REGIONS IN CANADA Student Task CORDILLERA PRAIRIES CANADIAN SHIELD ARCTIC ST LAWERENCE LOWLANDS ATLANTIC

Student Task Location- Where is this region located and what provinces are in this region? Land -identify the main characteristics in each region(forests, bodies of water, rivers, land forms, vegetation ) 3. Climate -make a graph of the amount of precipitation using a graph -what is the weather like in the winter and summer? 4. Natural Resources - -minerals, fossil fuels, trees, water, fertile land, animals, fish 5. Industries-mining, petroleum industry, forestry, agriculture, hunting, tourism, fishing 6. Environmental identify one issue for their region and report the pros and cons of each side of the question BACK

Cordillera Region NEXT PAGE Location Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location Cordillera means mountains; the mountain ranges include, Rockies, and coast mountains Hills, plateaus, valleys Major Industries are forestry, paper mills, hydropower Provinces include British Columbia, and parts of Yukon Territory and Alberta -- Fraser River is the largest river -Great Bear Lake is the largest body of water Natural Resources – Minerals such as gold, copper, silver and zinc, lead, sand, gravel , coal Next to Pacific Ocean There are permanent pastures and crops Okanogan Valley for growing fruit On the West Coast of Canada Vegetation includes coniferous forests which have the largest trees in Canada Fishing industry- fishing for salmon, halibut, and herring There are plants shrubs and trees, although there is none on top of the mountains Gas- Petroleum Iron Ore Mountain ranges were formed millions of years ago from rocks that were bent and crushed against each other. NEXT PAGE

Cordilera page 2 Cordillera Region Wild life Climate Environmental Issues North – Polar Bears and Caribou North part of region- cold winters and cool summers water quality ( contamination of water due to pollution ) Birds- eagles , ravens and owls Mammals- deer, elk, lynx and grizzly bear Southern part of region- mild winters, warm summers and lots of rain - Ocean helps keep areas on coast cooler in summer and warmer in winter pesticide used in orchards and vineyards and from over-fertilization of crops under irrigation. Ocean animals- whales, sea lions, seals Natural Hazards: permafrost, cyclonic storms, tornadoes and forest fires - Rise in population is affecting farmland available Fish- Salmon, trout, halibut, northern pike

Prairies/Plains Region Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location Flat and rolling hills - Thousands of years ago glaciers covered the land. The weight of the glaciers caused the land to become flat with rolling hils. Major Industries are farming and agriculture. Provinces include large parts of Alberta , Sask, MB and parts of NWT. - Lowlands with sedimentary rock Natural Resources – Minerals such as potash, coal, oil and gas, Central part of Canada Lakes and rivers are Great Bear, Slave Lake and Manitoba Lake. Red river, Saskatchewan River Fertile soil for the farm land Largest area of farmland in Canada -has very fertile soil for growing wheat, barley, rye , and oats. Vegetation includes deciduous trees, grasslands, shrubs, small plants, mosses, NEXT PAGE

Wild life Climate Prairies/Plains North – bears, buffalo, wolves Continued Prairies/Plains Wild life Climate Environmental Issues North – bears, buffalo, wolves Most of region- cold winters and hot summers Air /waterpollution Birds-ducks, geese, swans, loons Least amount of precipitation in Canada Droughts in some parts Irrigation is sometimes necessary to grow crops – warmer winters and hotter summers cause the following to happen : plant maturation slowed, drying conditions were poor, and access to fields was restricted because of saturated soil conditions. Herbivores- deer, moose, elk and caribou Natural Hazards: Wind storms, tornadoes , Livestock production- Swine Flu is a result of bacteria found in pigs. Carnivores- coyotes, eagles hawks

Canadian Shield Region Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location -made of ancient rock, and is covered with a thin layer of soil - Landforms include flat, areas and rocky hills and lots of trees the biggest industry is forestry. Other industries found in the Canadian Shield are farming and mining. Provinces include parts of Alberta, SK, MB, Ontario and Quebec, NWt, Nunavut, and Labrador -Some of the trees are coniferous and deciduous trees -mixed forests are beautiful in the fall when the leaves of the deciduous trees change color. - - Natural Resouces- soft wood and hard wood, gold, silver, iron, copper, uranium, - Is the largest region in Canada ¼ of the Canadian Shield is covered with water boggy wetlands Hydroelectricity - Covers about half of Canada - It has lakes, rivers, streams and marshes. Some rivers flow into the Hudson bay, while others flow into the great lakes and St. Lawrence River The largest bodies of water in this region are Great Slave Lake, Lake Athabasca, Reindeer Lake and part of Lake Superior. NEXT PAGE

