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Unit 1 – Lesson 3
Climate Regions of the
Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Big Ideas of the Lesson
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere on a daily basis.
Climate is based on the average of the weather characteristics of the atmosphere over a long period of time, for example, a hundred years
One way to record the precipitation and temperature of a climate is
with a set of graphs called a climograph. Geographic questions can be answered by comparing and contrasting
climates of various locations. Knowledge of a region’s climate can aid in understanding patterns of
the region.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Learning Targets:
1. Weather happens daily. 2. Climate is based on the usual weather over a
long time. 3. A climograph (a set of graphs) is one way to
measure the rainfall and temperature of a climate.
4. Questions about geography can be answered by looking at what is the same and different at several locations.
5. Understanding the climate can help in understanding a region.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere # 1
Review Definitions: • Weather is the condition of the atmosphere on a daily basis. -For example, the weather is sunny today.
• Climate is based on the average of the weather characteristics of a region over a long period of time, sometimes a hundred years.
-Climates include such categories as tropical, temperate and taiga. Think about our own community as an example.
DISCUSS
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #1
• Consider various examples of weather and climate in the local newspaper, on the Internet, and television (The Weather Channel).
• Why is there no such thing as The “Climate” Channel?
(The broadcast would be the same everyday, for example tropical.)
• Weather information can be presented such as text, verbal, images, in a chart, or a graph.
• Remember, most examples are of weather which when accumulated over time is used to define climate.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #2
• A particular climate generally covers quite a large area.
• The main physical factors that affect climate are bodies of water (moderating temperature), mountains (elevation and as barriers), and
latitude (distance north or south of the equator).
• Use map to explain the geographic relationship between the coastal areas of the continents and the countries, and their interiors.
• Proximity to water has a great moderating effect on climate, with the exception of the Arctic.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #2
Speculate which other factors affect a country or region’s climate.
- Elevation (mountains)
- Latitude (how far from the equator)
- Wind patterns
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #3
• Most of the countries in Eastern Hemisphere will have general climates similar to those observed in their capital or larger cities.
• To determine if this is the case, the students may refer to a climate map in an atlas and verify how much of the country is in the same climate region as the capital.
• There is generally climate data available for all large and capital cities in the world and this can be used to construct the climate graphs in the next step. http://www.climate-charts.com/
Instructions: On a sheet of paper, read each category and write a simple definition for each one. Write the simplified definitions as if you were explaining it to a younger sibling, so that they can understand. You may use pictures with your words to help understanding.
Climate www.weatherwizkids.com What is climate? • Climate is the average weather usually taken over a 30-year time period for a particular region and time period.
Climate is not the same as weather, but rather, it is the average pattern of weather for a particular region. Weather describes the short-term state of the atmosphere.
What is our climate system? • Atmosphere The atmosphere covers the Earth. It is a thin layer of mixed gases which make up the air we breathe. This thin layer also helps the Earth from becoming too hot or too cold. • Oceans Oceans cover about 70 percent of Earth's surface. Their large size and thermal properties allow them to store a lot of heat. • Land Land covers 27 percent of Earth's surface and land topography influences weather patterns. • Ice Ice is the world's largest supply of freshwater. It covers the remaining 3 percent of Earth's surface including most of Antarctica and Greenland. Ice plays an important role in regulating climate, because it is highly reflective. • Biosphere The biosphere is the part of Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans that supports any living plant, animal, or organism. It is the place where plants and animals, including humans, live. • What is weather? The weather is just the state of the atmosphere at any time, including things such as temperature, precipitation, air pressure and cloud cover. Daily changes in the weather are due to winds and storms. Seasonal changes are due to the Earth revolving around the sun.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #3
• Introduce students to examples of climographs or climate graphs in textbooks, in travel books, on the Internet, and/or in newspapers.
• Point out that climographs display two climate variables on the Y –Axis; mean (or average) temperature as shown by the line graph and mean precipitation as shown by the bar graph.
• The X-Axis indicates months or time span.
• Both of these graphs are combined into one climograph or climate graph. The data are displayed for each month or time period.
• Make sure to have students confirm which units of measurement (Metric or English System) are used.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #4
• Study a political map of the Eastern Hemisphere and choose a county in Africa or Asia for which you will construct a climate graph.
