Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics INTRODUCTION TO THE AIMS TEACHING MODULE (ATM) Rationale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Organization and Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 INTRODUCING Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics Jump Right In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 PREPARATION FOR VIEWING Introduction to the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Introduction to Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Discussion Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 AFTER VIEWING THE PROGRAM Suggested Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Checking Comprehension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Word Search Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Where in the world is the Tropic of Capricorn? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Tropical Regions’ Natural Vegitation and Cultivated Crops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 True or False . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Vocabulary Match-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 ADDITIONAL AIMS MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 ANSWER KEYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Congratulations! You have chosen a learning program that will actively motivate your students and provide you with easily accessible and easily manageable instructional guidelines and tools designed to make your teaching role efficient and rewarding. The AIMS Teaching Module (ATM) provides you with a video program correlated to your classroom curriculum, instructions and guidelines for use, plus a comprehensive teaching program containing a wide range of activities and ideas for interaction between all content areas. Our authors, educators, and consultants have written and reviewed the AIMS Teaching Modules to align with the Educate America Act: Goals 2000. This ATM, with its clear definition of manageability, both in the classroom and beyond, allows you to tailor specific activities to meet all of your classroom needs. RATIONALE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT In today’s classrooms, educational pedagogy is often founded on To facilitate ease in classroom manageability, the AIMS Teaching Benjamin S. Bloom’s “Six Levels of Cognitive Complexity.” The Module is organized in three sections: practical application of Bloom’s Taxonomy is to evaluate students’ I. Introducing this ATM thinking skills on these levels, from the simple to the complex: will give you the specific information you need to integrate the program into your classroom curriculum. 1. Knowledge (rote memory skills), 2. Comprehension (the ability to relate or retell), 3. Application (the ability to apply knowledge outside its origin), II. Preparation for Viewing 4. Analysis (relating and differentiating parts of a whole), provides suggestions and strategies for motivation, language 5. Synthesis (relating parts to a whole) preparedness, readiness, and focus prior to viewing the program 6. Evaluation (making a judgment or formulating an opinion). with your students. The AIMS Teaching Module is designed to facilitate these intellectual III. After Viewing the Program capabilities, and to integrate classroom experiences and assimilation provides suggestions for additional activities plus an assortment of of learning with the students’ life experiences, realities, and consumable assessment and extended activities, designed to broaden expectations. AIMS’ learner verification studies prove that our AIMS comprehension of the topic and to make connections to other Teaching Modules help students to absorb, retain, and to demonstrate curriculum content areas. ability to use new knowledge in their world. Our educational materials are written and designed for today’s classroom, which incorporates a wide range of intellectual, cultural, physical, and emotional diversities. AIMS Teaching Module written by © Copyright 2002 AIMS Multimedia 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 AIMS Teaching Module may reproduce consumable ATM pages, identified in Section 4, for student or classroom use. AIMS Multimedia is a leading producer and distributor of educational programs serving schools and libraries since 1957. AIMS draws upon the most up-to-date knowledge, existing and emerging technologies, and all of the instructional and pedagogical resources available to develop and distribute educational programs in videocassette and CD-ROM. Persons or schools interested in obtaining additional copies of this AIMS Teaching Module, please contact: AIMS Multimedia at: Toll Free: 1-800-367-2467 Fax: 818-341-6700 Web: www.aimsmultimedia.com Email: [email protected] 2 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 FEATURES INTRODUCING THE ATM Introduction To The Program After Viewing the Program Introduction to the Program is designed to After your students have viewed the enable students to recall or relate prior program, you may introduce any or all of Your AIMS Teaching Module is designed to knowledge about the topic and to prepare these activities to interact with other accompany a video program written and them for what they are about to learn. curriculum content areas, provide reinforcement, assess comprehension skills, produced by some of the world’s most credible and creative writers and producers Introduction To Vocabulary or provide hands-on and in-depth extended of educational programming. To facilitate Introduction to Vocabulary is a review of study of the topic. diversity and flexibility in your classroom language used in the program: words, and to provide assessment tools, your AIMS phrases, and usage. This vocabulary Teaching Module features these components: introduction is designed to ensure that all learners, including learners, limited will English Themes proficiency have full This section tells how the AIMS Teaching understanding of the language usage in the Module is correlated to the curriculum. content of the program. Themes offers suggestions for interaction with other curriculum content areas, Discussion Ideas enabling teachers to use the teaching Discussion Ideas are designed to help you module to incorporate the topic into a assess students’ prior knowledge about the variety of learning areas. topic and to give students a preview of what they will learn. Active discussion stimulates Overview interest in a subject and can motivate even The Overview provides a synopsis of content the most reluctant learner. Listening, as well covered in the video program. Its purpose is as to give you a summary of the subject matter Encourage your students to participate at the and rate they feel comfortable. Model sharing to enhance your introductory speaking, is active participation. personal experiences when applicable, and preparation. model listening to students’ ideas and opinions. Objectives The ATM learning objectives provide guidelines for teachers to assess what Focus learners can be expected to gain from each Help learners set a purpose for watching the program. After completion of the AIMS program with Focus, designed to give Teaching Module, your students will be able students a focal point for comprehension to demonstrate dynamic and applied continuity. comprehension of”” the topic. Jump Right In Preparation for Viewing Jump In preparation for viewing the video instructions for quick management of the Right In provides abbreviated program, the AIMS Teaching Module offers program. activity and/or discussion ideas that you may use in any order or combination. 