Climate Regions

Science 9.3

Standards

Science 6.4 e Students know differences in pressure, heat, air movement and humidity results in a change in weather.

Anticipatory Set

Suppose you lived for an entire year near the equator. It would be very different from where you life now. The weather, amount of sunlight, and seasons would be new to you. You would be living in another climate region.

Language of the Discipline

Rain Forest

Savanna

Desert

Steppe

Chaparral

Humid subtropical

Subarctic

Tundra

Permafrost

Input/ Climate Regions

Scientists classify climates according to 2 major factors: Temperature and precipitation

There are 6 main climate regions

Tropical rainy

Dry

Temperate continental

Polar

Temperature marine

Highlands

Tropical Rainy Climates

The tropics have 2 types of rainy climates: Tropical wet and tropical wet-and dry

Often have afternoon thunderstorms which are triggered by midday heating.

Prevailing winds- trade winds bring moisture from the oceans

Rain forests contain half the worlds species of land plants and animals

Tropical Wet-and-Dry

Receive less rain that tropical climates

They have distinct dry and rainy seasons

Savannas

Florida’s southern tip

Dry Climates

Dry= the amount of precipitation that falls is less than the amount of water that could potentially evaporate.

Includes arid and semiarid climates

Arid- deserts can be hot and sandy others can be cold and rocky. Only specialized plants can survive the dryness and extremes of hot and cold.

Deserts- receive less than 25 centimeters of rain per year

Semiarid

Steppe is dry but gets enough rainfall for short grasses and low bushes to grow.

Prairie or grassland

Great Plains of the United States are an example.

Temperate Marine Climates3 types:

Marine West Coast- coolest temperatures, humid ocean air brings mild, rainy winters. Thick forests grow here

Mediterranean – Drier and warmer climates. Chaparral vegetation grows there.

Humid subtropical- wet and warm but not as constantly hot. Winters are mild (more rain than snow)

All 3 types have mild winters

Temperate Continental Climates

Only found on continents in the Northern Hemisphere and include humid continental and subarctic.

Humid Continental- shifting tropical and polar air masses bring constantly changing weather. They receive moderate amounts of rain the summer. Small amounts of rain or snow in the winter

Subarctic

Subarctic climates lie north of the humid continental climates. Summers are short and cools. Winters are long and bitterly cold.

Wood products are an important part of this economy. Large mammals live in the forest as well.

Polar Climates

Polar climate is the coldest climate region and includes the ice cap and tundra climates.

Ice Cap- Greenland and Antarctica. The average temperature is below or always at freezing. It is always covered in snow or ice and the air is dry.

Tundra- Short, cool summers are followed by bitter winters. Tundra soil stays constantly frozen (permafrost). Plants: mosses, lichens and wildflowers

Highlands

Temperature falls as altitude increase, so highland regions are colder than the regions that surround them.

Increasing altitude produces climate changes

Decreasing altitude produces climate changes

Mount Rainer in Washington is an example

Modeling

I am going to show you how to fill in the worksheet. Lets look at the first climate region.

We are going to fill in our logical notes by answering the questions located on the left side of the worksheet.

I am going to model how to correctly fill in Tropical Rainy Climates

Checking for Understanding

Fill in your logical notes for the “Dry” climate region.

Guided PracticeIndependent Practice

Guided Practice – complete temperate marine and temperate continental on your worksheet.

Stop! Have your worksheet/notes checked.

Independent Practice: Complete the rest of your worksheet/logical notes.