Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics - Discovery Education
Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics - Discovery Education
Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics - Discovery Education
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<strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong><br />
INTRODUCTION TO THE AIMS TEACHING MODULE (ATM)<br />
Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2<br />
Organization <strong>and</strong> Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2<br />
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3<br />
INTRODUCING <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong><br />
Jump Right In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5<br />
<strong>The</strong>mes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
PREPARATION FOR VIEWING<br />
Introduction to the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Introduction to Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Discussion Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6<br />
AFTER VIEWING THE PROGRAM<br />
Suggested Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7<br />
Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9<br />
Checking Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10<br />
Word Search Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12<br />
Where in the world is the Tropic of Capricorn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13<br />
Tropical Regions’ Natural Vegitation <strong>and</strong> Cultivated Crops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14<br />
True or False . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15<br />
Vocabulary Match-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16<br />
Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17<br />
ADDITIONAL AIMS MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19<br />
ANSWER KEYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20<br />
© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
Congratulations!<br />
You have chosen a learning program that will actively motivate your students <strong>and</strong> provide you with easily accessible <strong>and</strong> easily manageable<br />
instructional guidelines <strong>and</strong> tools designed to make your teaching role efficient <strong>and</strong> rewarding.<br />
<strong>The</strong> AIMS Teaching Module (ATM) provides you with a video program correlated to your classroom curriculum, instructions <strong>and</strong> guidelines for<br />
use, plus a comprehensive teaching program containing a wide range of activities <strong>and</strong> ideas for interaction between all content areas. Our<br />
authors, educators, <strong>and</strong> consultants have written <strong>and</strong> reviewed the AIMS Teaching Modules to align with the Educate America Act: Goals 2000.<br />
This ATM, with its clear definition of manageability, both in the classroom <strong>and</strong> beyond, allows you to tailor specific activities to meet all of your<br />
classroom needs.<br />
RATIONALE<br />
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT<br />
In today’s classrooms, educational pedagogy is often founded on<br />
Benjamin S. Bloom’s “Six Levels of Cognitive Complexity.” <strong>The</strong><br />
practical application of Bloom’s Taxonomy is to evaluate students’<br />
thinking skills on these levels, from the simple to the complex:<br />
1. Knowledge (rote memory skills),<br />
2. Comprehension (the ability to relate or retell),<br />
3. Application (the ability to apply knowledge outside its origin),<br />
4. Analysis (relating <strong>and</strong> differentiating parts of a whole),<br />
5. Synthesis (relating parts to a whole)<br />
6. Evaluation (making a judgment or formulating an opinion).<br />
To facilitate ease in classroom manageability, the AIMS Teaching<br />
Module is organized in three sections:<br />
I. Introducing this ATM<br />
will give you the specific information you need to integrate the<br />
program into your classroom curriculum.<br />
II. Preparation for Viewing<br />
provides suggestions <strong>and</strong> strategies for motivation, language<br />
preparedness, readiness, <strong>and</strong> focus prior to viewing the program<br />
with your students.<br />
<strong>The</strong> AIMS Teaching Module is designed to facilitate these intellectual<br />
capabilities, <strong>and</strong> to integrate classroom experiences <strong>and</strong> assimilation<br />
of learning with the students’ life experiences, realities, <strong>and</strong><br />
expectations. AIMS’ learner verification studies prove that our AIMS<br />
Teaching Modules help students to absorb, retain, <strong>and</strong> to demonstrate<br />
ability to use new knowledge in their world. Our educational<br />
materials are written <strong>and</strong> designed for today’s classroom, which<br />
incorporates a wide range of intellectual, cultural, physical, <strong>and</strong><br />
emotional diversities.<br />
III. After Viewing the Program<br />
provides suggestions for additional activities plus an assortment of<br />
consumable assessment <strong>and</strong> extended activities, designed to broaden<br />
comprehension of the topic <strong>and</strong> to make connections to other<br />
curriculum content areas.<br />
AIMS Teaching Module written by<br />
© Copyright 2002 AIMS Multimedia<br />
All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted without written permission of AIMS Multimedia with these exceptions: Persons or schools purchasing this<br />
AIMS Teaching Module may reproduce consumable ATM pages, identified in Section 4, for student or classroom use.<br />
AIMS Multimedia is a leading producer <strong>and</strong> distributor of educational programs serving schools <strong>and</strong> libraries since 1957. AIMS draws upon the most up-to-date knowledge, existing<br />
<strong>and</strong> emerging technologies, <strong>and</strong> all of the instructional <strong>and</strong> pedagogical resources available to develop <strong>and</strong> distribute educational programs in videocassette <strong>and</strong> CD-ROM.<br />
Persons or schools interested in obtaining additional copies of this AIMS Teaching Module, please contact:<br />
AIMS Multimedia at:<br />
Toll Free: 1-800-367-2467<br />
Fax: 818-341-6700<br />
Web: www.aimsmultimedia.com<br />
Email: info@aimsmultimedia.com<br />
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© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
FEATURES<br />
INTRODUCING THE ATM<br />
Your AIMS Teaching Module is designed to<br />
accompany a video program written <strong>and</strong><br />
produced by some of the world’s most<br />
credible <strong>and</strong> creative writers <strong>and</strong> producers<br />
of educational programming. To facilitate<br />
diversity <strong>and</strong> flexibility in your classroom<br />
<strong>and</strong> to provide assessment tools, your AIMS<br />
Teaching Module features these components:<br />
<strong>The</strong>mes<br />
This section tells how the AIMS Teaching<br />
Module is correlated to the curriculum.<br />
<strong>The</strong>mes offers suggestions for interaction<br />
with other curriculum content areas,<br />
enabling teachers to use the teaching<br />
module to incorporate the topic into a<br />
variety of learning areas.<br />
Overview<br />
<strong>The</strong> Overview provides a synopsis of content<br />
covered in the video program. Its purpose is<br />
to give you a summary of the subject matter<br />
<strong>and</strong> to enhance your introductory<br />
preparation.<br />
Objectives<br />
<strong>The</strong> ATM learning objectives provide<br />
guidelines for teachers to assess what<br />
learners can be expected to gain from each<br />
program. After completion of the AIMS<br />
Teaching Module, your students will be able<br />
to demonstrate dynamic <strong>and</strong> applied<br />
comprehension of”” the topic.<br />
Preparation for Viewing<br />
In preparation for viewing the video<br />
program, the AIMS Teaching Module offers<br />
activity <strong>and</strong>/or discussion ideas that you<br />
may use in any order or combination.<br />
Introduction To <strong>The</strong> Program<br />
Introduction to the Program is designed to<br />
enable students to recall or relate prior<br />
knowledge about the topic <strong>and</strong> to prepare<br />
them for what they are about to learn.<br />
Introduction To Vocabulary<br />
Introduction to Vocabulary is a review of<br />
language used in the program: words,<br />
phrases, <strong>and</strong> usage. This vocabulary<br />
introduction is designed to ensure that all<br />
learners, including limited English<br />
proficiency learners, will have full<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing of the language usage in the<br />
content of the program.<br />
Discussion Ideas<br />
Discussion Ideas are designed to help you<br />
assess students’ prior knowledge about the<br />
topic <strong>and</strong> to give students a preview of what<br />
they will learn. Active discussion stimulates<br />
interest in a subject <strong>and</strong> can motivate even<br />
the most reluctant learner. Listening, as well<br />
as speaking, is active participation.<br />
Encourage your students to participate at the<br />
rate they feel comfortable. Model sharing<br />
personal experiences when applicable, <strong>and</strong><br />
model listening to students’ ideas <strong>and</strong><br />
opinions.<br />
Focus<br />
Help learners set a purpose for watching the<br />
program with Focus, designed to give<br />
students a focal point for comprehension<br />
continuity.<br />
Jump Right In<br />
Jump Right In provides abbreviated<br />
instructions for quick management of the<br />
program.<br />
After Viewing the Program<br />
After your students have viewed the<br />