3 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Critical Thinking SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES In The Newsroom Critical Thinking activities are Each AIMS Teaching Module designed stimulate contains a newsroom activity activities you can direct in the classroom or learners’ own opinions and designed to help students make the have your students complete independently, ideas. These activities require students to use relationship between what they learn in the in pairs, or in small work groups after they the thinking process to discern fact from classroom and how it applies in their world. have viewed the program. To accommodate opinion, consider their own problems and The purpose of In The Newsroom is to your range of classroom needs, the activities formulate draw actively involve each class member in a are organized into skills categories. Their conclusions, discuss cause and effect, or whole learning experience. Each student will labels will tell you how to identify each combine what they already know with what have an opportunity to perform all of the activity and help you correlate it into your they have learned to make inferences. tasks involved in production: writing, The Suggested Activities offer ideas for possible to solutions, researching, producing, directing, and classroom curriculum. To help you schedule your classroom lesson time, the AIMS Cultural Diversity interviewing as they create their own hourglass gives you an estimate of the time Each AIMS Teaching Module classroom news program. each activity should require. Some of the has an activity called Cultural Awareness, Cultural Diversity, activities fall into these categories: Extended Activities or Cultural Exchange that encourages These activities provide students to share their backgrounds, opportunities for students to These activities are designed cultures, heritage, or knowledge of other work separately or together to to aid in classroom continuity. countries, customs, and language. Meeting Individual Needs Reluctant learners conduct learners acquiring English These are experimental or activities geared to enhance comprehension tactile activities that relate of language in order to fully grasp content directly to the material taught benefit from Many of the Link to the World in the program. Your students These activities offer ideas for connecting learners’ and formulate ideas on their own, based on suggested media or content areas. will have opportunities to make discoveries meaning. Curriculum Connections research, apply what they have learned to other Hands On these will further explore answers to their own questions, or and classroom activities to their what they learn in this unit. community and the rest of the world. Writing Culminating Activity activities are intended to ART integrate the content of the ATM program into other Every AIMS Teaching Module To wrap up the unit, AIMS content will Teaching areas of the contain an activity Modules cross- designed for students to use suggestions connections turn the classroom teaching the writing process to express reinforce what students have their ideas about what they have learned. learned and how they can use their new The writing activity may also help them to knowledge to enhance their worldview. classroom experience experience. curriculum. into a These whole learning make the connection between what they are learning in this unit and how it applies to other content areas. 4 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 for offer ways to ADDITIONAL ATM FEATURES Test After Viewing The AIMS Teaching Module Test permits you • Select Suggested into Activities Vocabulary to assess students’ understanding of what integrate Every ATM contains an activity that they have learned. The test is formatted in curriculum. reinforces the meaning and usage of the one of several standard test formats to give materials or resources. vocabulary If your that classroom applicable, gather the your students a range of experiences in test- program content. Students will read or find taking techniques. Be sure to read, or the definition of each vocabulary word, then remind students to read, the directions work on each activity. Some activities use the word in a written sentence. carefully and to read each answer choice work best for the whole group. Other before making a selection. Use the Answer activities are designed for students to Key to check their answers. work independently, in pairs, or in words introduced in Checking Comprehension • small groups. Whenever possible, Checking Comprehension is designed to help you evaluate how well your students understand, retain, and recall the Choose the best way for students to Additional AIMS encourage students to share their work Multimedia with the rest of the group. Programs information presented in the AIMS Teaching After you have completed this AIMS Module. Depending on your students’ needs, Teaching Module you may be interested in you may direct this activity to the whole more of the programs that AIMS offers. This Vocabulary, Checking Comprehension, group yourself, or you may want to have list includes several related AIMS programs. and consumable activity pages for your students work on the activity • students. page independently, in pairs, or in small groups. Answer Key Students can verify their written answers Reproduces tests and work pages with through discussion or by viewing the video a answers marked. • You may choose to have students take consumable activities home, or complete them in the classroom, second time. If you choose, you can independently, or in groups. reproduce the answers from your Answer Key or write the answer choices in a Word Duplicate the appropriate number of JUMP RIGHT IN • Bank for students to use. Students can use this completed activity as a study guide to Preparation prepare for the test. • comprehension of what they have Read Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics Administer the Test to assess students’ Themes, Overview, learned, and to provide them with and Reproducible Activities Objectives to become familiar with The AIMS Teaching Module provides a program content and expectations. practice in test-taking procedures. • Use the Culminating Activity as a forum for students to display, summarize, selection of reproducible activities, designed • Use Viewing extend, or share what they have learning unit. Whenever applicable, they suggestions to introduce the topic to learned with each other, the rest of the are arranged in order from low to high students. school, to specifically reinforce the content of this difficulty level, to allow a Preparation for or organization. seamless facilitation of the learning process. You may Viewing choose to have students take these activities • Set up viewing monitor so that all students have a clear view. home or to work on them in the classroom independently, in pairs or in small groups. • Depending on your classroom size and Checking Vocabulary learning range, you may choose to The checking Vocabulary activity provides have students view Climate, Landscapes the opportunity for students to assess their and Life: The Tropics together or in knowledge of new vocabulary with this word small groups. game or puzzle. The format of this vocabulary activity allows students to use the related words and phrases in a different • Some students may benefit from viewing the video more than one time. context. 