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Home , SWEAT (hypothesis), Tree line

TEACHING SPATIAL THINKING THROUGH THE BIG IDEA: ELEVATION IN

Author: Susan Husiak, MGA Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations:

Overview: Altitude is one factor in determining • 6-G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms, temperature and climate. Students will learn rivers and climate regions of the Western about vertical zonation. This lesson is meant to Hemisphere. be an introductory lesson to the Big Idea: • 6-G1.3.2: Explain the locations and Elevation in South America (cst.cmich.edu/mga) distribution of physical and human Click on Teacher Resources/World Regional characteristics of by using Using Big Ideas/Elevation in South America. knowledge of spatial patterns. • 6-G1.2.3: Use data to create thematic Essential Questions: maps and graphs showing patterns…..and • What is the effect of elevation on propose two generalizations about the temperature? data. • What plants grow and what animals are • 4-G1.0.5: Use maps to describe raised at each elevation? elevation, climate, and patterns of population density. Objectives: The student will be able to: • 6-G3.1.1 Construct and analyze climate • Describe vertical zonation of crops using graphs for two locations at different a map and elevation in the region to • Explain the relationship between answer geographic questions and to make temperature and elevation predictions based on patterns. • Interpret information from graphs • 6-G3.2.1 Explain how and why ecosystems differ as a consequence of Subject/Grade Level: Sixth and Seventh Social differences in , elevation, and Studies/World Studies Classes, High School human activities. Geography Courses • 4-G1.0.5: Use maps to describe elevation, climate, and patterns of Student Materials: No Sweat Quiz, blank population density. paper, colored pencils, Making Thermographs for Places in Ecuador. National Geography Standards Teacher Materials: No Sweat Quiz Answer • Standard 4: The physical and human Key characteristics of places

• Standard 8: Ecosystems Elevation in South America PPT

Michigan Geographic Alliance Elevation in South America 2014 PROCEDURE: Teacher Note: This is a “No 1. Hand out the “No Sweat” quiz. (Slide 3) Ask Sweat” quiz because it is not graded. students to answer the questions to the best of their The quiz is to see growth after you ability. Set it aside to be used at the end of the have completed the lesson. You lesson. may add questions to the quiz to assess other items. 2. Ask students to draw a single on a blank

sheet of paper or on their electronic device. The mountain does not need to be pretty; it just needs to be high. (Slide 4) a) Divide the mountain into thirds (they can eyeball this, it is not necessary to use a ruler). Then divide each third in half, to have six Teacher Note: Please remind equal zones. (Slides 5-6) students that there are b) Label the base of the mountain “0” for zero feet of in the and elevation or sea level. Label the first line (from the the World that are higher than bottom) 3000 feet; next label the second line from 18,000 feet. However for this the bottom 6,000 feet; then label the next line 9,000 drawing we are stopping at feet; next label the fourth line from the bottom 18,000 feet, because 12,000 feet – line; and lastly label the fifth line everything above that is above up the mountain 15,000 feet – . (Slide 7-8) the snow line. c) Label the sea level to 3,000 feet zone as the “Tierra

Caliente” or hot zone. Color this area red.(Slide 9) d) Label the 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Templata.” or moderate zone or temperate zone, and color this area green. This is the most populated zone. (Slide 10) e) Label the 6,000 to 12,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Fria” or cold, and color this area blue. (Slide 11) f) Label the 12,000-15,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Helada (Punta)” as cold to frozen zone, and color this purple. (Slide 12) g) Label the snow line, tree line and snow. (Slide 13)

3. Students write the following paragraph on their map: “The temperature drops approximately an average of 3° to 5° for every 1000 fee that you go up the mountain. As you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live in 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone.” (Slide 14) This mountain map should be titled “Elevation in South America” because every map needs a title. This map gives students a simple visual reference for elevation, so that they can begin to think spatially about a mountain. (Slides 15-16) 4. Explain to students that altitude is not the only factor in determining temperature and climate. However, this lesson concentrates on Elevation. As part of elevation we need to add vertical zonation, or what plants grow and animals are raised at each elevation. The following is a list of the most common plants and animals at each elevation. (Students may find other plants grown and animals raised at each elevation, and they can add them later.) Ask students to label the crops that are grown and the animals raised at each elevation. (Slides 17-21)