Canadian Shield Wild life Climate Continued Wild life Climate Environmental Issues Mammals such as moose, caribou and deer , wood buffalo , wolverines Northern part of Region -long, cold winters and short, warm summers. - less than 300 mm of rain and snow each year. Water quality and soil quality- Air Pollution - Global Warming Issues -birds such as ravens, loons, and sparrows - Fish such as trout, bass, and pickerel Southern part of Region cold, snowy winters and warm summers -has between 300 mm and 1600 mm of rain and snow each year. -growth and concentration in the livestock industry- affects water and soil quality Also takes up more land and wild life habitats are being lost. - problems of odor and air pollution - Mosquitoes and black flies

Arctic Region NEXT PAGE Location Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location Land used to be covered by glaciers long time ago called the Ice Age. Huge flat areas of rock and boggy plains Major Industry: Hunting and Fishing Region includes lots of islands in Arctic Ocean Permafrost- ground remains frozen all year long. Only the surface of the ground thaws. Natural resources: lead, zinc, coal, oil and natural gas, soapstone - Parts of Yukon Territory, NWT, and Nunavut Pingos- are a land form found in the Arctic. They are rounded hills with a core of solid ice. They slowly grow larger - Region is found North of Arctic Circle Vegetation: large areas of tundra Small flowering plants, shrubs, and mosses No trees - very few plants NEXT PAGE

Arctic Region Wild life Climate Whales, Seals and Walrus Continued Arctic Region Wild life Climate Environmental Issues Whales, Seals and Walrus Short sunny summers with clear skies Sun does not set in the summer Does not rain in summer Permafrost - Wolves, polar bears and arctic foxes Long winters, very very cold. Middle of winter, the sun does not rise, so it stays dark for 24 hours. – Snows very little in winter Global warming- Polar Bears cannot survive, because the ice is melting too quickly and they are not able to hunt for food for their survival Birds- loons, snow geese, and snowy owls Aurora Borealis- Northern Lights, is colorful lights in the sky . This happens when gases react to particles in the sky.

St. Lawrence Lowlands Location Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location Has flat land and some hills - The rivers drain into the the St. Lawrence river and the five great lakes: Erie, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario. Major Industries: Hydroelectricity Provinces include Southern Quebec and Ontario The land has very deep and fertile soil landscape of the St. Lawrence Lowlands region can be described as very fertile with many waterways. Natural Resources: iron, silver, coal, lead, and copper Includes part of the Ottawa River Valley Niagara Escarpment is located near the Great Lakes. ( This is a long rocky cliff that marks the boundary of a flat or sloping upland area) - The Niagara River flows over the escarpment at Niagara Falls Fresh water and sugar maple trees Fertile soil for growing fruit and vegetables - Has the best growing areas in Canada Vegetation: mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous trees Has the longest growing season in Canada

St. Lawrence Lowlands Wild life Climate Continued St. Lawrence Lowlands Wild life Climate Environmental Issues Mammals- white tailed deer, squirrels, moose, and lynx - Hot and humid summers Air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affects lakes and damages forests. Fish- perch, northern pike - Winters are cool and snowy and can drop to - 30 degrees Celsius. ocean waters are becoming contaminated from agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities. Birds: bluebirds, blackbirds, loons, and woodpeckers - an alternative transport route to the Panama Canal through the Northwest Passage. These animals make this region their home because the water's fresh and the St. Lawrence Lowlands is a great area to make a home.

Atlantic Region Location Characteristics of Land Natural Resources/ Industries Location Has small mountains that have been worn down by erosion over millions of years - waves, tides, swift currents have eroded cliffs and formed islands, beaches, bays and harbors. Major industry is fishing and potato farming. Includes NBW, NS, PEI and NFL and parts of Quebec. THESE ARE CALLED THE MARITIME PROVINCES Bay of Fundy- has highest tides in the world Natural Resources – oil, lead, potash, salt, copper and gold - Is on the East Coast and is by the Atlantic Ocean - Continental Shelf: where the ocean floor gradually slopes downward for many KM and then drops off into a deep trench. The shallower portion is called a continental shelf. - Fertile Soils are found in the plains and valleys of this region. - Grand Banks is world famous for fishing grounds Vegetation: Coniferous trees, fir and spuce Trees grow very slowly due to rocky soil - hardwood forests of beech and sugar maple, birch have been completely logged

Atlantic Region Wild life Climate Continued Atlantic Region Wild life Climate Environmental Issues Marine life: Grey seals, and harbor seals and some whales Summers can be cool or warm and rainy Air Pollution: Smog which affects human health Mammals-fox, deer, coyote, mink, hares, caribou and beaver Winters are long and have lots of rain. Oil spills on ocean – oil pollution from ships travelling on the ocean causes death of many birds Fish such as cod, salmon, and scallops There are strong windstorms called GALES and these happen often Clean air and water needed Birds-puffins, gulls , blue herons, and razorbills