5 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 a local community Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics Themes Objectives Introduction to Vocabulary Earth’s climatic regions, natural vegetation, • To show the geographical locations of the Write the following words on the board and habitats, and human modification of the various tropical regions around the world explain that they will be referenced in the landscape are major themes in Geography • To provide an overview of the natural veg- video. Some students may be unfamiliar with and Earth Science curriculums. In Climate, etation, wildlife habitats, and human- the terms. If the meaning of any word is Landscapes and Life: The Tropics, students modified landscapes found in the world’s unclear to the group, ask volunteers to use will visit the world’s many tropical regions, major climatic zones an appropriate reference source to check the learn the climatic influences that shape each • To examine the practice of shifting cultiva- of them, and gain insight into the human cul- tion employed in the rainforests of the tural history of the various locales. rainy tropics, and its effect on the natural alluvial, arboreal, climate, exotic river, mon- vegetation of the region soon, montane, savanna, seasonality, selva, • To illustrate the seasonal patterns of rain- Overview term and report their findings to the class. shifting cultivation fall and drought that govern the climates The Earth’s tropics lie in lands near the equa- of the wet-dry and monsoon tropics Discussion Ideas tor whose climatic regions are based on • To explore the areas of human population their latitude, altitude above sea level, and in the tropics and the different types of Lead students in a discussion of how the cli- the seasonality and amount of precipitation land use employed by that population mates in the tropical regions affect the living they receive. These regions have very little • To illustrate the role that altitude plays in organisms found there. Ask them to consider seasonal change in temperature and, at the types of adaptations necessary to survive determining climate lower elevations, are always warm. in the rainy tropics, or in a tropical desert. Introduction to the Program Students will learn the locations of tropical What adjustments do they think they would have to make to their lifestyle if they were Climates, suddenly transported to a climate radically mate and geography that shape each Landscapes and Life: The Tropics, discuss different from their current one? What region, their natural vegetation, habitats, with them what comes to mind when they human-generated modifications to their and human-modified landscapes. Regions think about regions called “the tropics.” environment do they know of? Which do through which this program guides students Write on the board any ideas generated by they believe to be justified, and which - if include the rainy tropics, the wet-dry and the group; expect them to include such any - do they think may not be justified with monsoon tropics, tropical and subtropical descriptions or items as: regards to their effect on the environment? illustrated by such locales as lush, humid heat, humidity, rain, sunshine, the equator, Focus rainforests filled with arboreal wildlife, palm trees, sandy beaches, the Pacific, the highly industrialized cities, and the world’s Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida, islands, hurri- Ask students to think for a few moments largest desert. In addition, students learn canes, rainforest, tropical fruits, endangered about the climate and land use in your com- geographical terms that help them identify species munity and in your state. How do they think regions around the globe, the factors of cli- To prepare students for, deserts, and tropical highlands. These are those things impact the region and their and locate the various regions, and to understand processes integral to different Discuss the list with the class. Explain that lives? Tell them to keep these thoughts in tropical locales. The human geography of they will be viewing a video in which they mind as they view the program and to deter- these diverse lands is represented through will see many of the things they mentioned, mine for themselves how the climate and the agricultural activities, styles of architec- along with additional facts and details about land use in the various tropical regions ture, livelihoods, handicrafts, music and cul- the tropical regions of the planet. impacts the living organisms found there. Let them know you will discuss these and other tural traditions found in each region. aspects following the screening. 6 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES Writing and Connection to Biology The tropics are vibrant, sensual regions. Ask students to use their five senses and their imaginations to explore the BIOLOGY tropics. Have students each choose a tropical region, then work individually to write a paragraph, short essay, or short story answering such questions as: What would you see there ... colors, shapes, people, animals, plants, buildings? What tastes would you expect ... sweet, sour, spicy, bitter? What smells would you expect ... odors that assault you, fragrances that entice? What sounds would you expect ... languages, music, traffic, animals, waves, 30-60 Minutes quiet noises or loud ones? What would you expect to feel ... would the air be warm or cool ... windy or calm ... rainy or dry ... what textures would your surroundings have, your food ... how do you think your emotions would feel? Encourage students to use highly descriptive, picturesque language in their writing. Ask for volunteers to share their writings with the class. Meeting Individual Needs Have students work alone or in small groups to look up the words alluvial, drought, monsoon, and tropical in the dictionary or other resource. What are the definitions of the words? What is an example of each? (alluvial refers to soils that have been deposited by running water, as in a river