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ClimateandTopography,WhatIstheConnection?
ScottNeumann
Description
ThislessondealsonlywiththeEarth'sclimaticpatternsastheyrelatetotheinterplayoftopographicfeaturesof
Earth.
Objectives
ThestudentknowshowclimaticpatternsonEarthresultfromaninterplayofmanyfactors(Earth'stopography,
itsrotationonitsaxis,solarradiation,thetransferofheatenergywheretheatmosphereinterfaceswithlands
andoceans,andwin
Materials
ClassroomsetofNeumannsWorldcontinentmaps(seeAssociatedFile)
ClassroomsetoftheExplanationofTopographicFeatureshandout(seeAssociatedFile)
ClassroomsetofQuestionsActivitysheetrelatedtothemapoftopographicfeatures(seeAssociatedFile)
Pencilorpen
Preparations
1.DownloadtheExplanationofTopographicFeaturesfromtheAssociatedFileandmakeacopyforeach
student.
2.DownloadtheNeumannsworldcontinentmapsfromtheAssociatedFileandmakeacopyforeachstudent.
3.DownloadtheQuestionsActivitysheetfromtheAssociatedFileandmakeacopyforeachstudent.
4.DownloadtheanswerkeyfromtheAssociatedFileforyourself.
5.Beforethelesson,reviewthefollowingifnecessary:climate,topography,windwardandleewardsidewind
patternsofmountainranges,HighandLowpressurebeltsoflatitude.
Procedures
1.Engagethestudentsbyaskingthequestion:WhydoeswintersnowlastthreetofourmonthsinMinnesota,
andinFloridathesnowdoesntlastatall,orforaveryshortperiodoftime.
2.Lookforvariedresponsesbuttieitbacktoclimate.
3.Theobjectiveisforstudentstounderstandhowtopographicfeatures,suchaselevation,latitude,mountains,
andnearnesstolargebodiesofwater,affectclimate.
4.Askthestudentswhatistopographyandclimate.
5.Lookforvariousresponses,butlookforphysicalfeatureoftheearthtosupportcorrectanswersfor
topography,andtemperatureaverageandprecipitationamountsoveralongperiodoftimeforclimate.
6.PassoutNeumannsworldcontinentmapwithavarietyoftopographicfeatures.(SeeAssociatedFile.)
7.Passoutahandoutwithexplanationsofhowcertaintopographicfeaturesaffectcertainclimaticconditions.
(SeeAssociatedFile.)
8.Passoutactivitysheetwithquestionsrelatedtothemapoftopographicfeatures.(SeeAssociatedFile.)
9.Havethestudentsreadthehandoutwiththeexplanationsofhowcertaintopographicfeaturesaffectclimate
first.Aseachfactorisread,makesuretocheckforunderstanding,oryoucanelaborateifyoufeelitis
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/lessons/lesson.asp?ID=2609 1/2
4/21/2017 Beacon Learning Center Lesson Plans
necessary.
10.Havethestudentslookatthecontinentmapandidentifythegivenlocations.
11.Thestudentswillexplaintheclimaticconditionofeachlocationwithsupporteddetailsfromtheexplanation
oftopographicactivitysheetontheQuestionsActivitysheet.(SeeAssociatedFile.)
12.Goaroundtheroomtocheckforproperresponseswhilethestudentsareworkingonthequestions.
13.Whenthestudentshavecompletedthequestions,gooverthemwiththestudentsandcheckforaccuracy.
Often,youwillfindoneortwofactorsnotconsideredbystudents.
Assessments
Assessstudentactivitysheetandmapwithquestionsrelatedtothetopographyoftheearthssurfaceandthe
generalclimaticpatternsthatresultfromtheinterplayofthesefactors.(Examples:mountains,latitude,
nearnesstolargebodiesofwater.)(Seeassociatedfile.)
Lookforcorrectresponseswithdetailedexplanationsofhowthedifferenttopographicfactorsaffectthegeneral
climatepatternsoftheearth.
AttachedFiles
ClimateandTopographyincludesthefollowing:1.QuestionActivitySheetonclimateandtopography2.
Neumannsworldcontinentmap.3.Explanationoftopographicfeaturesandclimate.4.Answerkey.File
Extension:pdf
ReturntotheBeaconLessonPlanLibrary.
http://www.beaconlearningcenter.com/lessons/lesson.asp?ID=2609 2/2