program, you may introduce any or all of<br />
these activities to interact with other<br />
curriculum content areas, provide<br />
reinforcement, assess comprehension skills,<br />
or provide h<strong>and</strong>s-on <strong>and</strong> in-depth extended<br />
study of the topic.<br />
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© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES<br />
<strong>The</strong> Suggested Activities offer ideas for<br />
activities you can direct in the classroom or<br />
have your students complete independently,<br />
in pairs, or in small work groups after they<br />
have viewed the program. To accommodate<br />
your range of classroom needs, the activities<br />
are organized into skills categories. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
labels will tell you how to identify each<br />
activity <strong>and</strong> help you correlate it into your<br />
classroom curriculum. To help you schedule<br />
your classroom lesson time, the AIMS<br />
hourglass gives you an estimate of the time<br />
each activity should require. Some of the<br />
activities fall into these categories:<br />
Meeting Individual Needs<br />
<strong>The</strong>se activities are designed<br />
to aid in classroom continuity.<br />
Reluctant learners <strong>and</strong><br />
learners acquiring English<br />
will benefit from these<br />
activities geared to enhance comprehension<br />
of language in order to fully grasp content<br />
meaning.<br />
Curriculum Connections<br />
Many of the suggested<br />
activities are intended to<br />
ART<br />
integrate the content of the<br />
ATM program into other<br />
content areas of the<br />
classroom curriculum. <strong>The</strong>se crossconnections<br />
turn the classroom teaching<br />
experience into a whole learning<br />
experience.<br />
Critical Thinking<br />
Critical Thinking activities are<br />
designed to stimulate<br />
learners’ own opinions <strong>and</strong><br />
ideas. <strong>The</strong>se activities require students to use<br />
the thinking process to discern fact from<br />
opinion, consider their own problems <strong>and</strong><br />
formulate possible solutions, draw<br />
conclusions, discuss cause <strong>and</strong> effect, or<br />
combine what they already know with what<br />
they have learned to make inferences.<br />
Cultural Diversity<br />
Each AIMS Teaching Module<br />
has an activity called Cultural<br />
Awareness, Cultural Diversity,<br />
or Cultural Exchange that encourages<br />
students to share their backgrounds,<br />
cultures, heritage, or knowledge of other<br />
countries, customs, <strong>and</strong> language.<br />
H<strong>and</strong>s On<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are experimental or<br />
tactile activities that relate<br />
directly to the material taught<br />
in the program. Your students<br />
will have opportunities to make discoveries<br />
<strong>and</strong> formulate ideas on their own, based on<br />
what they learn in this unit.<br />
Writing<br />
Every AIMS Teaching Module<br />
will contain an activity<br />
designed for students to use<br />
the writing process to express<br />
their ideas about what they have learned.<br />
<strong>The</strong> writing activity may also help them to<br />
make the connection between what they are<br />
learning in this unit <strong>and</strong> how it applies to<br />
other content areas.<br />
In <strong>The</strong> Newsroom<br />
Each AIMS Teaching Module<br />
contains a newsroom activity<br />
designed to help students make the<br />
relationship between what they learn in the<br />
classroom <strong>and</strong> how it applies in their world.<br />
<strong>The</strong> purpose of In <strong>The</strong> Newsroom is to<br />
actively involve each class member in a<br />
whole learning experience. Each student will<br />
have an opportunity to perform all of the<br />
tasks involved in production: writing,<br />
researching, producing, directing, <strong>and</strong><br />
interviewing as they create their own<br />
classroom news program.<br />
Extended Activities<br />
<strong>The</strong>se activities provide<br />
opportunities for students to<br />
work separately or together to<br />
conduct further research,<br />
explore answers to their own questions, or<br />
apply what they have learned to other<br />
media or content areas.<br />
Link to the World<br />
<strong>The</strong>se activities offer ideas<br />
for connecting learners’<br />
classroom activities to their<br />
community <strong>and</strong> the rest of the world.<br />
Culminating Activity<br />
To wrap up the unit, AIMS<br />
Teaching Modules offer<br />
suggestions for ways to<br />
reinforce what students have<br />
learned <strong>and</strong> how they can use their new<br />
knowledge to enhance their worldview.<br />
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ADDITIONAL ATM FEATURES<br />
Vocabulary<br />
Every ATM contains an activity that<br />
reinforces the meaning <strong>and</strong> usage of the<br />
vocabulary words introduced in the<br />
program content. Students will read or find<br />
the definition of each vocabulary word, then<br />
use the word in a written sentence.<br />
Checking Comprehension<br />
Checking Comprehension is designed to<br />
help you evaluate how well your students<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>, retain, <strong>and</strong> recall the<br />
information presented in the AIMS Teaching<br />
Module. Depending on your students’ needs,<br />
you may direct this activity to the whole<br />
group yourself, or you may want to have<br />
students work on the activity page<br />
independently, in pairs, or in small groups.<br />
Students can verify their written answers<br />
through discussion or by viewing the video a<br />
second time. If you choose, you can<br />
reproduce the answers from your Answer<br />
Key or write the answer choices in a Word<br />
Bank for students to use. Students can use<br />
this completed activity as a study guide to<br />
prepare for the test.<br />
Reproducible Activities<br />
<strong>The</strong> AIMS Teaching Module provides a<br />
selection of reproducible activities, designed<br />
to specifically reinforce the content of this<br />
learning unit. Whenever applicable, they<br />
are arranged in order from low to high<br />
difficulty level, to allow a seamless<br />
facilitation of the learning process. You may<br />
choose to have students take these activities<br />
home or to work on them in the classroom<br />
independently, in pairs or in small groups.<br />
Checking Vocabulary<br />
<strong>The</strong> checking Vocabulary activity provides<br />
the opportunity for students to assess their<br />
knowledge of new vocabulary with this word<br />
game or puzzle. <strong>The</strong> format of this<br />
vocabulary activity allows students to use the<br />
related words <strong>and</strong> phrases in a different<br />
context.<br />
Test<br />
<strong>The</strong> AIMS Teaching Module Test permits you<br />
to assess students’ underst<strong>and</strong>ing of what<br />
they have learned. <strong>The</strong> test is formatted in<br />
one of several st<strong>and</strong>ard test formats to give<br />
your students a range of experiences in testtaking<br />
techniques. Be sure to read, or<br />
remind students to read, the directions<br />
carefully <strong>and</strong> to read each answer choice<br />
before making a selection. Use the Answer<br />
Key to check their answers.<br />
Additional AIMS Multimedia<br />
Programs<br />
After you have completed this AIMS<br />
Teaching Module you may be interested in<br />
more of the programs that AIMS offers. This<br />
list includes several related AIMS programs.<br />
Answer Key<br />
Reproduces tests <strong>and</strong> work pages with<br />
answers marked.<br />
JUMP RIGHT IN<br />
Preparation<br />
• Read <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Tropics</strong> <strong>The</strong>mes, Overview, <strong>and</strong><br />
Objectives to become familiar with<br />
program content <strong>and</strong> expectations.<br />
• Use Preparation for Viewing<br />
suggestions to introduce the topic to<br />
students.<br />
Viewing<br />
• Set up viewing monitor so that all<br />
students have a clear view.<br />
• Depending on your classroom size <strong>and</strong><br />
learning range, you may choose to<br />
have students view <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> together or in<br />
small groups.<br />
• Some students may benefit from<br />
viewing the video more than one time.<br />
After Viewing<br />
5<br />
© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650<br />
• Select Suggested Activities that<br />
integrate into your classroom<br />
curriculum. If applicable, gather<br />
materials or resources.<br />
• Choose the best way for students to<br />
work on each activity. Some activities<br />
work best for the whole group. Other<br />
activities are designed for students to<br />
work independently, in pairs, or in<br />
small groups. Whenever possible,<br />
encourage students to share their work<br />
with the rest of the group.<br />
• Duplicate the appropriate number of<br />
Vocabulary, Checking Comprehension,<br />
<strong>and</strong> consumable activity pages for your<br />
students.<br />
• You may choose to have students take<br />
consumable activities home, or<br />
complete them in the classroom,<br />
independently, or in groups.<br />
• Administer the Test to assess students’<br />
comprehension of what they have<br />
learned, <strong>and</strong> to provide them with<br />
practice in test-taking procedures.<br />
• Use the Culminating Activity as a forum<br />
for students to display, summarize,<br />
extend, or share what they have<br />
learned with each other, the rest of the<br />
school, or a local community<br />
organization.
<strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong>mes<br />
Objectives<br />
Introduction to Vocabulary<br />
Earth’s climatic regions, natural vegetation,<br />
habitats, <strong>and</strong> human modification of the<br />
l<strong>and</strong>scape are major themes in Geography<br />
<strong>and</strong> Earth Science curriculums. In <strong>Climate</strong>,<br />
<strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong>, students<br />
will visit the world’s many tropical regions,<br />
learn the climatic influences that shape each<br />
of them, <strong>and</strong> gain insight into the human cultural<br />
history of the various locales.<br />
Overview<br />
<strong>The</strong> Earth’s tropics lie in l<strong>and</strong>s near the equator<br />
whose climatic regions are based on<br />
their latitude, altitude above sea level, <strong>and</strong><br />
the seasonality <strong>and</strong> amount of precipitation<br />
they receive. <strong>The</strong>se regions have very little<br />
seasonal change in temperature <strong>and</strong>, at<br />
lower elevations, are always warm.<br />
Students will learn the locations of tropical<br />
regions around the globe, the factors of climate<br />
<strong>and</strong> geography that shape each<br />
region, their natural vegetation, habitats,<br />
<strong>and</strong> human-modified l<strong>and</strong>scapes. Regions<br />
through which this program guides students<br />
include the rainy tropics, the wet-dry <strong>and</strong><br />
monsoon tropics, tropical <strong>and</strong> subtropical<br />
deserts, <strong>and</strong> tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s. <strong>The</strong>se are<br />
illustrated by such locales as lush, humid<br />
rainforests filled with arboreal wildlife,<br />
highly industrialized cities, <strong>and</strong> the world’s<br />
largest desert. In addition, students learn<br />
geographical terms that help them identify<br />
<strong>and</strong> locate the various regions, <strong>and</strong> to<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> processes integral to different<br />
tropical locales. <strong>The</strong> human geography of<br />
these diverse l<strong>and</strong>s is represented through<br />
the agricultural activities, styles of architecture,<br />
livelihoods, h<strong>and</strong>icrafts, music <strong>and</strong> cultural<br />
traditions found in each region.<br />
• To show the geographical locations of the<br />
various tropical regions around the world<br />
• To provide an overview of the natural vegetation,<br />
wildlife habitats, <strong>and</strong> humanmodified<br />
l<strong>and</strong>scapes found in the world’s<br />
major climatic zones<br />
• To examine the practice of shifting cultivation<br />
employed in the rainforests of the<br />
rainy tropics, <strong>and</strong> its effect on the natural<br />
vegetation of the region<br />
• To illustrate the seasonal patterns of rainfall<br />
<strong>and</strong> drought that govern the climates<br />
of the wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics<br />
• To explore the areas of human population<br />
in the tropics <strong>and</strong> the different types of<br />
l<strong>and</strong> use employed by that population<br />
• To illustrate the role that altitude plays in<br />
determining climate<br />
Introduction to the Program<br />
To prepare students for, <strong>Climate</strong>s,<br />
<strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong>, discuss<br />
with them what comes to mind when they<br />
think about regions called “the tropics.”<br />
Write on the board any ideas generated by<br />
the group; expect them to include such<br />
descriptions or items as:<br />
heat, humidity, rain, sunshine, the equator,<br />
palm trees, s<strong>and</strong>y beaches, the Pacific, the<br />
Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida, isl<strong>and</strong>s, hurricanes,<br />
rainforest, tropical fruits, endangered<br />
species<br />
Discuss the list with the class. Explain that<br />
they will be viewing a video in which they<br />
will see many of the things they mentioned,<br />
along with additional facts <strong>and</strong> details about<br />
the tropical regions of the planet.<br />
Write the following words on the board <strong>and</strong><br />
explain that they will be referenced in the<br />
video. Some students may be unfamiliar with<br />
the terms. If the meaning of any word is<br />
unclear to the group, ask volunteers to use<br />
an appropriate reference source to check the<br />
term <strong>and</strong> report their findings to the class.<br />
alluvial, arboreal, climate, exotic river, monsoon,<br />
montane, savanna, seasonality, selva,<br />
shifting cultivation<br />
Discussion Ideas<br />
Lead students in a discussion of how the climates<br />
in the tropical regions affect the living<br />
organisms found there. Ask them to consider<br />
the types of adaptations necessary to survive<br />
in the rainy tropics, or in a tropical desert.<br />
What adjustments do they think they would<br />
have to make to their lifestyle if they were<br />
suddenly transported to a climate radically<br />
different from their current one What<br />
human-generated modifications to their<br />
environment do they know of Which do<br />
they believe to be justified, <strong>and</strong> which - if<br />
any - do they think may not be justified with<br />
regards to their effect on the environment<br />
Focus<br />
Ask students to think for a few moments<br />
about the climate <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> use in your community<br />
<strong>and</strong> in your state. How do they think<br />
those things impact the region <strong>and</strong> their<br />
lives Tell them to keep these thoughts in<br />
mind as they view the program <strong>and</strong> to determine<br />
for themselves how the climate <strong>and</strong><br />
l<strong>and</strong> use in the various tropical regions<br />
impacts the living organisms found there. Let<br />
them know you will discuss these <strong>and</strong> other<br />
aspects following the screening.<br />
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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES<br />
Writing <strong>and</strong> Connection to Biology<br />
<strong>The</strong> tropics are vibrant, sensual regions. Ask students to use their five senses <strong>and</strong> their imaginations to explore the<br />
tropics. Have students each choose a tropical region, then work individually to write a paragraph, short essay, or<br />
short story answering such questions as: What would you see there ... colors, shapes, people, animals, plants,<br />
buildings What tastes would you expect ... sweet, sour, spicy, bitter What smells would you expect ... odors that<br />
assault you, fragrances that entice What sounds would you expect ... languages, music, traffic, animals, waves,<br />
quiet noises or loud ones What would you expect to feel ... would the air be warm or cool ... windy or calm ...<br />
rainy or dry ... what textures would your surroundings have, your food ... how do you think your emotions would<br />
feel Encourage students to use highly descriptive, picturesque language in their writing. Ask for volunteers to share<br />
their writings with the class.<br />
BIOLOGY<br />
30-60 Minutes<br />
Meeting Individual Needs<br />
Have students work alone or in small groups to look up the words alluvial, drought, monsoon, <strong>and</strong> tropical in the<br />
dictionary or other resource. What are the definitions of the words What is an example of each (alluvial refers<br />
to soils that have been deposited by running water, as in a river delta; drought refers to an extended period without<br />
rainfall, <strong>and</strong> can be experienced in desert regions; a monsoon is a wind which brings torrential rains, particularly<br />
in south <strong>and</strong> south east Asia; tropical refers to regions that lie between the Tropic of Cancer <strong>and</strong> Tropic of<br />
Capricorn, have little seasonal change in the length of days <strong>and</strong> nights, <strong>and</strong> sea level temperatures that do not drop<br />
below freezing, such as Hawaii, most of Mesoamerica, South America <strong>and</strong> Africa.)<br />
35 Minutes<br />
Connection to Geography <strong>and</strong> Earth Science<br />
Hurricanes are truly the storms of the tropics, <strong>and</strong> the period of June 1 through November is “hurricane season”<br />
in the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, <strong>and</strong> the eastern <strong>and</strong> gulf coasts of the United States. Have students<br />
work in small groups to define <strong>and</strong> explain: what a hurricane is, where <strong>and</strong> how hurricanes are formed; the roles<br />
played by warm, humid ocean air, wind patterns, <strong>and</strong> air pressure play in the formation of a hurricane; the parts<br />