• You will need to find climate data for a weather recording station in your chosen country which is usually found in a large city.
• For one such source, the World Climate web site found at http://www.worldclimate.com/
• Enter the name of the city in the search box of Statistics.
• Data can also be found in travel books or in the supplemental materials.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #4
• Once students have the appropriate climate statistics, they construct a climograph.
• If computers are available, the students could use Excel to create the graph using a tutorial found on the internet.
• They can also construct a climograph using the “Climate Connections in the Eastern Hemisphere Climograph” located in the supplemental materials.
• Students plot the average daily temperature for each month in the form of a line graph noting whether it is stated in inches or millimeters.
• Students will sketch an outline map of their region/continent on their paper, showing the location of the city they graphed.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #5
• When students have completed their climographs, they write several sentences that describe and compare the climate of the city they chose.
• Compare the location of the country or city they graphed with their own location in Michigan or the United States.
• They can also describe other factors such as “Is it further north or south, etc.?”
• Explore how the climate of a country may influence various activities.
• Be cautious that the climate is not presented as the factor that determines what a group of people does.
• People adjust to climate conditions, and in some cases they may do things that moderate the climate effects, such as growing crops within plastic or glass buildings.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #6
• Discuss the types of economic activities that would be possible in places with extremely cold or dry climates.
• Compare the location of the country they chose relative to the southern regions of the State of Michigan at about 42 degrees N. latitude.
• The 42nd line of latitude passes through the Mediterranean Sea in southern Europe and Turkey and Northern China in Asia.
• Compare the latitude of Marquette Michigan with Moscow.
• These types of comparisons will reveal the importance of climate to economic development.
• Nearly anything can be done in cold climates, but the cost is much greater.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #7
• Students will consider the relationships between climatic conditions and economic activities.
• These are some of the most important ideas that people have to consider in producing a product.
• Discuss the advantages, disadvantages and the effects of climate on the following aspects of a country’s economy: – Regional characteristics such as a climate that is
observed mainly near the weather observation station.
– Do those characteristics of climate patterns extend across most of the country?
– What are the advantages of climate patterns that are influenced by a costal zone where land meets water?
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #7
– How do cultural characteristics such as housing, clothing, and food reflect climate?
– How can people predict what a region or place is like if you know its climate characteristics?
– Consider the physical characteristics such as natural vegetation, landforms, and agricultural crops.
– How are those elements of a place a signature of its climate?
Students will research to learn what economic activities take place in the country or capital city they selected and choose one or more activities to investigate.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #8
• Instruct the students to choose one category (regional, cultural, or physical characteristics) to study in greater detail and pose a question to be answered about the economic activities that take place in the region they graphed.
• An example of such questions might be:
– How does the moist continental climate of Korea with its seasonal changes influence the types of crops that are grown?
– How does the wet tropical climate of the central Africa and central South America influence economic activity in those areas?
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #8
– The former case students would have to first research Korea’s crops and then research the relationship between climate and those crops.
– Whatever category chosen and question posed, students use their textbooks, atlases, and other reference material to find the answer to their question.
– Write a paragraph explaining the relationship between climate and an economic activity.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #9
• Write the three categories from Step 7 on the board or use the “Climate Connections Discussion Topics” paper.
• They are: (1) Regional Characteristics; (2) Cultural Characteristics; (3) Physical Characteristics.
• Have the students share the information with classmates by displaying their climographs, reading their question(s), and providing a synopsis of the answer(s).
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere #9
• With the help of their classmates and using the three categories, have students categorize the questions and evaluate the accuracy of each classification.
• It is important that students recognize that climate shows the general conditions during various periods of the year, and the climate characteristics throughout the year are the most revealing about what the climate of a place is like.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
ASSESSMENT:
The students’ paragraphs written in Step 8 may be used as the assessment.
As an alternative, the students can pose a question about Eastern Hemisphere climates and use evidence from the lesson to construct and support an answer.
The written information and analysis of the climatic data may be used to assess the students’ knowledge of how places are assigned specific types of climates.
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
Climate Regions of the Eastern Hemisphere