delta; drought refers to an extended period without rainfall, and can be experienced in desert regions; a monsoon is a wind which brings torrential rains, partic- 35 Minutes ularly in south and south east Asia; tropical refers to regions that lie between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, have little seasonal change in the length of days and nights, and sea level temperatures that do not drop below freezing, such as Hawaii, most of Mesoamerica, South America and Africa.) Connection to Geography and Earth Science Hurricanes are truly the storms of the tropics, and the period of June 1 through November is “hurricane season” GE OG RA PH Y in the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and the eastern and gulf coasts of the United States. Have students EA RT H SC IE NC E work in small groups to define and explain: what a hurricane is, where and how hurricanes are formed; the roles played by warm, humid ocean air, wind patterns, and air pressure play in the formation of a hurricane; the parts of a hurricane; the size of a hurricane as defined by the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and the damages caused Extended by one; and storm rotation (the Coriolis effect). Assign a team to track the hurricanes of the current season. Post a large map of the tropics in the room and have the team plot each storm’s latitudinal and longitudinal progress. They can also keep an eye out by way of the many Hurricane Watch websites on the Internet. Request that the team, or its spokesperson report periodically to the class. Connection to Multiculturalism and to Foreign Language Classes In most of the countries of the tropics the national language is a tongue other than English. Ask students who are FOREIGN GE LANGUA fluent in (or who are studying) a language spoken in the tropics to compose a short paragraph in that language describing a day in the life of people from that region and to provide a translation into English. Ask for volunteers to first read their paragraphs in the original language, followed by their English translation. 45 Minutes Connection to History The various regions of the tropics are lands rich in history. Divide the class into four groups, assigning each group HI ST OR Y one of the four tropical regions: rainy tropics, wet-dry and monsoon tropics, tropical and subtropical deserts, and tropical highlands. Have each group research their region to create a timeline of significant historical occurrences, then have a volunteer from each group present their findings to the class. 7 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 60 Minutes Connection to Literature The location chosen as the backdrop for a work of literature may serve various purposes. Sometimes authors LIT ERA TUR E choose locations other than their “home turf” in order to separate their story from the everyday background and social mores of their own region. Ask your school librarian or media specialist for a list of tropical-themed books, or have students read one or more of the following novels. Ask them to analyze their thoughts about the novels’ Extended central idea(s) and what part the tropical locale plays in the story - is the author writing about his/her own territory, or does the book’s setting serve as an exotic “foreign” locale? Have students write a summary of their analysis, then lead a class discussion on the role of location in literature. The Cay by Theodore Taylor Lord of the Flies by William Golding Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago When the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez Note: questions of class, exploitation, colonialism and racism arise in some of these books, and should be explored along with the historical aspects of that particular time, social structure and geographical location. In the Newsroom In the tropics and in other regions, the process of desertification is slowly damaging more and more of the environment and affecting the livelihood of large numbers of the human population. Desertification is the loss of soil fertility or productivity in drought prone areas. A number of factors can lead to this type of soil damage; some damaging factors include: drought, deforestation, overcultivation, poor irrigation and soil erosion. In the tropics, 2 Hours the areas most severely affected by desertification are India and Bangladesh. Australia and other parts of Asia are also affected. Have students work in small groups to research the current situation in these areas as well as possibilities to halt or deter the problem. Have the teams put together an “Environmental NewsWatch” show based on their investigative reporting - with volunteers writing, producing, directing, and serving as anchorpersons. If video equipment is available, select a camera operator and record their presentation for review at a later time. Multiculturalism/Health A great number of the fruits, vegetables and grains we eat are of tropical origin, such as bananas, oranges, HE AL TH pineapples, potatoes and rice. To illustrate a discussion of nutrition and diets common in the tropics, bring to class a selection of fresh tropical fruits and other foods for students to sample. An alternative approach is to have students locate tropical cuisine recipes on the Internet, prepare their selected dish at home and hold a potluck lun- Extended cheon at school for the class. In anticipation of the meal, or following, discuss with students the various ingredients that the different cuisines have in common. How are various dishes featured in the cuisine of the region: i.e., is a particular dish prepared only for special holidays? If any students originate from a tropical region, you might consider inviting them to help lead this exercise. Culminating Activity Have students work in small groups to create a multi-media presentation about the geographic information they’ve learned from the program. Brainstorm with the class the topics that should be covered, as well as the types of materials and media they would like to include in their presentation. Have each group present to the entire class; you may wish to set up a school-wide screening so that the class may show their presentations to the entire student population. 