The Mid-Atlantic region is a mixture of large, bustling cities, and sparsely populated rural areas. Its coastal areas, including Ellis Island and New York City, are centers of immigration and trade. Rivers and the Erie Canal helped connect the port cities to the interior parts of this region and to the rest of the nation. Through writing prompts and sidebars, readers will be asked to consider what life was like after the Erie Canal opened, and they will also find out about a local Native American myth related to Niagara Falls. These added elements help strengthen readers' skills with informational text and tie directly to the Common Core standards.