Landform Regions of Canada - Notes

Landform Regions of Canada

The movement of the earth’s plates, and the resulting ______, ______, and volcanic activity, have combined with the forces of ______and ______to create a variety of landscapes that affect the way we live

A Landform Region is an area of the Earth with a unique set of ______.

Western Cordillera

Location: – Along the western edge of Canada, covering most of ______and ______

Physical Features: – Range after range of high, ______mountains separated by plateaus and ______, running North to South – Created recently by the collision of the ______and ______plates

Biological Features: – Herbs, lichens and shrubs at higher elevations and various types of ______and ______at lower elevations – Several species have adapted to the harsh climates of the higher elevations, including Mountain Goat, Gyrfalcon, White-tailed and Willow Ptarmigan, Water Pipit and Rosy Finch – Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Stone Sheep, Grizzly Bear and Black Bear are common at lower elevations.

Resources: – Lightly ______, travel is difficult – Rich in ______, timber, and sources of ______electricity

Interior Plains

Location: – Extends through the middle of Canada from North to South, covering most of ______and ______, and some of ______and ______

Physical Features: – Very ______, with deep, ______– Created when ______from the ______and the Rocky Mountains were deposited in shallow inland seas and compressed into layers of______rock – Cold winters, hot summers

Biological Features: – The southern part of the interior plains is mostly ______, with grasses and herbs – The northern part is home to a belt of coniferous ______called the ______, which extends from the Rocky Mountains all the way across Canada to ______, with Spruce, tamarack, and poplar being the most prominent species

Resources: – Extensively used for farming ______and ______– Known as Canada’s “Bread Basket” – Sedimentary rock contains rich mineral, coal, oil and gas deposits

Canadian Shield

Location: – Covers more than ______of Canada, including most of ______, Quebec, ______, Ontario, and ______, and a large part of ______
Physical Features: – Relatively ______with rounded hills of metamorphic rock, which are actually the roots of ancient ______– Some of the world’s oldest rocks can be found here, at or near the surface of the ground – In the last ice-age, glaciers scraped soil away and formed many small ______

Biological Features: – Covered by boreal forest in the ______and tundra in the ______– Many mammals such as moose, caribou, wolverines, weasels, mink, otters, beaver, grizzlies and black bears are present

Resources: – Sparsely populated, farming is ______because the soil is ______– Rock contains large quantities of valuable ______such as lead, ______, nickel, ______and zinc – Ideal for recreation due to scenic ______, lakes, rock outcrops, and vast ______

Great Lakes-St.Lawrence Lowlands

Location: – South of the Canadian Shield in ______and ______– Smallest landform region in Canada

Physical Description: – Glaciers deposited a huge amount of ______, sand and gravel here, creating a landscape of flat ______with small hills and deep ______valleys – The great lakes are located in basins gouged out by the glaciers

Biological Features: – Prior heavy ______and urban sprawl, this area was home to large mixed forests

Resources: – ______of Canada’s population lives here – ______of Canada’s manufacturing industries and located here – Well-suited to ______because of excellent soils and warm climate

Appalachian Mountains

Location: – Covers some of southern ______, and most of the Maritime Provinces

Physical Description: – Oldest highland region in Canada, created when the ______plate collided with ______and ______about ______years ago – ______has rounded the mountains over time, creating a landscape of rolling ______and hills

Biological Description: – The Appalachians are characterized by a wealth of large, beautiful deciduous broadleaf (______) trees. – During the 19th and early 20th centuries the Appalachian forests were subject to severe and destructive ______and land clearing – Animals that characterize the Appalachian forests include squirrels, rabbits and deer, which have greatly increased in abundance as a result of the elimination of the Gray Wolf and the Eastern Cougar or Mountain Lion by European settlers

Resources: – Long ______provide deep ______for ocean freighters – ______rock rich in non-metallic minerals such as coal, with some igneous and metamorphic rock containing metallic minerals such as iron and zinc

Hudson Bay Lowlands

Location: – Around the southwestern shore of the ______and ______in ______and ______

Physical Features: – This is a layer of ______rock rests on top of the underlying Shield – Flat low area covered by bogs and fens, and dotted with ______, lakes and ______

Biological Features: – Mostly muskeg or peat-forming wetlands – The region is famous for its polar bears – Caribou migrate to the area in summer – In summer the coast of this region is alive with birds, such as lesser snow geese, Canada geese, brant, tundra swans, oldsquaw, king eider, and northern phalarope and many shore-birds

Arctic Lowlands

Location: – A series of islands located in Canada’s far ______

Physical Description: – Low-lying, ______with coastlines ranging from extensive______to spectacular ______– Summer is brief, but sunny, it is cold and frozen in the winter – It is dark ______in the winter and light ______in the summer

Biological Features: – Sparsely vegetated, with vast seemingly lifeless areas

Resources: – The ground is mostly composed of permafrost, making construction difficult and often hazardous, and ______virtually ______

Innuitian Mountains

Location: – A mountain range in Canada's Arctic territories of ______and the ______

Physical Description: – In some locations they measure over ______meters in height, and ______km in length – Shaped at a time when the ______Plate moved northward – They are younger than the Appalachians, and so erosion has not yet rounded them significantly

Biological Features: – They are above the tree line, preventing any vegetation from existing

Resources: – Largely unexplored, due to the hostile climate. They are named after the northern indigenous people, who live in the region.