8 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Extended Name VOCABULARY The following words and terms are from Climates, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics. Read each definition. On the line next to the definition write the letter of the vocabulary word that matches the definition. Then use a separate piece of paper to write each word in a sentence. A) alluvial B) arboreal C) climate D) exotic river E) monsoon F) montane G) savanna H) seasonality I) selva J) shifting cultivation 1. ________ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica 2. ________ a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs 3. ________ large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through 4. ________ the practice of cutting down areas of existing forest to use the land for farming or pasturing of livestock. Once the land becomes infertile, it is abandoned; also known as slash-and-burn agriculture 5. ________ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia 6. ________ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling 7. ________ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water 8. ________ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall 9. ________ describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water 10. ________ describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated 9 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name CHECKING COMPREHENSION Read the following sentences and circle the letters of the words that best fill each blank. Distances north and south on the globe are measured in degrees In the tropics, the sun based on 8 because 12 10 5 . Because of this, 6 1 from 2 . The tropics lie between the . At sea level, temperatures 7 . In the rainy tropics, the natural vegetation is dense rainforest, or . The heavy rainfall feeds many large rivers. The Amazon 11 and Guangzhou, China are major cities in 20 14 18 . The world’s largest desert, highland. 24 22 4 . , where the forest floor has sparse vegetation . Shifting cultivation, practiced in the rainy tropics, has 15 13 . New Delhi, India, Bangkok, Thailand, , stretches across . Perennial rivers that cross the deserts are called 19 with elevation, the summits of high mountains, such as the Andes in the tropical highlands, are zone of the tropical highlands supports and . The tropics can be divided into climatic regions 9 . Continents where there are large expanses of wet-dry and monsoon tropics include organisms in the desert survive through 3 . The principal subsistence crop in the Americas is 16 from 17 . Living . Because temperature 21 23 . The montane temperate which thrives in the tropical , domesticated in the Andes, also grow well in the highlands. The world’s highest capital city, 25 , is found in the highlands at an elevation of 12,000 feet. 1. 7. a) Celsius a) rarely rise above 80˚ Fahrenheit b) Fahrenheit b) are usually above 115˚ Fahrenheit c) of latitude c) never drop below freezing 2. 8. a) thermometer a) the political regimes of countries located there b) equator b) the seasonality and amount of precipitation they receive c) barometer c) their degrees of longitude 3. 9. a) arctic circle a) selva b) antarctic circle b) desert c) Tropic of Cancer c) savanna 4. 10. a) and the north pole a) the region’s herbivores constantly devour the groundcover b) and the south pole b) little sunlight penetrates the tree canopy c) Tropic of Capricorn c) no rainfall can penetrate the tree canopy 5. 11. a) rises and sets at about the same time all year a) is the longest river in the world b) never dips below the horizon b) frequently dries up in the summer heat c) is farther from Earth than at latitudes closer to the poles c) carries more water to the sea than the Earth’s next three largest rivers combined 6. a) there is at least a low level of daylight year ‘round 12. b) there is little seasonal change in the length of days and nights a) damaged the environment of the rainy tropics by destroying large c) there is a lower risk of sunburn in the tropics than elsewhere parts of the rainforest b) increased the population’s agricultural output tenfold c) had no impact on the local environment 10 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name CHECKING COMPREHENSION (CONTINUED) 13. 20. a) North America, Europe and Antarctica a) decreases b) Africa, Latin America, Australia, and Asia b) increases c) Asia, Europe and Greenland c) does not change 14. 21. a) the rainy tropics a) volcanic in nature b) the tropical highlands b) covered with snow year ‘round c) the monsoon tropics c) fertile grounds for cultivation 15. 22. a) the Gobi a) substantial human populations b) the Sahara b) only sparse vegetation c) the Sonoran c) the mountain peaks that rise above 16. 23. a) South America a) rice b) South Asia b) yucca c) North Africa c) corn 17. 24. a) Morocco to Egypt a) Bananas b) India to Laos b) Potatoes c) California to Texas c) Sapotes 18. 25. a) predation a) Washington, D.C., United States b) migration b) Mexico City, Mexico c) adaptation c) La Paz, Bolivia 19. a) arroyos b) exotic c) wadis 11 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name WORD SEARCH PUZZLE Read each vocabulary definition below. On the line before each definition write the appropriate letter, then find each in the word search. Look up, down, across, backwards and diagonally to find the words. WORD BANK A) agriculture B) alluvial P X V G K M R W S A V A N N A D R O U G H T C E J T B Y O Q Z S E A S O N A L I T Y V O P B N X C M N R W V X W S T S M V C O L I S S W A G E G K N O L M T M V P X X Z R Z Q B O N C C I B W A I K U R W V G M T L X C V Q L R T V G Y B X R A A Z R C G L L K A H B H O J N E C I K L U W A W T C P G K E R V V B C V K N K N I M G C Y O Z E I Z I X A C C H O W W N B G R J K A M I A B B C N M Q R G Q Z H L C L I M A T E H G A Q D E S E R T Y N X V P Q R C) arboreal D) climate E) desert F) drought G) exotic river H) liana I) monsoon J) montane K) precipitation L) savanna M) seasonality N) selva O) tropical 1. ____ a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests 2. ____ a prolonged period without precipitation 3. ____ describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated 4. ____ large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through 5. ____ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica 6. ____ describes lands located between 23.5o north and 23.5o south of the equator 7. ____ type of land use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops and livestock 8. ____ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia 9. ____ a region of dry land where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here 10. ____ a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs 11. ____ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water 12. ____ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall 13. ____ describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water 14. ____ the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet 15. ____ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling 12 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN? The tropics lie between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. On the illustration of the globe below, the lines of latitude and longitude have been removed. Use the appropriate references, as needed, and draw in the lines of latitude for: the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In addition, write in the degrees of latitude for each. 13 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name TROPICAL REGIONS’ NATURAL VEGETATION AND CULTIVATED CROPS Use information from appropriate research materials and from the video Climates, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics to match up the natural vegetation and agricultural plants listed below with the tropical region(s) in which they grow. Since some plants grow in more than one region, list those where appropriate. bananas corn/maize millet selva barley cotton oil palms sorghum beans date palms papayas squash cacao epiphytes/air plants pineapples sugarcane cactus gourds plantains taro chili peppers jojoba potatoes tea citrus fruits lianas pumpkins wheat coconut palms mangos rice coffee manioc/cassava rubber trees Rainy Tropics - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: Wet-Dry and Monsoon Tropics - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: Tropical and Subtropical Deserts - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: Tropical Highlands - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: 14 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name TRUE OR FALSE Place a T next to statements that are true and an F next to statements that are false. 