THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINEELEMENTARY

SPACE AGE FARMING

Grade level: Elementary, Grades 4-5

Link to Canadian National Standards for Geography:

Essential Element #5: Environment and Society

  • Human modification of the physical environment
  • Human adaptation to the physical environment

Instructions: Students will explore and read the Canadian Atlas Online thematic ‘Space Age Farming’ (URL). As they read they will write the number of the definition beside the item that it matches on the chart below.

Answer Key:

Global Positioning Systems – 4Soil Mapping – 5

Yield Maps – 7Variable Rate Technology – 9

Sustainable Agriculture – 8Earth Observation Satellites – 2

Geographic Information System – 1RADARSAT – 6

Tractor with GPS – 10Precision Farming - 3

Resources:

Canadian Atlas Online : Space Age AgricultureURL

Name: ______Date: ______

Instructions: Read the information on the Canadian Atlas Online regarding Space Age Farming (URL). As you read, match the terms from column A with the definitions from column B on the table below.

A / B
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) / 1) Programs farmers can build that will contain data on every square metre of their land
Soil Mapping / 2) Satellites that generate pictures of the land and seas
Yield Maps / 3) A process that uses satellites high above the Earth to assist farmers in tailoring their soil and crop management
Variable Rate Technology / 4) An electronic system attached to machines that offer guidance and navigation by using satellites
Sustainable Agriculture / 5) Using data from satellites, scientists can make these by looking at crop characteristics and tracking changes in soil conditions
Earth Observation Satellites / 6) A satellite operated by the Canadian Space Agency to be used with GPS and GIS
Geographic Information System (GIS) / 7) A detailed picture of the amount of grain or crops harvested from each section of a field
RADARSAT / 8) Farming practices that involve doing more with less, reducing harmful outputs and acting responsibly
Tractors with an attached GPS / 9) Technology that allows farmers to optimize crop production by applying the right amount of fertilizer or seed to match different conditions within a field
Precision Farming / 10) An example of equipment that is able to drive up and down fields and make rows as precise as 1cm apart without a human driver