Physical Geography of Russia: Climate and Vegetation

Essential Questions: How has physical geography affected where people have settled in Europe? Learning Target: IWBAT explain how the climate has influenced where people live in Russia. Formative Assessment(s): Where do most Russians live in Russia and how has climate influenced this?

Bellwork What plants and animals would you expect to find in Russia?

Boreal Forest Fun Facts The boreal forest is named after Boreas, the Greek god of the North wind. The boreal represents 29% of the world's forest cover, second only to the Amazon Rainforest. The boreal forest stores enormous quantities of carbon, possibly more than the temperate and tropical forests combined. If temperatures increase, this carbon would be released, overwhelming the oxygen production of the trees. There is little rainfall in the boreal biome. Precipitation comes in the form of fog and snow, with a little rain during the summer months.

Classwork TOGETHER, read about High Latitude Regions on pages Write and answer the following questions in your notes: 1.What is the coldest winter temperature in Russia and where does it occur? 2.Describe continentality and where it occurs. 3.Where is most of the tundra found in Russia? 4.What is the largest climate region in Russia? 5.What is the taiga? How large is it? 6.What type of forest is found in the boreal?

Napoleon I and Russia Fun Facts on/videos/napoleon-invades-russiahttp:// on/videos/napoleon-invades-russia

Classwork TOGETHER, read about Midlatitude Regions on pages In which climates can we find most Russians living and planting? 2.Using the map on page 362, what three climates are found at the midlatitude regions? 3.What crops are grown in the humid continental climate? 4.In which two wars did the cold weather help Russia win? 5.What plants grow in the steppe climate? 6.What are two things that threaten native steppe plants?

Formative Assessment Where do most Russians live in Russia and how has climate influenced this?