Michigan Geographic Alliance Elevation in South America 2014 a) 0-3,000 feet –Tierra Caliente – bananas, sugarcane, rice, papaya, citrus fruit, cacao, manioc, cotton also some livestock b) 3,000-6,000 feet – Tierra Templada – corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash, beans c) 6,000-12,000 feet – Tierra Fria – quinoa, potatoes, barley, wheat (hearty crops); the land is also used for grazing and raising dairy animals d) 12,000-15,000 feet – Tierra Helada – sheep, pine and fir

5. Have students figure out what the temperature would be at each level. For this exercise assume that you are on the equator, and that the temperature drops 3.5° for every 1000 feet of elevation. If your students find this hard to do, tell them that for every 3000 feet that the temperature drops 10.5° as you go up the mountain. (Slides 22-24)

6. Revisit the “No Sweat” quiz; students may change any answers in a different color on the quiz. Then review the answers with them. (Slides 25-26)

7. Students should do the activity 2X “Making Thermographs for Places in Ecuador”. In the activity students will make thermographs of places in Ecuador and a comparison city in the - Chicago. Students are asked to answer geographic questions, make assumptions, as well as graphing temperatures. Then extend the lesson by having students write on each graph what foods would grow at the elevation of each city.

Extensions 1. Ask students to decide what clothing they would need to take with them if they were taking a trip up the mountain, and what they would expect to see along the way. Students can use the internet or magazines to find pictures for this part of the lesson. Give them choices for their presentation: 1. Write a paper about their trip with pictures; 2. Createa power point or other digital presentation to present to the class; 3. Make a poster board using pictures from magazines or the internet.

Scaffolding This lesson is meant to be an introductory lesson to the Big Idea: Elevation in South America (cst.cmich.edu/mga) Click on Teacher Resources/World Regional Geography Using Big Ideas/Elevation in South America. Scaffolding on this lesson can be done with the following activities found at the same location: Activity 1 – Where are the Mountains? Activity 1x - Cutout mountain pairs Activity 2 - Parts of a Hamburger Activity 3 - Elevation and Capitals Activity 4 - Placenames in a Region Colonized by Several European Countries Activity 4x - Placenames Clickable - a clickable map Activity 4x - Global Background – Power Point on colonization of the : Background for the Atlantic Trade Triangle Activity 4x - Languages in Hispaniola Activity 4x - Teachers notes

Michigan Geographic Alliance Elevation in South America 2014 NO SWEAT QUIZ

Circle the correct answer for each question. 2. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation True False between sea level and 3and 3,000 feet.

3. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow. True False

4. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can True False grow at any elevation.

5. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no True False longer grow, is10,000 feet.

5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the True False Andes Mountains

6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to True False 3,000 feet.

7. As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature ……. Drops Rises

8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets…….. Heavier Thinner

Michigan Geographic Alliance Elevation in South America 2014 NO SWEAT QUIZ Answers Circle the correct answer for each question. 1. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation True False between sea level and 3and 3,000 feet.

2. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow. True False

3. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products True False can grow at any elevation.

4. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no True False longer grow, is 10,000 feet.

5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the True False Andes Mountains

6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to True False 3,000 feet.

7. As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature ……. Drops Rises

8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets…….. Heavier Thinner

Resources Elevation and latitude http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=elevation+and+latitude&qpvt=elevation+and+latitude&FORM=I GRE#view=detail&id=64008CBA662BBE64033ACC9F8441DB172AD70682&selectedIndex=37 NOAA and climate change http://www.climate.gov/teaching/resources/wind-and-ocean-circulation C.L.E.A.N. (N0AA) http://www.climate.gov/teaching Andes Mountain information http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/andes.htm Coastal Areas of Ecuador http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Coastal+Area+of+Ecuador&FORM=RESTAB Prentice Hall Illustration of crop zonation http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/1017/1041578/FIG25_00A1.JPG Illustration of crops and elevation http://people.uwec.edu/ivogeler/w111/slope.jpg Dome view of temperature, elevation, and precipitation http://inkwellideas.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/elevation_lattitude__climate_biome.png

Michigan Geographic Alliance Elevation in South America 2014