of a hurricane; the size of a hurricane as defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale <strong>and</strong> the damages caused<br />
by one; <strong>and</strong> storm rotation (the Coriolis effect). Assign a team to track the hurricanes of the current season. Post a<br />
large map of the tropics in the room <strong>and</strong> have the team plot each storm’s latitudinal <strong>and</strong> longitudinal progress.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y can also keep an eye out by way of the many Hurricane Watch websites on the Internet. Request that the<br />
team, or its spokesperson report periodically to the class.<br />
Extended<br />
GEOGRAPHY<br />
EARTH<br />
SCIENCE<br />
Connection to Multiculturalism <strong>and</strong> to Foreign Language Classes<br />
In most of the countries of the tropics the national language is a tongue other than English. Ask students who are<br />
fluent in (or who are studying) a language spoken in the tropics to compose a short paragraph in that language<br />
describing a day in the life of people from that region <strong>and</strong> to provide a translation into English. Ask for volunteers<br />
to first read their paragraphs in the original language, followed by their English translation.<br />
45 Minutes<br />
FOREIGN<br />
LANGUAGE<br />
Connection to History<br />
<strong>The</strong> various regions of the tropics are l<strong>and</strong>s rich in history. Divide the class into four groups, assigning each group<br />
one of the four tropical regions: rainy tropics, wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics, tropical <strong>and</strong> subtropical deserts, <strong>and</strong><br />
tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s. Have each group research their region to create a timeline of significant historical occurrences,<br />
then have a volunteer from each group present their findings to the class.<br />
HISTORY<br />
60 Minutes<br />
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Connection to Literature<br />
<strong>The</strong> location chosen as the backdrop for a work of literature may serve various purposes. Sometimes authors<br />
choose locations other than their “home turf” in order to separate their story from the everyday background <strong>and</strong><br />
social mores of their own region. Ask your school librarian or media specialist for a list of tropical-themed books,<br />
or have students read one or more of the following novels. Ask them to analyze their thoughts about the novels’<br />
central idea(s) <strong>and</strong> what part the tropical locale plays in the story - is the author writing about his/her own territory,<br />
or does the book’s setting serve as an exotic “foreign” locale Have students write a summary of their analysis,<br />
then lead a class discussion on the role of location in literature.<br />
Extended<br />
LITERATURE<br />
<strong>The</strong> Cay by <strong>The</strong>odore Taylor<br />
Lord of the Flies by William Golding<br />
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston<br />
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe<br />
Treasure Isl<strong>and</strong> by Robert Louis Stevenson<br />
When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago<br />
When the Garcia Girls Lost <strong>The</strong>ir Accent by Julia Alvarez<br />
Note: questions of class, exploitation, colonialism <strong>and</strong> racism arise in some of these books, <strong>and</strong> should be explored<br />
along with the historical aspects of that particular time, social structure <strong>and</strong> geographical location.<br />
In the Newsroom<br />
In the tropics <strong>and</strong> in other regions, the process of desertification is slowly damaging more <strong>and</strong> more of the environment<br />
<strong>and</strong> affecting the livelihood of large numbers of the human population. Desertification is the loss of soil<br />
fertility or productivity in drought prone areas. A number of factors can lead to this type of soil damage; some<br />
damaging factors include: drought, deforestation, overcultivation, poor irrigation <strong>and</strong> soil erosion. In the tropics,<br />
the areas most severely affected by desertification are India <strong>and</strong> Bangladesh. Australia <strong>and</strong> other parts of Asia are<br />
also affected. Have students work in small groups to research the current situation in these areas as well as possibilities<br />
to halt or deter the problem. Have the teams put together an “Environmental NewsWatch” show based on<br />
their investigative reporting - with volunteers writing, producing, directing, <strong>and</strong> serving as anchorpersons. If video<br />
equipment is available, select a camera operator <strong>and</strong> record their presentation for review at a later time.<br />
2 Hours<br />
Multiculturalism/Health<br />
A great number of the fruits, vegetables <strong>and</strong> grains we eat are of tropical origin, such as bananas, oranges,<br />
pineapples, potatoes <strong>and</strong> rice. To illustrate a discussion of nutrition <strong>and</strong> diets common in the tropics, bring to class<br />
a selection of fresh tropical fruits <strong>and</strong> other foods for students to sample. An alternative approach is to have students<br />
locate tropical cuisine recipes on the Internet, prepare their selected dish at home <strong>and</strong> hold a potluck luncheon<br />
at school for the class. In anticipation of the meal, or following, discuss with students the various ingredients<br />
that the different cuisines have in common. How are various dishes featured in the cuisine of the region: i.e., is a<br />
particular dish prepared only for special holidays If any students originate from a tropical region, you might consider<br />
inviting them to help lead this exercise.<br />
Extended<br />
HEALTH<br />
Culminating Activity<br />
Have students work in small groups to create a multi-media presentation about the geographic information they’ve<br />
learned from the program. Brainstorm with the class the topics that should be covered, as well as the types of materials<br />
<strong>and</strong> media they would like to include in their presentation. Have each group present to the entire class; you<br />
may wish to set up a school-wide screening so that the class may show their presentations to the entire student population.<br />
Extended<br />
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Name<br />
VOCABULARY<br />
<strong>The</strong> following words <strong>and</strong> terms are from <strong>Climate</strong>s, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong>. Read each definition. On the line next to the definition<br />
write the letter of the vocabulary word that matches the definition. <strong>The</strong>n use a separate piece of paper to write each word in a sentence.<br />
A) alluvial<br />
B) arboreal<br />
C) climate<br />
D) exotic river<br />
E) monsoon<br />
F) montane<br />
G) savanna<br />
H) seasonality<br />
I) selva<br />
J) shifting cultivation<br />
1. ________ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
2. ________ a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees <strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
3. ________ large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through<br />
4. ________ the practice of cutting down areas of existing forest to use the l<strong>and</strong> for farming or pasturing of livestock. Once the l<strong>and</strong> becomes<br />
infertile, it is ab<strong>and</strong>oned; also known as slash-<strong>and</strong>-burn agriculture<br />
5. ________ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
6. ________ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling<br />
7. ________ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance<br />
from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of water<br />
8. ________ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall<br />
9. ________ describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
10.________<br />
describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually heavily cultivated<br />
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Name<br />
CHECKING COMPREHENSION<br />
Read the following sentences <strong>and</strong> circle the letters of the words that best fill each blank.<br />
Distances north <strong>and</strong> south on the globe are measured in degrees 1 from 2 . <strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the 3 <strong>and</strong> 4 .<br />
In the tropics, the sun 5 . Because of this, 6 . At sea level, temperatures 7 . <strong>The</strong> tropics can be divided into climatic regions<br />
based on 8 . In the rainy tropics, the natural vegetation is dense rainforest, or 9 , where the forest floor has sparse vegetation<br />
because 10 . <strong>The</strong> heavy rainfall feeds many large rivers. <strong>The</strong> Amazon 11 . Shifting cultivation, practiced in the rainy tropics, has<br />
