4/21/2017 Beacon Learning Center Lesson Plans

BeaconLessonPlanLibrary
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