Over Canada: An Ariel Adventure

Province/Territory / Physical Environment / Human Landscape / Economic Activities
Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Quebec
Ontario
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Alberta
Nunavut
Northwest Territories
Yukon
British Columbia

Using the information in the text provided, fill out the chart below in point form

LANDFORM REGION / LOCATION / PHYSICAL FEATURES / BIOLOGICAL FEATURES / NATURAL RESOURCES
Western Cordillerea
Interior Plains
Canadian Shield
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands
Appalachians
Hudson Bay Lowlands
Arctic Lowlands
Innuitian Mountains
Highlands
Lowlands
Canadian Shield

The 'Great Canadian Escape’ Travel Ad Assignment

For this task, you will act as a tourism-marketing executive who is in charge of advertising and promoting tourism in one of Canada’s diverse landform regions. The goal is to create awareness about the physical and human geography in the region in order to attract potential tourists. You will create an advertisement that will appear in the next edition of Canadian Geographic Traveller Magazine or on the Canadian Geographic website.

Choose your landform region: Choose one of Canada’s landform regions. Research its physical and human geography. You will need to identify the following in your report: types of landforms, weather and climate, vegetation, wildlife, and human activities and attractions in the region.

Design your advertisement: You can create a poster advertisement either digitally or in hard copy. You may also choose to market to a specific audience (e.g. youth, nature-lovers, adventure tourists, seniors). You can create your ad using a collage format or using select visuals. Regardless of the format, you must include the following in your ad: • Creative, original and persuasive slogan (not simply “Visit the Appalachians!”)

• Images of the physical geography (landforms, weather and climate, vegetation, wildlife etc.)

• Images of human activities, attractions etc.

• Contact Information (eg.1-800-Sunny, website, social media feeds)

• Your ad must be a minimum size of 8 ½ x 11 paper, or the equivalent if digital.

Short Report. Write a 1-page short report that identifies and describes the physical and human geography of the landform region you have chosen. Use the headings Physical Geography and Human Activities to organize your report. Use promotional language to entice people to choose your landform region for their next vacation destination. For the physical geography section, you must include information on the types of landforms, weather and climate, and vegetation and wildlife found in the landform region. Based on the physical characteristics of your landform region, identify and describe five human activities that tourists can do. You must provide specific examples of how these activities connect to the physical landscape. For example, “Due to the dense rainforest and mountainous terrain in Costa Rica, tourists can partake in a canopy tour and zip lining adventure near the Arenal Volcano.”

Due Date:______

Rubric:

Meets the standard with distinction (Level 4 80- 100%) / Meets the standard (Level 3 70-79%) / Almost meets the standard (Level 2 60-69%) / Needs work to achieve the standard (Level 1 50-59%) / Has not met the expectations (Below 50%)
Knowledge and Understanding SHORT REPORT Physical characteristics of landform region
____/10 / Report demonstrates exceptional degree of k/u about the physical characteristics of the region.
All required information is included / Report demonstrates considerable degree of k/u about the physical characteristics of the region.
All required information is included / Report demonstrates some k/u about the physical characteristics of the region.
Most required information is included / Report demonstrates limited degree of k/u about the physical characteristics of the region.
Some required information is included / Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
THINKING
SHORT REPORT Identification and explanation of human activities, as they relate to the physical environment
____/10 / High degree of critical thought in selection of human activities.
Relationships between the physical environment and human activities are explained in detail and are accurate. / Considerable degree of critical thought in selection of human activities.
Several relationships between the physical environment and human activities are explained and are accurate. / Some evidence of critical thought in in selection of human activities.
Some relationships between the physical environment and human activities are explained and are accurate / Limited to no evidence of critical thought in selection of human activities.
Some or no relationships between the physical environment and human activities are explained and/or are accurate. / Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
APPLICATION
AD SLOGAN
Creative and persuasive slogan
GEO VOCABULARY Use of geographic terms in report
____/10 / Ad slogan is extremely creative, original and persuasive.
Student correctly uses a wide variety of geo terminology in the correct context. / Ad slogan is creative, original and persuasive.
Student uses a variety of geo terminology in the correct context. / Ad slogan is somewhat creative, original and persuasive.
Student uses a few key geo terms in the correct context. / Ad slogan is not original or lacks creativity and persuasiveness.
Student does not use key geo terminology in the report. / Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment
Communication
AD SLOGAN
Organization, creativity, persuasiveness
MECHANICS Report format (headings, complete sentences) and mechanics
___/10 / Ad is incredibly well organized, creative and persuasive. Captures reader’s attention.
Report is written using proper format, complete sentences promotional language.
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct. / Ad is well organized, creative and persuasive. Captures reader’s attention.
Report is written using proper format, complete sentences and some promotional language.
Only a few spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. / Ad is somewhat organized, creative and persuasive.
Report is written using some aspects of proper format, some proper sentences and minimal promotional language.
Several spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. / Ad is disorganized, and message is difficult to understand.
Report does not follow proper format throughout and includes minimal/no use of promotional language.
Spelling, grammar and punctuation errors detract from message. / Has not met the requirements for this part of the assignment