During this unit, students study the factors that influence the climate of a region. They identify and compare characteristics of tropical, mid-latitude, and polar climates, and discuss theories of long-term climatic change. This is an opportunity to consider evidence of climatic change and global warming due to the greenhouse effect.
There are strong links from this unit to several other grade 6 units. The climate is the chief determining factor in development of an ecosystem. How organisms are able to modify their immediate environment to accommodate themselves to the overall environment (of which climate is a major part) determines whether they can successfully inhabit an ecosystem. The climate influences how much energy humans use and the extent to which solar energy and wind energy may be useful alternative sources. Climatic factors help determine the range of human habitation on the planet.
Satellites are being used to record information about the Earth including data about weather and climate change. As we explore space, we also develop techniques of looking back on the earth and seeing it from a different perspective.
Science writing and reading activities, as discussed in this Guide, should be incorporated into each lesson. Writing in personal, reflective journals, writing reviews of videos seen during class, and reporting on the activities of science class by creating jokes, riddles, or poems are only a few strategies through which students may refine their understanding of the concepts of science and develop their ability to communicate through the written word.
Science challenge, as described in this Guide, is meant to extend students' critical and creative thinking abilities in the context of the science concepts being studied. Activities involving science challenge should be incorporated into science lessons in each unit. The challenge is intended to give each student a chance to investigate an area of interest in more depth than would be possible for all students in a class to do. Science challenge is a key strategy for bringing the Adaptive Dimension to the classroom, and for encouraging independent learning.
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From the map identify areas of interest where groups can investigate to enhance their understanding about climate. Ask the group to research the area they have selected, prepare a report for the class, and create an extension or enhancement of the concept map which outlines what they have discovered. Encouraged groups to use a wide range of reporting strategies, from illustrated lectures with notes provided, to live or recorded interviews with a renowned `expert' from within the group, to a poem or drama that conveys the information. In all cases, the concept map enhancement will put the information into a new context or allow connections to a context which the class understands.
Factors: A3, B1, B2, B16, C6, F3
Objectives: 1.1, 1.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.3
Assessment Techniques: group evaluation, self-assessment, anecdotal records
Instructional Methods: concept maps, reports
Contact from five to fifteen grade six classes in other schools
in the province and arrange to exchange
data on wind speed and direction. Keep the data from your school
and other schools in a binder so that
students in subsequent years will have access to it and can
contribute their own data to the collection.
Does the direction of the prevailing wind help determine the
climate or is it a result of the climate?
What other weather data are related to determining climate? How
about rainfall? What weather data
are a result of climate rather than determining the climate?
Factors: A2, B1, B2,
B11, B14, C6,
C9, F3,
G3
Objectives: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 4.1, 4.4, 5.1
Assessment Techniques: contracts, oral assessment,
presentations, rating scales
Instructional Method: circle of knowledge
Objectives: 2.1, 2.2, 5.2
Assessment Techniques: written assignments, short answer
test items
Instructional Methods: comapre and contrast, reflective
discussion
Which scientist is correct? They both have the same data. How
can they disagree?
The graphs near the top of the page communicate some of the data
from the charts at the top. Which
data is represented on the graphs? Redraw the graphs, showing
the scale on the vertical axis and the
data from the tables that is not included on the original
graphs.
Examine the Totals & Averages line of the data table.
Is the 5.7° under the
column headed Warmest the average of the numbers in
column above? Write a sentence or two
that explains what this average represents. Do this for other
column totals and averages as well.
Read the article which follows. Was the prediction made by Mr. Hopkinson in the last sentence accurate?
Find 1993 Canadian climate data to support your claim.
Volcano left us dry in the dark
Regina residents suntanned less and had fewer puddles to wade through in 1992 than in years past.
Statistics released by Environment Canada show 1992 saw almost 270 fewer hours of sunlight and nearly 93 millimetres less precipitation than normal.
Both numbers are the result of a volcano in the Philippines that erupted more than a year and a half ago. "There's some lingering influence from the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991," Ron Hopkinson, a meteorologist for Environment Canada, said Thursday. "The effects linger a year or two after."
Mount Pinatubo shot huge amounts of debris 35 kilometres into the atmosphere.
In addition, the storm track changed in 1992. Normally, it crosses over northern Saskatchewan. But last year, especially in June, July and August, it crossed lower, Hopkinson said.
As a result, Regina didn't get the usual summer thunder showers, but did see a lot more cloud cover. "The summer of 1992 came as quite a shock to us," Hopkinson says.
The most significant changes came in June, which had 51.8 millimetres less precipitation than normal, and in July, when there were 89.8 hours less sunshine.
Despite having less sun and rain, the mean temperature in 1992 rose to 3.5 from a normal 2.2.
The temperature was most likely affected by the lingering impact of El Nino, which causes warm ocean
temperatures to occur off the coast of Peru every four to five years
.
In January, February and March the mean temperatures were as much as 8.5 degrees warmer than normal.
However, combined with the lower sunshine and precipitation, the effect was a cooler year. For instance, in
September there was less sunshine, lower temperatures and higher rainfall.
This produced bad harvest conditions for farmers. Although it's hard to tell right now, Hopkinson expects 1993 to be a different year.
"The influence of Mount Pinatubo is waning quite rapidly and we don't expect that influence to be a factor in 993."
- from the Regina Leader-Post
January 15, 1993