NIE ACTIVITY

GEOGRAPHY CONNECTIONS This year-long series is presented in collaboration with the Connecticut Geographic Alliance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every resident of St. Croix (50,601 population) can fit in Dodger Stadium, L.A., California.
The natives of St. Croix are called “Crucian” or sometimes spelled “Cruzan”
English is spoken on the island, however the natives speak a slightly modified version

TAKE 5
of English called Cruzan as well. Linguistically it is very similar to Creole.
CITY/COUNTRY VIEW The town of Frederiksted was named after King Frederik and the town of Christiansted
Asia Gillespie Beecher Road School Woodbridge, CT was named after King Christian.
Have you ever wished you lived on an island? LOCATION: St. Croix is located in The first people to arrive on St. Croix arrived around 2,000 B.C.E.
Or maybe you are lucky enough to live on one of the Caribbean Sea. It is the largest Slavery in St. Croix was abolished on July 3rd, 1848, by Governor Peter von Scholten.
America’s many islands. St. Croix, one of the U.S. Virgin of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
St. Coix is 22.7 miles long; you could drive from end to end in less than a half an hour!
Islands, is rich with culture and breathtaking sites! PLACE: St. Croix is known for its
St. Croix, a member of the United States Virgin Islands, rolling hills, long stretches of white
is the largest of all of the Virgin Islands. St. Croix is
22.7 miles long (Long Island is 118 miles long) and
sandy beaches, and wide array of
landscape, from dry cactus in the
MAPPING ACTIVITY
located in the Caribbean Sea. You won’t need your east to lush rainforests in the west. Use a physical map to answer the following
winter jacket in St. Croix; the average temperature is HUMAN ENVIRONMENT questions:
82 degrees Fahrenheit. INTERACTION: St. Croix’s Surrounded by water St. Croix has many bays and beaches.
St. Croix is separated into two towns: Christiansted and economy thrives from tourism and is How many
Frederiksted. Don’t forget your umbrella, Frederikstead known for its rich Caribbean culture. beaches and
is home to a tropical rain forest! Oh yeah, you will need
MOVEMENT: Seaplanes depart bays can you
your hiking boots if you plan to climb to St. Croix’s
highest peak: Mount Eagle (1,165 ft). Or maybe hiking daily transporting people between find?
isn’t for you, how about going to Salt River Bay National St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, and Are there any
Park and standing where Columbus landed in 1493? Water Island. beaches in
Spain, Great Britain, The Netherlands, France, REGION: The weather in St, your city or
Denmark, and the United States all played a role in St. Croix is rather predictable, the state?
Croix’s past, before it became the St. Croix we know average temperature is 80 degree Are there any
today. To many nations St. Croix was a hot commodity, Fahrenheit. bays in your
an island everyone wanted. St. Croix was one of the city or state?
wealthiest islands in the West Indies because of sugar Common Core How do
cultivation. Sugar was cultivated, or farmed, by slaves Curricular
in St. Croix throughout the 1800’s. However the late Connections beaches and bays benefit trade and tourism around the world?
1800s were filled with slave rebellions (much like the CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7 Pick a beach or a bay and research its history and importance to
United States before the civil war). In 1917 the United CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.10 its nation.
States of America purchased St. Croix, along with St. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.4
Thomas, and St. John from Denmark for $25 million CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.6
dollars worth of gold.
Community Connections/ Using the News
Throughout December and January St. Croix celebrates “Carnival” a
Caribbean festival celebrated throughout many Caribbean nations. Carnival
is known for its vibrant costumes and fun parades. Use www.courant.com
to research the history and culture of the festival Carnival and
also find why it is the most celebrated Caribbean tradition.
Online Resources:
http://www.gotostcroix.com/guides/st-croix-history/
http://www.usvi.net/st-croix/
http://www.vinow.com/stcroix/history/
http://www.visitusvi.com/stcroix/homepage
For more interesting facts about St Croix visit:
http://stcroixdreamvacation.com/wp/st-croix-fun-facts
For more maps and photos of St Croix visit:
http://www.edenbythesea-stcroix.com/life.htm
For students who are blind, learning disabled or print challenged, visit CRIS Radio at
http://www.chrisradio.org and click Kids On-Demand for a free audio version of Geography Connections.