12 . Continents where there are large expanses of wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics include 13 . New Delhi, India, Bangkok, Thail<strong>and</strong>,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Guangzhou, China are major cities in 14 . <strong>The</strong> world’s largest desert, 15 , stretches across 16 from 17 . Living<br />
organisms in the desert survive through 18 . Perennial rivers that cross the deserts are called 19 . Because temperature<br />
20 with elevation, the summits of high mountains, such as the Andes in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s, are 21 . <strong>The</strong> montane temperate<br />
zone of the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s supports 22 . <strong>The</strong> principal subsistence crop in the Americas is 23 which thrives in the tropical<br />
highl<strong>and</strong>. 24 , domesticated in the Andes, also grow well in the highl<strong>and</strong>s. <strong>The</strong> world’s highest capital city, 25 , is found in the<br />
highl<strong>and</strong>s at an elevation of 12,000 feet.<br />
1.<br />
a) Celsius<br />
b) Fahrenheit<br />
c) of latitude<br />
7.<br />
a) rarely rise above 80˚ Fahrenheit<br />
b) are usually above 115˚ Fahrenheit<br />
c) never drop below freezing<br />
2.<br />
a) thermometer<br />
b) equator<br />
c) barometer<br />
8.<br />
a) the political regimes of countries located there<br />
b) the seasonality <strong>and</strong> amount of precipitation they receive<br />
c) their degrees of longitude<br />
3.<br />
a) arctic circle<br />
b) antarctic circle<br />
c) Tropic of Cancer<br />
9.<br />
a) selva<br />
b) desert<br />
c) savanna<br />
4.<br />
a) <strong>and</strong> the north pole<br />
b) <strong>and</strong> the south pole<br />
c) Tropic of Capricorn<br />
10.<br />
a) the region’s herbivores constantly devour the groundcover<br />
b) little sunlight penetrates the tree canopy<br />
c) no rainfall can penetrate the tree canopy<br />
5.<br />
11.<br />
a) rises <strong>and</strong> sets at about the same time all year<br />
a) is the longest river in the world<br />
b) never dips below the horizon<br />
b) frequently dries up in the summer heat<br />
c) is farther from Earth than at latitudes closer to the poles<br />
c) carries more water to the sea than the Earth’s next three largest<br />
rivers combined<br />
6.<br />
a) there is at least a low level of daylight year ‘round<br />
12.<br />
b) there is little seasonal change in the length of days <strong>and</strong> nights a) damaged the environment of the rainy tropics by destroying large<br />
c) there is a lower risk of sunburn in the tropics than elsewhere parts of the rainforest<br />
b) increased the population’s agricultural output tenfold<br />
c) had no impact on the local environment<br />
10<br />
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Name<br />
CHECKING COMPREHENSION (CONTINUED)<br />
13.<br />
a) North America, Europe <strong>and</strong> Antarctica<br />
b) Africa, Latin America, Australia, <strong>and</strong> Asia<br />
c) Asia, Europe <strong>and</strong> Greenl<strong>and</strong><br />
20.<br />
a) decreases<br />
b) increases<br />
c) does not change<br />
14.<br />
a) the rainy tropics<br />
b) the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
c) the monsoon tropics<br />
21.<br />
a) volcanic in nature<br />
b) covered with snow year ‘round<br />
c) fertile grounds for cultivation<br />
15.<br />
a) the Gobi<br />
b) the Sahara<br />
c) the Sonoran<br />
22.<br />
a) substantial human populations<br />
b) only sparse vegetation<br />
c) the mountain peaks that rise above<br />
16.<br />
a) South America<br />
b) South Asia<br />
c) North Africa<br />
23.<br />
a) rice<br />
b) yucca<br />
c) corn<br />
17.<br />
a) Morocco to Egypt<br />
b) India to Laos<br />
c) California to Texas<br />
24.<br />
a) Bananas<br />
b) Potatoes<br />
c) Sapotes<br />
18.<br />
a) predation<br />
b) migration<br />
c) adaptation<br />
25.<br />
a) Washington, D.C., United States<br />
b) Mexico City, Mexico<br />
c) La Paz, Bolivia<br />
19.<br />
a) arroyos<br />
b) exotic<br />
c) wadis<br />
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Name<br />
WORD SEARCH PUZZLE<br />
Read each vocabulary definition below. On the line before each definition write the appropriate letter, then find each in the word search. Look<br />
up, down, across, backwards <strong>and</strong> diagonally to find the words.<br />
P X V G K M R W S A V A N N A<br />
D R O U G H T C E J T B Y O Q<br />
WORD BANK<br />
A) agriculture<br />
B) alluvial<br />
C) arboreal<br />
D) climate<br />
E) desert<br />
F) drought<br />
G) exotic river<br />
H) liana<br />
I) monsoon<br />
J) montane<br />
K) precipitation<br />
L) savanna<br />
M) seasonality<br />
N) selva<br />
O) tropical<br />
Z S E A S O N A L I T Y V O P<br />
B N X C M N R W V X W S T S M<br />
V C O L I S S W A G E G K N O<br />
L M T M V P X X Z R Z Q B O N<br />
C C I B W A I K U R W V G M T<br />
L X C V Q L R T V G Y B X R A<br />
A Z R C G L L K A H B H O J N<br />
E C I K L U W A W T C P G K E<br />
R V V B C V K N K N I M G C Y<br />
O Z E I Z I X A C C H O W W N<br />
B G R J K A M I A B B C N M Q<br />
R G Q Z H L C L I M A T E H G<br />
A Q D E S E R T Y N X V P Q R<br />
1. ____ a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests<br />
2. ____ a prolonged period without precipitation<br />
3. ____ describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually heavily cultivated<br />
4. ____ large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through<br />
5. ____ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
6. ____ describes l<strong>and</strong>s located between 23.5o north <strong>and</strong> 23.5o south of the equator<br />
7. ____ type of l<strong>and</strong> use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops <strong>and</strong> livestock<br />
8. ____ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
9. ____ a region of dry l<strong>and</strong> where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows<br />
here<br />
10. ____ a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees <strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
11. ____ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance<br />
from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of water<br />
12. ____ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall<br />
13. ____ describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
14. ____ the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet<br />
15. ____ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling<br />
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Name<br />
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN<br />
<strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the Tropic of Cancer <strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Capricorn. On the illustration of the globe below, the lines of latitude <strong>and</strong><br />
longitude have been removed. Use the appropriate references, as needed, <strong>and</strong> draw in the lines of latitude for: the equator, the Tropic of Cancer<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Capricorn. In addition, write in the degrees of latitude for each.<br />
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Name<br />
TROPICAL REGIONS’ NATURAL VEGETATION AND CULTIVATED CROPS<br />
Use information from appropriate research materials <strong>and</strong> from the video <strong>Climate</strong>s, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> to match up the natural<br />
vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural plants listed below with the tropical region(s) in which they grow. Since some plants grow in more than one region,<br />
list those where appropriate.<br />
bananas<br />
barley<br />
beans<br />
cacao<br />
cactus<br />
chili peppers<br />
citrus fruits<br />
coconut palms<br />
coffee<br />
corn/maize<br />
cotton<br />
date palms<br />
epiphytes/air plants<br />
gourds<br />
jojoba<br />
lianas<br />
mangos<br />
manioc/cassava<br />
millet<br />
oil palms<br />
papayas<br />
pineapples<br />
plantains<br />
potatoes<br />
pumpkins<br />
rice<br />
rubber trees<br />
selva<br />
sorghum<br />
squash<br />
sugarcane<br />
taro<br />
tea<br />
wheat<br />
Rainy <strong>Tropics</strong> - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
Wet-Dry <strong>and</strong> Monsoon <strong>Tropics</strong> - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
Tropical <strong>and</strong> Subtropical Deserts - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
Tropical Highl<strong>and</strong>s - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
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Name<br />
TRUE OR FALSE<br />
Place a T next to statements that are true <strong>and</strong> an F next to statements that are false.<br />
1. ______ <strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the Tropic of Capricorn to the north of the equator <strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Cancer to the south of the equator.<br />
