African Safari (4-6) Extensions
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Frisch’s Outreach: African Safari (4-6) Extensions At a glance This program will allow your students to learn about the Geography and Climate of Africa. And where these animals live.. Goal Continent and learn where these This class is designed to familiarize habitats are located. students with Africa. The students will The students will understand how learn what its climate is like, what types the program animal lives and of animals live there and how they survives in its habitat. survive. The student will be able to identify what is the range of the Objectives program animal. The students will gain an understanding of the basic Theme features of maps and how to read Africa has a unique geography that has them. an impact on its wildlife. The students will know where the major geographic features of Sub-themes Africa are located. What types of habitats are found The students will be able to in Africa. identify what types of habitats What adaptations do animals are found on the African have to survive in their habitats. Academic standards Ohio Science Academic Grade 5 Life Sciences Content Standards Benchmark C – 4,5,6, Grade 7 Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark C-8, Grade 10 Life Sciences Benchmark E-14, Benchmark F-14,16,17, Benchmark G-18,19, Title (X-X): Extensions Page 1 of 8 Grade 11 Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark B-4, Benchmark C-12, Life Sciences Benchmark E-6,8, Grade 12 Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark B-5, Life Sciences Benchmark C-12 Benchmark E-7,8, Kentucky Core Content— Life Science: Science Grade 4 The Characteristics of Organisms: SC-E-3.1.2, SC-E-3.1.3 Life Cycle of Organisms: SC-E-3.2.2 Organisms And Their Environment: SC-E-3.3.1 Grades 5-7 Structure & Function in Living Systems: SC-M-3.1.1 Regulation and Behavior: SC-M-3.2.1, SC-M-3.2.2, SC-M-3.2.3 Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms: SC-M-3.4.1, SC-M-3.4.2 Populations and Ecosystems: SC-M-3.5.1, SC-M-3.5.2, SC-M-3.5.3, SC-M-3.5.4 Grade 8-12 Interdependence of Organisms: SC-H-3.5.3 Behavior of an Organism: SC-H-3.2.1,SC-H-3.2.2, SC-H-3.2.3 Ohio Social Studies Grade 5 Geography Academic Content Benchmark A-1,2, Benchmark B-3,4,5, Standards Benchmark C-8,9, Grade 6 Geography Benchmark A-1, Benchmark B-4, Benchmark C-5,6,7, Kentucky Core Content— Grade 4 Social Studies/Geography SS-E-4.1.1, SS-E-4.1.2, SS-E-4.1.5 SS-E-4.2.1, SS-E-4.2.2 SS-E-4.3.2, SS-E-4.3.3 SS-E-4.4.1, SS-E-4.4.2, SS-E-4.4.3, SS-E-4.4.4 Grades 5-7 SS-M-4.1.1, SS-M-4.1.2 SS-M-4.2.1, SS-M-4.2.2 SS-M-4.4.1, SS-M-4.4.2, SS-M-4.4.3, SS-M-4.4.4 Grades 8-12 SS-H-4.1.1, SS-H-4.1.2 SS-H-4.4.1, SS-H-4.4.2, SS-H-4.4.4 Title (X-X): Extensions Page 2 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Background Geography Africa when compared to the other continents has a very unique geography. It has many extremes, from very hot and dry regions in the north and south, to the tropical rainforests in the center of the continent. Africa lacks a major continental mountain range such as the Himalayas or the Andes. The average elevation of the continent approximates closely to 2,000 ft above sea level, roughly the same as both North and South America, but considerably less than that of Asia, 3,117 ft. When compared with other continents, there is little land on very high or very low ground. Lands under 600 ft or over 10,000 ft occupy an unusually small part of the surface. Not only are the highest elevations less than those of Asia or South America, but the area of land over 10,000 ft is also much less, being represented almost entirely by individual peaks and mountain ranges. Moderately elevated tablelands are the characteristic feature of the continent, though the surface of these is broken by higher peaks and ridges. Apart from the lowlands and the Atlas mountain range, the continent may be divided into two regions of higher and lower plateaus, the dividing line runs from the middle of the Red Sea to just south of the Congo River on the west coast. Climate Africa lies almost entirely within the tropics, equally to north and south of the equator. Because of this, Africa does not show excessive variations of temperature. In the North, the great width of the continent limits the moderating influence of the oceans. Great heat is experienced in the lower plains and desert regions. In addition, the contrast between day and