8.4
Skills Menu
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Hypothesizing
Predicting
Planning
Controlling Variables
Performing
Observing
Analyzing
Evaluating
Communicating
perform an activity
Tools for studying climate, such as climate maps and
climatographs, present different information. In this activity,
you will compare these two ways of presenting climate data
and the type of data presented.
6.C., 3.B.
Purpose
To compare climate data presented by different tools
Procedure
1. Study the climatograph in Figure 1. Be sure to look at the key.
Record a description of the climate of Windsor based only on the
information in this figure.
dig deeper
Precipitation (mm)
Learning Tip
Remember, there are
two different scales to
use for temperature and
precipitation.
Windsor, Ontario
40
140
30
120
20
100
10
80
0
60
–10
40
–20
20
–30
0
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Temperature (°C)
160
–40
Month
temperature
precipitation
Figure 1 A climatograph for Windsor, Ontario
2. Study the climate map in Figure 2. Record a description of the
climate of Windsor based only on the information in this map.
What other climate information about Ontario communities are
included in Figure 2?
306 Chapter 8 • Earth’s Climate System
NEL
Analyze and Evaluate
(a) Which tool for studying climate gives more information about
a single location? Justify your answer. T/I
C
(b)Which tool provides climate information for many locations
at once? (c) Which tool provides climate data for different times of
the year? T /I
T /I
Apply and Extend
(d)Why does using both a climatograph and a climate map give
a more complete view of the climate of a region? T/I
(e) Which climate tool would be most useful to people deciding
where to live? A
(f) Which climate tool would be most useful to people deciding on
the best months to take a snowboarding vacation? A
(g)How might scientists use these tools to make informed
decisions about seasons? A
January
Average
Precipitation
Hudson Bay
James
Bay
Ontario
Moosonee
20 mm and less
21 to 40 mm
41 to 60 mm
61 to 80 mm
81 to 120 mm
121 to 160 mm
Kenora
N
Thunder Bay
e
Lak
E
W
Superi
or
S
North Bay
n
hi ga
Toronto
Lake Mic
0
100
200 km
ian
rg y
Lake
Huron
Ge
o
Ba
London
Windsor
e
Lak
Ottawa
Ontario
Lake
Erie
Figure 2 This climate map for Ontario shows the average precipitation for the
month of January.
NEL
8.4 Comparing Tools for Studying Climate 307