Chesapeake Bay

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chesapeake-bay

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is the Chesapeake Bay?4,479 square miles of surface water
2. How long is the Chesapeake Bay?Approximately 200 miles (320 km)
3. How wide is the Chesapeake Bay?30 miles (48 km)
4. How deep is the Chesapeake Bay?21 feet (6.4 m)
5. What is the location?Mid-Atlantic region, United States
6. How many species live in the Chesapeake Bay?More than 3,600 species of plants and animals call the bay home, thanks to its mix of fresh and salty water.

Estuary: A body of water formed where freshwater rivers and streams meet the sea, creating brackish water conditions.
Watershed: The entire area of land that drains water into a particular river, lake, or bay.
Nutrient Pollution: Excess nutrients, often from fertilizers and sewage, that can harm aquatic ecosystems by causing algal blooms and reducing oxygen.
Sea-Level Rise: The gradual increase in the average sea level, primarily caused by global warming, leading to coastal erosion and flooding.