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Why Climate Differs Across the US is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on why climate differs across US regions, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.10.3-5. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 19 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Why Climate Differs Across the US

D2.Geo.10.3-5

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.Why is northern Alaska cold for most of the year?
  • A.It is surrounded by warm water
  • B.It is far north, near the Arctic
  • C.It is close to the equator
2.Why do summers stay cool along the coast near San Francisco?
  • A.The sun never shines there
  • B.The city is in the far north of Alaska
  • C.A cold ocean current cools the air near the shore
3.Why do cities on the eastern shores of the Great Lakes get heavy snow?
  • A.The lakes are saltier than the ocean
  • B.Cold air picks up moisture crossing the lakes and drops it as snow
  • C.The lakes freeze solid every summer
4.Why does Hawaii stay warm all year?
  • A.It is covered in ice
  • B.It is in the tropics and surrounded by warm ocean
  • C.It is near the North Pole
5.Why are winters milder in Florida than in Minnesota?
  • A.Florida has taller mountains
  • B.Florida is much closer to the equator
  • C.Florida is much farther north
6.Why are summers in the Southeast so humid?
  • A.Warm, moist air flows in from the Gulf of Mexico
  • B.There are no rivers or oceans nearby
  • C.Dry desert air blows in from Canada
7.Why do the Great Plains get so many tornadoes?
  • A.Warm, moist air from the Gulf meets cool, dry air from the north and west
  • B.The Plains are covered by thick forest
  • C.Tornadoes form only near the ocean
8.Why did the western Great Plains have grass but few trees before settlers came?
  • A.There was not enough rain for most trees to grow
  • B.Trees there grew too tall to count
  • C.Too much rain drowned the trees

LessonPrint · D2.Geo.10.3-5 · Set 19 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Why Climate Differs Across the US

Set 19. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.It is far north, near the Arctic
  2. 2.A cold ocean current cools the air near the shore
  3. 3.Cold air picks up moisture crossing the lakes and drops it as snow
  4. 4.It is in the tropics and surrounded by warm ocean
  5. 5.Florida is much closer to the equator
  6. 6.Warm, moist air flows in from the Gulf of Mexico
  7. 7.Warm, moist air from the Gulf meets cool, dry air from the north and west
  8. 8.There was not enough rain for most trees to grow

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.10.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.