Southwest Terms - Unit 5

Adobe

A mud, sand, and straw mixture used to make bricks and/or the outer coating of a building. An ancient form of building homes or structures, it can be found in many parts of the world.

Arroyo

An dry gully or creek bed created by rainwater runoff. During the monsoon season, arroyos are know for flash flooding and can be very dangerous.

Monsoon

A short-term rainy season that occurs at the same time each year. In the southwestern U.S., the monsoon rains in July-September. The intense thunderstorms happen at the same time every day.

Mesa

“Table" in Spanish, these land forms have a flat-top surface with sheer sides usually hundreds of feet tall. Are found throughout the Western U.S.

Butte (BYOOT)

Similar to a mesa, they are tall, steep, flat-topped areas but are more narrow that a mesa or plateau. Rock climbers are found climbing these.

Caldera

A concave dent in the ground or a mountain, caused by the eruption and the collapse of a volcano.

Canyon

A depression cut into the ground by running water.

Hogan

Traditional Navajo dwelling made from wood timbers and adobe mud. They can be made in many shapes and sizes and are very energy efficient. Today they are mainly used for religious ceremonies or upkept as historical sites.

Metate (meh-TAH-tay) & Mano

Two stones used for crushing and grinding, usually grains. Metate is the large stone base that often has a concave shape due to regular scraping. The Mano, "hand", is the smaller stone that you hold in your hand to crush the grain.

High Desert

A dry, arid climate at a high elevation. These areas experience wide temperature ranges from daytime to nighttime.