Greater Antilles

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/greater-antilles

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. What is the geological composition?Primarily volcanic and tectonic uplift, with significant limestone formations
2. What is the endemism rate?High percentage of species found exclusively within the Greater Antilles
3. How are the Greater Antilles different from the Lesser Antilles?The Greater Antilles were mainly formed by volcanoes and tectonic uplift, while the Lesser Antilles are mostly coral islands.
4. What kinds of animals live only on the Greater Antilles?Many birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plants are found only on these islands, like the Cuban Ivory‑billed Woodpecker and the Zapata Wren.

Plate Tectonics: The scientific theory explaining the large-scale motion of Earth's lithosphere, which shapes continents and oceans.
Endemism: The ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island or region.
Transatlantic Slave Trade: The forced migration of millions of Africans to the Americas for labor, primarily on plantations, from the 16th to the 19th centuries.