2. ______ In the tropics the sun rises <strong>and</strong> sets at approximately the same time throughout the year, so there is little seasonal change in<br />
the length of days <strong>and</strong> nights.<br />
3. ______ A broad expanse of selva is one of the major features of the tropical <strong>and</strong> subtropical desert regions.<br />
4. ______ <strong>The</strong> Mississippi is a major exotic river in the U.S.<br />
5. ______ <strong>The</strong> predominate method of subsistence farming in the rainy tropics is shifting cultivation, or slash <strong>and</strong> burn agriculture.<br />
6. ______ Corn is an important agricultural crop in the wet-dry tropics <strong>and</strong> in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
7. ______ Vast grassl<strong>and</strong> plains of Africa’s wet-dry tropics are known as wadis.<br />
8. ______ More water is carried to the sea by the Amazon than by Earth’s three next largest rivers combined.<br />
9. ______ Urban development in the rainy tropics dates to the Maya <strong>and</strong> to earlier ceremonial centers of the Olmec culture.<br />
10. ______ <strong>The</strong> elevation in tropical regions plays a significant role in climate, as temperature increases with elevation at a rate of about<br />
3.3˚ Celsius per 1,000 feet.<br />
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Name<br />
VOCABULARY MATCH-UP<br />
Draw a line from the vocabulary words on the left to their correct definitions on the right.<br />
agriculture<br />
a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
alluvial<br />
a prolonged period without precipitation<br />
climate<br />
describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually<br />
heavily cultivated<br />
desert<br />
type of l<strong>and</strong> use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops <strong>and</strong> livestock<br />
drought<br />
dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts<br />
of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
liana<br />
describes l<strong>and</strong>s located between 23.5˚ north <strong>and</strong> 23.5˚ south of the equator<br />
monsoon<br />
the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail,<br />
or sleet<br />
montane<br />
a region of dry l<strong>and</strong> where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense<br />
rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here<br />
precipitation<br />
describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
savanna<br />
a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees<br />
<strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
selva<br />
the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation,<br />
latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of<br />
water<br />
tropical<br />
a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests<br />
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© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
Name<br />
TEST<br />
Fill in the blank or circle the letter for the correct answer to each question.<br />
1. <strong>The</strong> tropics are between the latitudes of ____________ north of the equator <strong>and</strong> ____________ south of the equator.<br />
a) 15.5˚; 15.5˚<br />
b) 20.5˚; 20.5˚<br />
c) 23.5˚; 23.5˚<br />
2. Since the sun rises <strong>and</strong> sets ____________ throughout the year in the tropics, there is (____________ seasonal change in the length of days<br />
<strong>and</strong> nights.<br />
a) at radically different times; a significant<br />
b) at approximately the same time; little<br />
c) at the same time; no<br />
3. In the rainforest, the forest floor is ____________ because ____________ .<br />
a) sparsely vegetated; only a little light penetrates the canopy of trees<br />
b) heavily covered with grass <strong>and</strong> shrubs; debris from the trees generates an extremely fertile soil<br />
c) completely bare of vegetation; no rain can get through the canopy of trees<br />
4. <strong>The</strong> predominant type of subsistence farming practiced in the rainy tropics is ____________ , also known as ____________ .<br />
a) kelp farming; hydroponics<br />
b) share cropping; tenant farming<br />
c) shifting cultivation; slash <strong>and</strong> burn agriculture<br />
5. Natural vegetation in the wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics varies depending on ____________ .<br />
a) what crops are selling for the highest prices<br />
b) the length <strong>and</strong> intensity of the dry season<br />
c) the types of fertilizer being used<br />
17<br />
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Name<br />
TEST (CONTINUED)<br />
6. ____________ are grassl<strong>and</strong>s of the wet-dry tropics that are most common in Africa.<br />
a) Savannas<br />
b) Arroyos<br />
c) Wadis<br />
7. Deserts are most commonly found on the ____________ of continents, between latitudes of about (insert blank)<br />
a) southern coast; 25˚ <strong>and</strong> 50˚ north <strong>and</strong> south<br />
b) highest altitudes; 35˚ <strong>and</strong> 60˚ east <strong>and</strong> west<br />
c) western side; 15˚ <strong>and</strong> 30˚ north <strong>and</strong> south<br />
8. Exotic perennial rivers such as the ____________ carry water across major deserts.<br />
a) Nile, Indus, <strong>and</strong> Colorado<br />
b) Danube, Volga, Missouri<br />
c) Rhine, Seine, Thames<br />
9. <strong>The</strong> difference in climate <strong>and</strong> vegetation from the base to the summit of a high tropical mountain corresponds to the difference between<br />
____________<br />
a) a wadi <strong>and</strong> an arroyo<br />
b) a humid region <strong>and</strong> a rainforest<br />
c) an equatorial location <strong>and</strong> the poles<br />
10. Some cities of the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s found at locations of 7,000 feet or higher are ____________.<br />
a) Manaos, Brazil <strong>and</strong> Nairobi, Kenya<br />
b) Mexico City, Mexico <strong>and</strong> Quito, Ecuador<br />
c) New Delhi, India <strong>and</strong> Bangkok, Thail<strong>and</strong><br />
18<br />
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ADDITIONAL AIMS MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS<br />
You <strong>and</strong> your students might also enjoy these other AIMS Multimedia programs:<br />
2561-EN-VID:<br />
2597-EN-VID:<br />
2598-EN-VID:<br />
2599-EN-VID:<br />
2600-EN-VID:<br />
2628-EN-VID:<br />
2627-EN-VID:<br />
2741-EN-VID:<br />
2742-EN-VID:<br />
2743-EN-VID:<br />
2744-EN-VID:<br />
2745-EN-VID:<br />
2767-EN-VID:<br />
2817-EN-VID:<br />
<strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: Mid-latitude <strong>and</strong> Polar Regions<br />
Geography of the World Series: Africa: <strong>The</strong> L<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Resources<br />
Geography of the World Series: Africa: <strong>The</strong> People<br />
Geography of the World Series: South Asia: <strong>The</strong> L<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Resources<br />
Geography of the World Series: South Asia: <strong>The</strong> People<br />
Geography of the World Series: Central Asia: <strong>The</strong> L<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Resources<br />
Geography of the World Series: Central Asia: <strong>The</strong> People<br />
Countries <strong>and</strong> Cultures of the Andes: Bolivia<br />
Countries <strong>and</strong> Cultures of the Andes: Chile<br />
Countries <strong>and</strong> Cultures of the Andes: Ecuador<br />
Countries <strong>and</strong> Cultures of the Andes: Peru<br />
Myanamar: <strong>The</strong> L<strong>and</strong> That Once Was Burma<br />
Columbia: Gateway to South America<br />
Juanita’s Dream: A Mayan’s Guide to Guatemala<br />
19<br />
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ANSWER KEY for page 9<br />
VOCABULARY<br />
<strong>The</strong> following words <strong>and</strong> terms are from <strong>Climate</strong>s, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong>. Read each definition. On the line next to the definition<br />
write the letter of the vocabulary word that matches the definition. <strong>The</strong>n use a separate piece of paper to write each word in a sentence.<br />
A) alluvial<br />
B) arboreal<br />
C) climate<br />
D) exotic river<br />
E) monsoon<br />
F) montane<br />
G) savanna<br />
H) seasonality<br />
I) selva<br />
J) shifting cultivation<br />
1. ________ I dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
2. ________<br />
G<br />
a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees <strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
3. ________<br />
D<br />
large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through<br />
4. ________<br />
A<br />
the practice of cutting down areas of existing forest to use the l<strong>and</strong> for farming or pasturing of livestock. Once the l<strong>and</strong> becomes<br />