1. ______ The tropics lie between the Tropic of Capricorn to the north of the equator and the Tropic of Cancer to the south of the equator. 2. ______ In the tropics the sun rises and sets at approximately the same time throughout the year, so there is little seasonal change in the length of days and nights. 3. ______ A broad expanse of selva is one of the major features of the tropical and subtropical desert regions. 4. ______ The Mississippi is a major exotic river in the U.S. 5. ______ The predominate method of subsistence farming in the rainy tropics is shifting cultivation, or slash and burn agriculture. 6. ______ Corn is an important agricultural crop in the wet-dry tropics and in the tropical highlands. 7. ______ Vast grassland plains of Africa’s wet-dry tropics are known as wadis. 8. ______ More water is carried to the sea by the Amazon than by Earth’s three next largest rivers combined. 9. ______ Urban development in the rainy tropics dates to the Maya and to earlier ceremonial centers of the Olmec culture. 10. ______ The elevation in tropical regions plays a significant role in climate, as temperature increases with elevation at a rate of about 3.3˚ Celsius per 1,000 feet. 15 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name VOCABULARY MATCH-UP Draw a line from the vocabulary words on the left to their correct definitions on the right. agriculture alluvial a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia a prolonged period without precipitation climate describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated desert type of land use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops and livestock drought dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica liana describes lands located between 23.5˚ north and 23.5˚ south of the equator monsoon the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet montane a region of dry land where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here precipitation savanna selva tropical describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests 16 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name TEST Fill in the blank or circle the letter for the correct answer to each question. 1. The tropics are between the latitudes of ____________ north of the equator and ____________ south of the equator. a) 15.5˚; 15.5˚ b) 20.5˚; 20.5˚ c) 23.5˚; 23.5˚ 2. Since the sun rises and sets ____________ throughout the year in the tropics, there is (____________ seasonal change in the length of days and nights. a) at radically different times; a significant b) at approximately the same time; little c) at the same time; no 3. In the rainforest, the forest floor is ____________ because ____________ . a) sparsely vegetated; only a little light penetrates the canopy of trees b) heavily covered with grass and shrubs; debris from the trees generates an extremely fertile soil c) completely bare of vegetation; no rain can get through the canopy of trees 4. The predominant type of subsistence farming practiced in the rainy tropics is ____________ , also known as ____________ . a) kelp farming; hydroponics b) share cropping; tenant farming c) shifting cultivation; slash and burn agriculture 5. Natural vegetation in the wet-dry and monsoon tropics varies depending on ____________ . a) what crops are selling for the highest prices b) the length and intensity of the dry season c) the types of fertilizer being used 17 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 Name TEST (CONTINUED) 6. ____________ are grasslands of the wet-dry tropics that are most common in Africa. a) Savannas b) Arroyos c) Wadis 7. Deserts are most commonly found on the ____________ of continents, between latitudes of about (insert blank) a) southern coast; 25˚ and 50˚ north and south b) highest altitudes; 35˚ and 60˚ east and west c) western side; 15˚ and 30˚ north and south 8. Exotic perennial rivers such as the ____________ carry water across major deserts. a) Nile, Indus, and Colorado b) Danube, Volga, Missouri c) Rhine, Seine, Thames 9. The difference in climate and vegetation from the base to the summit of a high tropical mountain corresponds to the difference between ____________ a) a wadi and an arroyo b) a humid region and a rainforest c) an equatorial location and the poles 10. Some cities of the tropical highlands found at locations of 7,000 feet or higher are ____________. a) Manaos, Brazil and Nairobi, Kenya b) Mexico City, Mexico and Quito, Ecuador c) New Delhi, India and Bangkok, Thailand 18 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ADDITIONAL AIMS MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS You and your students might also enjoy these other AIMS Multimedia programs: 2561-EN-VID: Climate, Landscapes and Life: Mid-latitude and Polar Regions 2597-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: Africa: The Land and Resources 2598-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: Africa: The People 2599-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: South Asia: The Land and Resources 2600-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: South Asia: The People 2628-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: Central Asia: The Land and Resources 2627-EN-VID: Geography of the World Series: Central Asia: The People 2741-EN-VID: Countries and Cultures of the Andes: Bolivia 2742-EN-VID: Countries and Cultures of the Andes: Chile 2743-EN-VID: Countries and Cultures of the Andes: Ecuador 2744-EN-VID: Countries and Cultures of the Andes: Peru 2745-EN-VID: Myanamar: The Land That Once Was Burma 2767-EN-VID: Columbia: Gateway to South America 2817-EN-VID: Juanita’s Dream: A Mayan’s Guide to Guatemala 19 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 9 VOCABULARY The following words and terms are from Climates, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics. Read each definition. On the line next to the definition write the letter of the vocabulary word that matches the definition. Then use a separate piece of paper to write each word in a sentence. A) alluvial B) arboreal C) climate D) exotic river E) monsoon F) montane G) savanna H) seasonality I) selva J) shifting cultivation I 