T/L January 2011 Robyn Willow Hyperlink PowerPoint Presentation The following slides were designed for an introductory lesson on the physical landscapes of Western Canada for a grade ten social studies class. Students typically arrive to class with the slides already printed, or they are permitted to print off the notes during evening homework sessions; therefore, they are not required to record all the text presented in the slides, but the majority of the students opt to take notes during the lesson. Students are permitted to use their laptops during group work. NB: Some of the hyperlinks may not show the images due to the images being located on a personal USB device.

Chapter Three : The Geography of Western Canada Geography: The study of the Earth. Location: Where people live. Economy: How people earn a living varies depending on on the different physical landscapes. Weather: Climate and ecosystems. Moodle Access Today’s Lesson Physical landscapes Climate Temperature Recap

The Physical Regions of Western Canada The Canadian Shield Large mass of rock. Very old. Former volcanic mountain range. Rocky = not suitable for farming and settlement. Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Interior Plains From Canadian Shield to Rocky Mountains (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta). Eroded deposits from the Shield. Very fertile with fossil fuels = very good for farming and settlement. The Western Mountains Parallel mountain regions with plateaus and valleys in the Cordillera Region. The Plateau region is stuck in between the Rocky and Coast Mountains. New. Eroded mountains due to rivers and glaciers make sediment with lots of minerals.

Images of the Physical Regions The Canadian Shield The Interior Plains The Western Mountains Photo credits: and

The Climates of Western Canada Maritime Climate Mild Temperatures. High precipitation. Wet, damp, rain, warm Continental Climate Temperature extremes. Low precipitation. Dry, cold, hot, snow (altitude).

Factors that affect Temperature 1. Latitude Farther away from equator = Less and less intense sun = greater seasonal changes. 2.Altitude Higher = colder. 3. Distance from Sea Land heats and cools quicker than ocean = coastal areas are moderated by the ocean. 4. Wind Direction Prevailing winds: winds that blow more often in an area. Winds from the ocean increase the ocean’s moderating effect. 5. Ocean Currents Currents impact air temperature. Warm air absorbs more water, therefore West coast is mild and wet. 6. Precipitation Wind and ocean proximity determine amount of precipitation.

Group Discussion and Assignment Climate Videos Basics of Geography: Climate Ev4&feature=related Five Factors that Affect Climate BV8&feature=related Each group is to select ONE of the videos to watch. Complete the provided worksheet among your group. Be prepared to discuss your responses as a class.

Resources Canadian Geographic Website