infertile, it is ab<strong>and</strong>oned; also known as slash-<strong>and</strong>-burn agriculture<br />
5. ________<br />
J<br />
a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
E<br />
6. ________ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling<br />
7. ________<br />
B<br />
the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance<br />
from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of water<br />
8. ________<br />
H<br />
the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall<br />
9. ________<br />
A<br />
describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
10.________<br />
F<br />
describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually heavily cultivated<br />
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© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
ANSWER KEY for page 10<br />
CHECKING COMPREHENSION<br />
Read the following sentences <strong>and</strong> circle the letters of the words that best fill each blank.<br />
Distances north <strong>and</strong> south on the globe are measured in degrees 1 from 2 . <strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the 3 <strong>and</strong> 4 .<br />
In the tropics, the sun 5 . Because of this, 6 . At sea level, temperatures 7 . <strong>The</strong> tropics can be divided into climatic regions<br />
based on 8 . In the rainy tropics, the natural vegetation is dense rainforest, or 9 , where the forest floor has sparse vegetation<br />
because 10 . <strong>The</strong> heavy rainfall feeds many large rivers. <strong>The</strong> Amazon 11 . Shifting cultivation, practiced in the rainy tropics, has<br />
12 . Continents where there are large expanses of wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics include 13 . New Delhi, India, Bangkok, Thail<strong>and</strong>,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Guangzhou, China are major cities in 14 . <strong>The</strong> world’s largest desert, 15 , stretches across 16 from 17 . Living<br />
organisms in the desert survive through 18 . Perennial rivers that cross the deserts are called 19 . Because temperature<br />
20 with elevation, the summits of high mountains, such as the Andes in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s, are 21 . <strong>The</strong> montane temperate<br />
zone of the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s supports 22 . <strong>The</strong> principal subsistence crop in the Americas is 23 which thrives in the tropical<br />
highl<strong>and</strong>. 24 , domesticated in the Andes, also grow well in the highl<strong>and</strong>s. <strong>The</strong> world’s highest capital city, 25 , is found in the<br />
highl<strong>and</strong>s at an elevation of 12,000 feet.<br />
1.<br />
a) Celsius<br />
b) Fahrenheit<br />
c) of latitude<br />
7.<br />
a) rarely rise above 80˚ Fahrenheit<br />
b) are usually above 115˚ Fahrenheit<br />
c) never drop below freezing<br />
2.<br />
a) thermometer<br />
b) equator<br />
c) barometer<br />
8.<br />
a) the political regimes of countries located there<br />
b) the seasonality <strong>and</strong> amount of precipitation they receive<br />
c) their degrees of longitude<br />
3.<br />
a) arctic circle<br />
b) antarctic circle<br />
c) Tropic of Cancer<br />
9.<br />
a) selva<br />
b) desert<br />
c) savanna<br />
4.<br />
a) <strong>and</strong> the north pole<br />
b) <strong>and</strong> the south pole<br />
c) Tropic of Capricorn<br />
10.<br />
a) the region’s herbivores constantly devour the groundcover<br />
b) little sunlight penetrates the tree canopy<br />
c) no rainfall can penetrate the tree canopy<br />
5.<br />
a) rises <strong>and</strong> sets at about the same time all year<br />
b) never dips below the horizon<br />
c) is farther from Earth than at latitudes closer to the poles<br />
6.<br />
a) there is at least a low level of daylight year ‘round<br />
b) there is little seasonal change in the length of days <strong>and</strong> nights<br />
c) there is a lower risk of sunburn in the tropics than elsewhere<br />
11.<br />
a) is the longest river in the world<br />
b) frequently dries up in the summer heat<br />
c) carries more water to the sea than the Earth’s next three largest<br />
rivers combined<br />
12.<br />
a) damaged the environment of the rainy tropics by destroying large<br />
parts of the rainforest<br />
b) increased the population’s agricultural output tenfold<br />
c) had no impact on the local environment<br />
21<br />
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ANSWER KEY for page 11<br />
CHECKING COMPREHENSION (CONTINUED)<br />
13.<br />
a) North America, Europe <strong>and</strong> Antarctica<br />
b) Africa, Latin America, Australia, <strong>and</strong> Asia<br />
c) Asia, Europe <strong>and</strong> Greenl<strong>and</strong><br />
20.<br />
a) decreases<br />
b) increases<br />
c) does not change<br />
14.<br />
a) the rainy tropics<br />
b) the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s<br />
c) the monsoon tropics<br />
21.<br />
a) volcanic in nature<br />
b) covered with snow year ‘round<br />
c) fertile grounds for cultivation<br />
15.<br />
a) the Gobi<br />
b) the Sahara<br />
c) the Sonoran<br />
22.<br />
a) substantial human populations<br />
b) only sparse vegetation<br />
c) the mountain peaks that rise above<br />
16.<br />
a) South America<br />
b) South Asia<br />
c) North Africa<br />
23.<br />
a) rice<br />
b) yucca<br />
c) corn<br />
17.<br />
a) Morocco to Egypt<br />
b) India to Laos<br />
c) California to Texas<br />
24.<br />
a) Bananas<br />
b) Potatoes<br />
c) Sapotes<br />
18.<br />
a) predation<br />
b) migration<br />
c) adaptation<br />
25.<br />
a) Washington, D.C., United States<br />
b) Mexico City, Mexico<br />
c) La Paz, Bolivia<br />
19.<br />
a) arroyos<br />
b) exotic<br />
c) wadis<br />
22<br />
© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
ANSWER KEY for page 12<br />
WORD SEARCH PUZZLE<br />
Read each vocabulary definition below. On the line before each definition write the appropriate letter, then find each in the word search. Look<br />
up, down, across, backwards <strong>and</strong> diagonally to find the words.<br />
P X V G K M R W S A V A N N A<br />
D R O U G H T C E J T B Y O Q<br />
WORD BANK<br />
A) agriculture<br />
B) alluvial<br />
C) arboreal<br />
D) climate<br />
E) desert<br />
F) drought<br />
G) exotic river<br />
H) liana<br />
I) monsoon<br />
J) montane<br />
K) precipitation<br />
L) savanna<br />
M) seasonality<br />
N) selva<br />
O) tropical<br />
Z S E A S O N A L I T Y V O P<br />
B N X C M N R W V X W S T S M<br />
V C O L I S S W A G E G K N O<br />
L M T M V P X X Z R Z Q B O N<br />
C C I B W A I K U R W V G M T<br />
L X C V Q L R T V G Y B X R A<br />
A Z R C G L L K A H B H O J N<br />
E C I K L U W A W T C P G K E<br />
R V V B C V K N K N I M G C Y<br />
O Z E I Z I X A C C H O W W N<br />
B G R J K A M I A B B C N M Q<br />
R G Q Z H L C L I M A T E H G<br />
A Q D E S E R T Y N X V P Q R<br />
1. ____ H a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests<br />
2. ____ F a prolonged period without precipitation<br />
3. ____ J describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually heavily cultivated<br />
4. ____ G large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through<br />
5. ____ N dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
6. ____ O describes l<strong>and</strong>s located between 23.5o north <strong>and</strong> 23.5o south of the equator<br />
7. ____ A type of l<strong>and</strong> use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops <strong>and</strong> livestock<br />
8. ____ I a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
9. ____ E a region of dry l<strong>and</strong> where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows<br />
here<br />
10. ____ L a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees <strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
11. ____ D the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance<br />
from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of water<br />
12. ____ M the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall<br />
13. ____ B describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
14. ____ K the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet<br />
15. ____ C refers to animals that are tree-dwelling<br />
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© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
ANSWER KEY for page 13<br />
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN<br />
<strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the Tropic of Cancer <strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Capricorn. On the illustration of the globe below, the lines of latitude <strong>and</strong><br />
longitude have been removed. Use the appropriate references, as needed, <strong>and</strong> draw in the lines of latitude for: the equator, the Tropic of Cancer<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Capricorn. In addition, write in the degrees of latitude for each.<br />