1. ________ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica G 2. ________ a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs D 3. ________ large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through A 4. ________ the practice of cutting down areas of existing forest to use the land for farming or pasturing of livestock. Once the land becomes infertile, it is abandoned; also known as slash-and-burn agriculture J 5. ________ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia E 6. ________ refers to animals that are tree-dwelling B 7. ________ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water H 8. ________ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall A 9. ________ describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water F 10. ________ describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated 20 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 10 CHECKING COMPREHENSION Read the following sentences and circle the letters of the words that best fill each blank. Distances north and south on the globe are measured in degrees In the tropics, the sun based on 8 because 12 10 5 . Because of this, 6 1 from 2 . The tropics lie between the . At sea level, temperatures 7 . In the rainy tropics, the natural vegetation is dense rainforest, or . The heavy rainfall feeds many large rivers. The Amazon 11 organisms in the desert survive through 20 14 18 . The world’s largest desert, 9 zone of the tropical highlands supports 24 22 4 . , where the forest floor has sparse vegetation 15 13 . New Delhi, India, Bangkok, Thailand, , stretches across . Perennial rivers that cross the deserts are called 19 with elevation, the summits of high mountains, such as the Andes in the tropical highlands, are highland. and . Shifting cultivation, practiced in the rainy tropics, has . Continents where there are large expanses of wet-dry and monsoon tropics include and Guangzhou, China are major cities in 3 . The tropics can be divided into climatic regions . The principal subsistence crop in the Americas is 16 from 17 . Living . Because temperature 21 23 . The montane temperate which thrives in the tropical , domesticated in the Andes, also grow well in the highlands. The world’s highest capital city, 25 , is found in the highlands at an elevation of 12,000 feet. 1. 7. a) Celsius a) rarely rise above 80˚ Fahrenheit b) Fahrenheit b) are usually above 115˚ Fahrenheit c) of latitude c) never drop below freezing 2. 8. a) thermometer a) the political regimes of countries located there b) equator b) the seasonality and amount of precipitation they receive c) barometer c) their degrees of longitude 3. 9. a) arctic circle a) selva b) antarctic circle b) desert c) Tropic of Cancer c) savanna 4. 10. a) and the north pole a) the region’s herbivores constantly devour the groundcover b) and the south pole b) little sunlight penetrates the tree canopy c) Tropic of Capricorn c) no rainfall can penetrate the tree canopy 5. 11. a) rises and sets at about the same time all year a) is the longest river in the world b) never dips below the horizon b) frequently dries up in the summer heat c) is farther from Earth than at latitudes closer to the poles c) carries more water to the sea than the Earth’s next three largest rivers combined 6. a) there is at least a low level of daylight year ‘round 12. b) there is little seasonal change in the length of days and nights a) damaged the environment of the rainy tropics by destroying large c) there is a lower risk of sunburn in the tropics than elsewhere parts of the rainforest b) increased the population’s agricultural output tenfold c) had no impact on the local environment 21 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 11 CHECKING COMPREHENSION (CONTINUED) 13. 20. a) North America, Europe and Antarctica a) decreases b) Africa, Latin America, Australia, and Asia b) increases c) Asia, Europe and Greenland c) does not change 14. 21. a) the rainy tropics a) volcanic in nature b) the tropical highlands b) covered with snow year ‘round c) the monsoon tropics c) fertile grounds for cultivation 15. 22. a) the Gobi a) substantial human populations b) the Sahara b) only sparse vegetation c) the Sonoran c) the mountain peaks that rise above 16. 23. a) South America a) rice b) South Asia b) yucca c) North Africa c) corn 17. 24. a) Morocco to Egypt a) Bananas b) India to Laos b) Potatoes c) California to Texas c) Sapotes 18. 25. a) predation a) Washington, D.C., United States b) migration b) Mexico City, Mexico c) adaptation c) La Paz, Bolivia 19. a) arroyos b) exotic c) wadis 22 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 12 WORD SEARCH PUZZLE Read each vocabulary definition below. On the line before each definition write the appropriate letter, then find each in the word search. Look up, down, across, backwards and diagonally to find the words. WORD BANK A) agriculture B) alluvial P X V G K M R W S A V A N N A D R O U G H T C E J T B Y O Q Z S E A S O N A L I T Y V O P B N X C M N R W V X W S T S M V C O L I S S W A G E G K N O L M T M V P X X Z R Z Q B O N C C I B W A I K U R W V G M T L X C V Q L R T V G Y B X R A A Z R C G L L K A H B H O J N E C I K L U W A W T C P G K E R V V B C V K N K N I M G C Y O Z E I Z I X A C C H O W W N B G R J K A M I A B B C N M Q R G Q Z H L C L I M A T E H G A Q D E S E R T Y N X V P Q R C) arboreal D) climate E) desert F) drought G) exotic river H) liana I) monsoon J) montane K) precipitation L) savanna M) seasonality N) selva O) tropical 1. ____ H a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests 2. F ____ a prolonged period without precipitation 3. J ____ describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated 4. ____ G large stream that originates in a well-watered area far from the desert that it flows through 5. 6. ____ dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica N O ____ describes lands located between 23.5o north and 23.5o south of the equator 7. ____ A type of land use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops and livestock 8. I ____ a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia 9. ____ E a region of dry land where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here 10. ____ a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs L D 11. ____ the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water M 12. ____ the occurrence of weather phenomena as specific times of year, such as summer rains or winter snowfall 13. ____ B describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water K 14. ____ the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet 15. ____ C refers to animals that are tree-dwelling 23 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 13 WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE TROPIC OF CAPRICORN? The tropics lie between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. On the illustration of the globe below, the lines of latitude and longitude have been removed. Use the appropriate references, as needed, and draw in the lines of latitude for: