social science skills to understand the geography of North America by locating the 50 states.

Washington

G1.3.2 — Investigate the physical, political, and cultural characteristics of places, regions, and people in North America, including the location of the fifty states within the regions of the United States.
G1.3.1 — Examine and use maps and globes to understand the regions of North America in the past and present.
G2.2.1 — Identify some common and unique cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
G1.1.3 — Be able to identify major bodies of water on a map or globe.

Washington, D.C.

1.17 — Identify key political features of each region on a map, to include, local neighborhoods, wards, Washington, DC, the United States and North America.
1.19 — Locate and explain physical features on maps.

West Virginia

SS.3.18 — Recognize, define and illustrate world geographic features (e.g., peninsulas, islands, mountains, canyons, plateaus, mesas, harbors, gulfs, rivers, deserts, forests, valleys and plains).
SS.3.19 — Compare and contrast regions of the United States in regard to plant and animal life, landforms, climate and human interactions with the environment.
SS.4.8 — Describe and locate examples of the major physical features ofthe United States (e.g., bodies of water, mountains, rivers, grasslands, oases, etc.) using references and technology (e.g., atlas, globe, geographic information system, etc.).
SS.5.17 — Compare and contrast the various regions of the United States; locate each of the fifty United States and correlate them with their regions.
SS.3.13 — Distinguish between a continent, country, state and capital.

Wisconsin

SS.Geog1.b.1-2 — Identify physical and human characteristics of a place using maps, graphs, photographs, and other representations.
SS.Geog1.a.4-5 — Summarize how location (absolute and relative) affects people, places, and environment. Construct maps (paper or digital), charts, and graphs using appropriate elements (i.e., date, orientation, grid, scale, title, author, index, legend, situation)
SS.PS3.c.1 — Compare basic political institutions (e.g., what a government is and how it differs at the city, state, tribal, country, and global level), and the roles they serve in their lives and in the lives of others (e.g., make laws, create order).
SS.Geog4.a.4 — Describe how certain places may have meanings that distinguish them from other places (e.g., cemetery, places of worship, state or national parks, historical park, or battlefield). Compare and contrast the human characteristics of rural, suburban, urban, and tribal locations in Wisconsin and the United States. Identify and describe how people may view places in the community differently (e.g., students and senior citizens responding to a new playground).

Wyoming

SS5.5.1 — Spatial Apply mental mapping skills and use different representations of the Earth to demonstrate an understanding of human and physical patterns and how local decisions may create global impacts.
SS5.5.2 — Physical Place and Region Explain how physical features, patterns, and systems impact different regions and how these features may help us generalize and compare areas within the reservation, state, nation, or world. RL.3.2, RL.4.7, RL.4.9 RI.3.3, RI.4.3, RI.5.3 W.3.2, W.3.7, W.4.2.b W.5.2.b W.5.7 SL.3.4
SS2.5.1 — Spatial Use a map, globe, and mental mapping to identify familiar areas and simple patterns and create maps using various media. 2-ESS2-2
SS5.5.3 — Human Place and Movement Describe the human features of an area (e.g., language, religion, political and economic systems, population distribution, and quality of life), past and present settlement patterns (e.g., Indigenous Tribes of Wyoming and the Oregon Trail), and how ideas, goods, and/or people move from one area to another. Benchmark_Component Sub-Item :SS5.5.3.a.i Human Place and Movement Describe how cultural values of the Indigenous Tribes of Wyoming influence the importance and preservation of place and sacred sites (e.g., Devils Tower/Bear Lodge, Hot Springs State Park, Vedauwoo, Crowheart Butte, Bighorn Medicine Wheel, Estes Park, Yellowstone, Heart Mountain, and Wind River Mountains). Benchmark_Component Sub-Item :SS5.5.3.a.ii Human Place and Movement Describe and identify a variety of place names and their connection to Indigenous Tribes of Wyoming. RL.3.2, RL.4.7, RL.4.9 RI.3.3, RI.4.3, RI.5.3 W.3.2, 3.7, 4.2.b, W.5.2.b, 5.7 SL.3.4