Tropic of Cancer<br />
23.5˚ N. Latitude<br />
Equator 0˚ Latitude<br />
Tropic of Capricorn<br />
23.5˚ S. Latitude<br />
24<br />
© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
ANSWER KEY for page 14<br />
TROPICAL REGIONS’ NATURAL VEGETATION AND CULTIVATED CROPS<br />
Use information from appropriate research materials <strong>and</strong> from the video <strong>Climate</strong>s, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> to match up the natural<br />
vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural plants listed below with the tropical region(s) in which they grow. Since some plants grow in more than one region,<br />
list those where appropriate.<br />
bananas<br />
barley<br />
beans<br />
cacao<br />
cactus<br />
chili peppers<br />
citrus fruits<br />
coconut palms<br />
coffee<br />
corn/maize<br />
cotton<br />
date palms<br />
epiphytes/air plants<br />
gourds<br />
jojoba<br />
lianas<br />
mangos<br />
manioc/cassava<br />
millet<br />
oil palms<br />
papayas<br />
pineapples<br />
plantains<br />
potatoes<br />
pumpkins<br />
rice<br />
rubber trees<br />
selva<br />
sorghum<br />
squash<br />
sugarcane<br />
taro<br />
tea<br />
wheat<br />
Rainy <strong>Tropics</strong> - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
bananas, cacao, coconut palms, epiphytes/air plants, lianas, mangos, manioc/cassava, oil palms, papayas, plantains, rubber trees, selva,<br />
taro<br />
Wet-Dry <strong>and</strong> Monsoon <strong>Tropics</strong> - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
citrus fruits, corn/maize, cotton, millet, pineapples, rice, sorghum, sugarcane<br />
Tropical <strong>and</strong> Subtropical Deserts - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
beans, cactus, chili peppers, corn/maize, date palms, gourds, jojoba, pumpkins, squash<br />
Tropical Highl<strong>and</strong>s - natural vegetation <strong>and</strong> agricultural crops:<br />
barley, coffee, corn/maize, potatoes, tea, wheat<br />
25<br />
© Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • <strong>Climate</strong>, <strong>L<strong>and</strong>scapes</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Tropics</strong> • #2650
ANSWER KEY for page 15<br />
TRUE OR FALSE<br />
Place a T next to statements that are true <strong>and</strong> an F next to statements that are false.<br />
1. ______ F <strong>The</strong> tropics lie between the Tropic of Capricorn to the north of the equator <strong>and</strong> the Tropic of Cancer to the south of the equator.<br />
2. ______ T In the tropics the sun rises <strong>and</strong> sets at approximately the same time throughout the year, so there is little seasonal change in<br />
the length of days <strong>and</strong> nights.<br />
3. ______ F A broad expanse of selva is one of the major features of the tropical <strong>and</strong> subtropical desert regions.<br />
F<br />
4. ______ <strong>The</strong> Mississippi is a major exotic river in the U.S.<br />
5. ______ T <strong>The</strong> predominate method of subsistence farming in the rainy tropics is shifting cultivation, or slash <strong>and</strong> burn agriculture.<br />
6. ______ T Corn is an important agricultural crop in the wet-dry tropics <strong>and</strong> in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
7. ______<br />
F<br />
Vast grassl<strong>and</strong> plains of Africa’s wet-dry tropics are known as wadis.<br />
8. ______<br />
T<br />
More water is carried to the sea by the Amazon than by Earth’s three next largest rivers combined.<br />
9. ______ T Urban development in the rainy tropics dates to the Maya <strong>and</strong> to earlier ceremonial centers of the Olmec culture.<br />
10. ______ F <strong>The</strong> elevation in tropical regions plays a significant role in climate, as temperature increases with elevation at a rate of about<br />
3.3˚ Celsius per 1,000 feet.<br />
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ANSWER KEY for page 16<br />
VOCABULARY MATCH-UP<br />
Draw a line from the vocabulary words on the left to their correct definitions on the right.<br />
agriculture<br />
a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern <strong>and</strong> South East Asia<br />
alluvial<br />
a prolonged period without precipitation<br />
climate<br />
describes a temperate zone in the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s that is humid, cool, <strong>and</strong> is usually<br />
heavily cultivated<br />
desert<br />
type of l<strong>and</strong> use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops <strong>and</strong> livestock<br />
drought<br />
dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) <strong>and</strong> in parts<br />
of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica<br />
liana<br />
describes l<strong>and</strong>s located between 23.5˚ north <strong>and</strong> 23.5˚ south of the equator<br />
monsoon<br />
the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail,<br />
or sleet<br />
montane<br />
a region of dry l<strong>and</strong> where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense<br />
rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here<br />
precipitation<br />
describes soil made up of s<strong>and</strong>, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water<br />
savanna<br />
a grassl<strong>and</strong> found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees<br />
<strong>and</strong> drought-resistant woody shrubs<br />
selva<br />
the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation,<br />
latitude, elevation, <strong>and</strong> distance from mountain ranges <strong>and</strong> major bodies of<br />
water<br />
tropical<br />
a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests<br />
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ANSWER KEY for page 17<br />
TEST<br />
Fill in the blank or circle the letter for the correct answer to each question.<br />
1. <strong>The</strong> tropics are between the latitudes of ____________ north of the equator <strong>and</strong> ____________ south of the equator.<br />
a) 15.5˚; 15.5˚<br />
b) 20.5˚; 20.5˚<br />
c) 23.5˚; 23.5˚<br />
2. Since the sun rises <strong>and</strong> sets ____________ throughout the year in the tropics, there is (____________ seasonal change in the length of days<br />
<strong>and</strong> nights.<br />
a) at radically different times; a significant<br />
b) at approximately the same time; little<br />
c) at the same time; no<br />
3. In the rainforest, the forest floor is ____________ because ____________ .<br />
a) sparsely vegetated; only a little light penetrates the canopy of trees<br />
b) heavily covered with grass <strong>and</strong> shrubs; debris from the trees generates an extremely fertile soil<br />
c) completely bare of vegetation; no rain can get through the canopy of trees<br />
4. <strong>The</strong> predominant type of subsistence farming practiced in the rainy tropics is ____________ , also known as ____________ .<br />
a) kelp farming; hydroponics<br />
b) share cropping; tenant farming<br />
c) shifting cultivation; slash <strong>and</strong> burn agriculture<br />
5. Natural vegetation in the wet-dry <strong>and</strong> monsoon tropics varies depending on ____________ .<br />
a) what crops are selling for the highest prices<br />
b) the length <strong>and</strong> intensity of the dry season<br />
c) the types of fertilizer being used<br />
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ANSWER KEY for page 18<br />
TEST (CONTINUED)<br />
6. ____________ are grassl<strong>and</strong>s of the wet-dry tropics that are most common in Africa.<br />
a) Savannas<br />
b) Arroyos<br />
c) Wadis<br />
7. Deserts are most commonly found on the ____________ of continents, between latitudes of about (insert blank)<br />
a) southern coast; 25˚ <strong>and</strong> 50˚ north <strong>and</strong> south<br />
b) highest altitudes; 35˚ <strong>and</strong> 60˚ east <strong>and</strong> west<br />
c) western side; 15˚ <strong>and</strong> 30˚ north <strong>and</strong> south<br />
8. Exotic perennial rivers such as the ____________ carry water across major deserts.<br />
a) Nile, Indus, <strong>and</strong> Colorado<br />
b) Danube, Volga, Missouri<br />
c) Rhine, Seine, Thames<br />
9. <strong>The</strong> difference in climate <strong>and</strong> vegetation from the base to the summit of a high tropical mountain corresponds to the difference between<br />
____________<br />
a) a wadi <strong>and</strong> an arroyo<br />
b) a humid region <strong>and</strong> a rainforest<br />
c) an equatorial location <strong>and</strong> the poles<br />
10. Some cities of the tropical highl<strong>and</strong>s found at locations of 7,000 feet or higher are ____________.<br />
a) Manaos, Brazil <strong>and</strong> Nairobi, Kenya<br />
b) Mexico City, Mexico <strong>and</strong> Quito, Ecuador<br />
c) New Delhi, India <strong>and</strong> Bangkok, Thail<strong>and</strong><br />
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