the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. In addition, write in the degrees of latitude for each. Tropic of Cancer 23.5˚ N. Latitude Equator 0˚ Latitude Tropic of Capricorn 23.5˚ S. Latitude 24 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 14 TROPICAL REGIONS’ NATURAL VEGETATION AND CULTIVATED CROPS Use information from appropriate research materials and from the video Climates, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics to match up the natural vegetation and agricultural plants listed below with the tropical region(s) in which they grow. Since some plants grow in more than one region, list those where appropriate. bananas corn/maize millet selva barley cotton oil palms sorghum beans date palms papayas squash cacao epiphytes/air plants pineapples sugarcane cactus gourds plantains taro chili peppers jojoba potatoes tea citrus fruits lianas pumpkins wheat coconut palms mangos rice coffee manioc/cassava rubber trees Rainy Tropics - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: bananas, cacao, coconut palms, epiphytes/air plants, lianas, mangos, manioc/cassava, oil palms, papayas, plantains, rubber trees, selva, taro Wet-Dry and Monsoon Tropics - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: citrus fruits, corn/maize, cotton, millet, pineapples, rice, sorghum, sugarcane Tropical and Subtropical Deserts - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: beans, cactus, chili peppers, corn/maize, date palms, gourds, jojoba, pumpkins, squash Tropical Highlands - natural vegetation and agricultural crops: barley, coffee, corn/maize, potatoes, tea, wheat 25 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 15 TRUE OR FALSE Place a T next to statements that are true and an F next to statements that are false. 1. F ______ The tropics lie between the Tropic of Capricorn to the north of the equator and the Tropic of Cancer to the south of the equator. 2. T ______ In the tropics the sun rises and sets at approximately the same time throughout the year, so there is little seasonal change in the length of days and nights. 3. F ______ 4. ______ The Mississippi is a major exotic river in the U.S. 5. T ______ The predominate method of subsistence farming in the rainy tropics is shifting cultivation, or slash and burn agriculture. 6. T ______ Corn is an important agricultural crop in the wet-dry tropics and in the tropical highlands. 7. F ______ Vast grassland plains of Africa’s wet-dry tropics are known as wadis. 8. T ______ More water is carried to the sea by the Amazon than by Earth’s three next largest rivers combined. 9. T ______ Urban development in the rainy tropics dates to the Maya and to earlier ceremonial centers of the Olmec culture. 10. F ______ The elevation in tropical regions plays a significant role in climate, as temperature increases with elevation at a rate of about F A broad expanse of selva is one of the major features of the tropical and subtropical desert regions. 3.3˚ Celsius per 1,000 feet. 26 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 16 VOCABULARY MATCH-UP Draw a line from the vocabulary words on the left to their correct definitions on the right. agriculture alluvial a seasonal wind that brings heavy summer rains to Southern and South East Asia a prolonged period without precipitation climate describes a temperate zone in the tropical highlands that is humid, cool, and is usually heavily cultivated desert type of land use that involves cultivating the soil for the purpose of raising crops and livestock drought dense tropical rainforest, found in South America (the Amazon Rainforest) and in parts of Mesoamerica, such as in Costa Rica liana describes lands located between 23.5˚ north and 23.5˚ south of the equator monsoon the part of the water cycle in which water falls to Earth in such forms as rain, snow, hail, or sleet montane a region of dry land where months of drought may be broken by short periods of intense rainfall; very sparse vegetation grows here precipitation savanna selva tropical describes soil made up of sand, gravel, silt, or clay deposited by running water a grassland found in the wet-dry tropics; vegetation consists of grasses, scattered trees and drought-resistant woody shrubs the yearly pattern of weather in a given place, taking into account temperature, wind, precipitation, latitude, elevation, and distance from mountain ranges and major bodies of water a type of woody vine found in tropical rainforests 27 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 17 TEST Fill in the blank or circle the letter for the correct answer to each question. 1. The tropics are between the latitudes of ____________ north of the equator and ____________ south of the equator. a) 15.5˚; 15.5˚ b) 20.5˚; 20.5˚ c) 23.5˚; 23.5˚ 2. Since the sun rises and sets ____________ throughout the year in the tropics, there is (____________ seasonal change in the length of days and nights. a) at radically different times; a significant b) at approximately the same time; little c) at the same time; no 3. In the rainforest, the forest floor is ____________ because ____________ . a) sparsely vegetated; only a little light penetrates the canopy of trees b) heavily covered with grass and shrubs; debris from the trees generates an extremely fertile soil c) completely bare of vegetation; no rain can get through the canopy of trees 4. The predominant type of subsistence farming practiced in the rainy tropics is ____________ , also known as ____________ . a) kelp farming; hydroponics b) share cropping; tenant farming c) shifting cultivation; slash and burn agriculture 5. Natural vegetation in the wet-dry and monsoon tropics varies depending on ____________ . a) what crops are selling for the highest prices b) the length and intensity of the dry season c) the types of fertilizer being used 28 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650 ANSWER KEY for page 18 TEST (CONTINUED) 6. ____________ are grasslands of the wet-dry tropics that are most common in Africa. a) Savannas b) Arroyos c) Wadis 7. Deserts are most commonly found on the ____________ of continents, between latitudes of about (insert blank) a) southern coast; 25˚ and 50˚ north and south b) highest altitudes; 35˚ and 60˚ east and west c) western side; 15˚ and 30˚ north and south 8. Exotic perennial rivers such as the ____________ carry water across major deserts. a) Nile, Indus, and Colorado b) Danube, Volga, Missouri c) Rhine, Seine, Thames 9. The difference in climate and vegetation from the base to the summit of a high tropical mountain corresponds to the difference between ____________ a) a wadi and an arroyo b) a humid region and a rainforest c) an equatorial location and the poles 10. Some cities of the tropical highlands found at locations of 7,000 feet or higher are ____________. a) Manaos, Brazil and Nairobi, Kenya b) Mexico City, Mexico and Quito, Ecuador c) New Delhi, India and Bangkok, Thailand 29 © Copyright 2002 • AIMS Multimedia • Climate, Landscapes and Life: The Tropics • #2650
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