Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact

THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE SASKATCHEWAN – GRADE 11 www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas

Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact

Lesson Overview

In this activity the students will explore the issue of climate change on the Prairie in western Canada. They will assess the resultant changes this change is having (and will have in the future) on the both the physicial and economic landscape of the Prairie.

Grade Level

Grade 11

Time Required

One 60-minute lesson

Curriculum Connection

Saskatchewan – Grade 11, Social Studies 20: World Issues

Link to Canadian National Geography Standards

· Essential Element #1 (Grade 9-12) – The World in Spatial Terms

· Essential Element #2 (Grade 9-12) – Places and Regions

· Essential Element #5 (Grade 9-12) - Environment and Society

· Essential Element #6 (Grade 9-12) - The Uses of Geography

· Geographic Skill #1(Grade 9-12) – Asking geographic questions

· Geographic Skill #3 (Grade 9-12) – Organizing geographic information

· Geographic Skill #4(Grade 9-12) – Analyzing geographic information

· Geographic Skill #5 (Grade 9-12) - Answering geographic questions

Principal Resource

· Climate Change/Changing Landscapes/The Prairies ----- http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_landscapes_praries&lang=En

· Climate Change/Human Impact/The Prairies ----- http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_impact_praries&lang=En

Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required

· Computer lab with access to the Internet

· Student Activity Sheet: ‘Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact’

Main Objective

Students will gain an understanding of the link among climate change, a changing physical landscape, and human activity by examining the ever-growing grasslands on the Canadian Prairies.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

· Access The Canadian Atlas Online website.

· Gather information using web-based resources.

· Identity the Prairies on a map of Canada.

· Understand the cause of the changing landscape on the Prairies as a result of climate change.

· Gather information and make assessments by comparing different climate maps.

· Draw conclusions about the relationship between climate change, the changing landscape, and human activity.

· Predict the future impact climate change may have on the physical and cultural landscape of the Prairies.

Lesson

TEACHER ACTIVITY / STUDENT ACTIVITY

Introduction

/ · Using a large wall map of Canada or any other map source that can be viewed by all students in the classroom, ask the students to direct you to the area known as the Prairies.
· Ask the students what they know about the Prairies: the landscape, the economy etc.
· Ask them what industries in Saskatchewan that they think are based on the Prairie environment.
· Probe to see what the students know about climate change/global warming. Lead a brainstorming session.
· Read Changing Landscapes section at http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_landscapes_praries&lang=En / · Students participate in class discussion.
· Students participate in brainstorming session.

Lesson Development

/ · Have the students access The Canadian Atlas Canada Online at www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/ / · Students access the CAOL website.

Lesson (cont’d)

TEACHER ACTIVITY / STUDENT ACTIVITY

Lesson Development

(cont’d) / · Direct them to the Climate Change/Changing landscapes/Prairies at http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_landscapes_praries&lang=En
· Read through the section with the students. Clarify any questions. / · Students access the Climate Change/Changing landscapes/Prairies section.
· Students listen to reading; pose questions when necessary.

Conclusion

/ · Hand out the Student Activity Sheet entitled: ‘Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact’
· Have the students complete the Activity Sheet as instructed. Guide and assist when necessary. / · Students complete the Student Activity Sheet entitled : ‘Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact’

Lesson Extension

There are several ways to extend this lesson:

· Not everyone had negative things about climate change on the Prairie landscape. Instruct students to research the positive aspects that global warming may have on the Prairies.

· Ask students to interview elders or senior citizens in their area and record their experiences with the changing landscape on the Prairies. (Such as: differences in the land, differing types of jobs offered)

· Have the students compare and contrast the physical, economic, and social impacts of the drought on the Canadian Prairies in 2001-2002 with the drought in Australia 2003-2006 (in 2006 it was declared a “1000-year drought event”).

Assessment of Student Learning

Students can be assessed in the following ways:

· Teacher can correct and assess the Student Activity Sheet.

· Students can be assessed on their participation in the class discussion and large-brainstorming sessions.

Student Activity Sheet:

Prairie Expansion: Climate Change, the Changing Landscape, and the Human Impact

PART A – CHANGING LANDSCAPES

Access the section of The Canadian Atlas Online, Climate Change/The Prairies/Changing landscape at: http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_landscapes_praries&lang=En

Complete the activity as instructed.

Complete the sentence by underlining the correct ending.

1. Shrinking glaciers will affect Prairie rivers because of…….

· a reduction in downstream flows

· an increase in toxins in alpine lakes

· an increase in downstream flows due to melting.

2. Since the 1940s and early 1950s, the length of the growing season on the Prairies has grown by approximately…….

· not at all

· 10 to 15 days

· 20-25 days.

3. If glaciers continue to shrink, it will exacerbate water shortages and drought, particularly in…….

· Manitoba and Saskatchewan

· Alberta and Manitoba

· Alberta and Saskatchewan.

4. Climate change models are suggesting that the semi-arid zones of the Prairies will be more prone to……

· drought

· flooding

· ice storms.

5. Existing boreal forests may be overcome by the expansion of…..

· short grass prairie

· grasslands and aspen

· taiga.

6. Over the last century, glaciers along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, which feed rivers throughout the Prairies, have shrunk by an average of….

· 10 percent

· 15 percent

· 25 percent.

7. Shifting climate is affecting the Prairies the most after Canada’s….

· West Coast

· Atlantic Region

· North.

PART B – PRAIRIE EXPANSION: WHAT WILL OUR FUTURE CLIMATE LOOK LIKE?

Complete the activity as instructed.

Complete the following activity by referring to the map entitled Prairie Expansion.

A. Click on the arrow on the top left corner. Your map should read PRESENT CLIMATE. Answer these questions.

1. According to this map, what types of vegetation do the following cities in Saskatchewan presently have?

· Prince Albert:

· Saskatoon:

· Regina:

2. Using another source such as an online dictionary, encyclopaedia [The Canadian Encyclopedia is a good source. Key word: vegetation], define the three types of vegetation you identified in Question #1.

· :

3. Using your answers to Questions #1 and #2, indicate what you think (or know) could be a viable primary industry – industries in our economy that involve natural resources like gas, agriculture, commercial fishing, and timber – in each Saskatchewan city below.

· Prince Albert:

· Saskatoon:

· Regina:

PART B (cont’d)

II. Click on the arrow on the top left corner. Your map should read FUTURE CLIMATE. Answer these questions.

1. In a sentence or two, describe the overall difference between the two maps.

2. According to this map, what types of vegetation will the following cities in Saskatchewan have in the future?

· Prince Albert:

· Saskatoon:

· Regina:

3. Choose one of the cities in Question # 5 that experienced a change in vegetation type from Question #1 to #4. For that city, explain how this change in vegetation may affect the primary industry you wrote for it in Question #3. In your opinion, how will this affect the overall economy of this city?

PART C – LINKING IT TOGETHER: CLIMATE CHANGE, THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE AND HUMAN ACTIVITY

· Access the section of The Canadian Atlas Online, Climate Change/The Prairies/Changing landscape at: http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_landscapes_praries&lang=En as

· Also: Climate Change/The Prairies/Human impact at: http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas/themes.aspx?id=climate&sub=climate_impact_praries&lang=En

Complete the activity as instructed.

Complete the following Venn diagram. Note:

· The circle in the left should summarize the changing landscape that is occurring as a result of climate change on the Prairies

· The circle on the right should summarize the current impact that climate is having on people living on the Prairies.

· The overlap in the middle should summarize the future impact climate change may have on the physical and cultural landscape of the Prairies.

· Give your Venn diagram a title.

Title: ______

CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION 1