night, summer and winter, is greatest. Farther south, the heat may be modified by the moisture brought from the ocean, and by the greater elevation of a large part of the surface, especially in East Africa, where the range of temperature is wider than in the Congo basin or on the Guinea coast. In the extreme north and south the climate is a warm temperate one, the northern countries being on the whole hotter and drier than those in the southern zone; the south of the continent being narrower than the north, the influence of the surrounding ocean is more felt. The most important climatic differences are due to variations in the amount of rainfall. The Sahara in the north and the Kalahari in the south receive very little rainfall, while the scarcity of mountain ranges in these regions tends to prevent rainfall. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 3 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden In the inter-tropical zone of summer precipitation, the rainfall is greatest when the sun is vertical or soon after. It is therefore greatest of all near the equator, where the sun is twice vertical, and less in the direction of both tropics. Within the equatorial zone certain areas, especially on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and in the upper Nile basin, have an intensified rainfall, but this rarely approaches that of the rainiest regions of the world. The rainiest district in all Africa is a strip of coastland west of Mount Cameroon, where there is a mean annual rainfall of about 390 inches. The two distinct rainy seasons of the equatorial zone, where the sun is vertical at half-yearly intervals, become gradually merged into one in the direction of the tropics, where the sun Africa lies almost entirely within the tropics, equally to north and south of the equator. Because of this, Africa does not show excessive variations of temperature. In the north, the great width of the continent limits the moderating influence of the oceans. Great heat is experienced in the lower plains and desert regions. In addition, the north also has the greatest contrast between day and night, summer and winter. Farther south, the heat may be modified by the moisture brought from the ocean, and by the greater elevation of a large part of the surface, especially in East Africa, where the range of temperature is wider than in the Congo basin or on the Guinea coast. In the extreme north and south the climate is a warm temperate zone, the northern countries being hotter and drier than those in the southern zone. Because the south of the continent is narrower than the north, the ocean has a greater influence. Therefore it is not quite as warm and dry as it is in the north. The most important climatic differences are due to variations in the amount of rainfall. The Sahara in the north and the Kalahari in the south receive very little rainfall. The scarcity of mountain ranges in these regions tends to prevent rainfall. Within the equatorial zone certain areas, especially on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and in the upper Nile basin, have an intensified rainfall, but this rarely approaches that of the rainiest regions of the world. The rainiest district in all Africa is a strip of coastland west of Mount Cameroon, where there is a mean annual rainfall of about 390 inches. The two distinct rainy seasons of the equatorial zone, where the sun is vertical at half-yearly intervals, become gradually merged into one in the direction of the tropics, where the sun is overhead but once. Snow falls on all the higher mountain ranges, and on the highest peaks the climate is thoroughly Alpine. The countries bordering the Sahara are much exposed to a very dry wind, full of fine particles of sand, blowing from the desert towards the sea. This winds great dryness causes so much evaporation that cold temperatures often occur. Similar dry winds blow from the Kalahari Desert in the south. On the eastern coast the monsoons of the Indian Ocean are regularly felt, and on the southeast coast hurricanes are occasionally experienced. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 4 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Fauna of Africa The more characteristic African fauna is found in the Afrotropical ecoregion - formerly called Ethiopian (the Sub-Saharan Africa). Lying almost entirely within the tropics, and equally to north and south of the equator creates favorable conditions for rich wildlife.