MODULE 3 Chapter 2

Module 3 Chapter 2

Student Page

Idaho's 44 Counties

Hi Students!

Idaho has 44 counties, and each county is different from all the others. Some are large, and some are small. Each has its own shape. Some are in the mountains, but others are in the desert. Some have mostly farming, while others have lumbering, mining, or some other kind of industry. Some have many people, and others have very few. There are many ways in which Idaho's counties differ from one another.

Each county, of course, has towns and cities. The county seat is the town or city where the county courthouse is located. The county courthouse is where the county government carries on most of its business.

The following map activities focus attention on the many ways that Idaho's counties differ. Your teacher will give you instructions for answering the questions. For the map activities, you will need a copy the outline map of Idaho's Counties and County Seats. (Go to Outline Maps.)

INQUIRY ACTIVITIES

1. Study your outline map of Idaho's Counties and County Seats. Notice the shapes of the counties and where some of the counties are located. Notice where your own county is located.

Which counties are next-door neighbors to your own county? What are the names of these neighboring counties? Be able to answer these two questions.

2. Using crayons or colored pencils, lightly color the counties different colors so that no two counties that touch each other will be the same color.

3. Notice the strange shapes that some of the counties have. Why do you think those counties are shaped like that? Which county do you think has the strangest shape?

4. Notice how large and how small some of the counties are. Idaho's largest county is larger than Massachusetts or New Jersey. It touches both Oregon and Montana. Which county is this?

5. Which is Idaho's smallest county?

6. Which county in Idaho has the most people? For this answer, you will need to refer to the Official Idaho Highway Map or the following hyperlink to the Idaho Counties' page of the U.S. Census Bureau. Click here for census figures.

7. Which 2 counties in Idaho have the fewest people? (Refer again to the map.)

8. Which county contains Idaho's largest city? What is the county seat of that county?

9. Which county borders Canada? Which is Idaho's most northern county?

10. Which county contains Idaho's only seaport?

11. Which county makes up Idaho's southwest corner? Idaho's southeast corner? The northeast corner of southern Idaho?

12. How many counties does Idaho have?

13. How many county seats does Idaho have?

14. LEARN EACH COUNTY AND WHERE IT IS LOCATED. Use a copy of the map of Idaho's counties---one without the names printed on it. Practice filling in the names of the counties. Keep practicing until you know all or most of the counties.

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