PART 2
EUROPEAN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS
TEACHER'S MATERIALS and NOTES
LESSON 1
1. Introduction:
Look at file 1 The natural environments
2. Definition: Natural environments or Biomes
Natural environments vary according to the different regions of the Earth. They are defined by
abiotic (physical or nonliving) factors such as the geographical position of a region, its natural
features, climate, relief, geology, soils, and biotic (living) factors such as vegetation and fauna
adapting to the region. All these factors are interrelated.
Natural Environment
Abiotic/non
living factors
Geo-position, natural
features, climate,
reliefs, geology, soil
Biotic/living
factors
Vegetation, Fauna
The Italian word for the natural environment is AMBIENTE NATURALE.
3. Show the environments on the map
a) The teacher shows the map of the European natural environments.
b) They show how vegetation varies according to environments
Go to file 2: map of the environments of Europe and photos
GROUP WORK
-
What colours can you see in this map? Come and touch the different colours (TPR
methodology, VAK).
-
Where are the colours?
Reactivate the compass points: IN THE NORTH/SOUTH/ IN THE EAST/ IN THE WEST/ ALONG
THE COAST/ALONG THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
Deduction: Each colour corresponds to an area in the map.
Label the area on the map.
What are the countries in each area? ------ Work in pairs and write them in your student's book.
The main European natural environments are:
•
Mediterranean maquis
•
temperate decidous and coniferous forest (mixed forest)
•
deciduous forest
•
temperate coniferous forest or taiga
•
tundra (musks and lichens)
•
grassland (the Italian word is "steppa")
Do you know?....
There are some minor natural environments:
•
mountains and temperate grasslands (the Italian word is “steppa”)
LESSON 2
•
CLASS WORK: Summing up
Go to file 3: European natural environments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:
PAIR WORK
ACTIVITY 1 (STUDENT’S BOOK)
1.
What are the European natural environments called?
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
2.
Where are they situated?
Look at the map in your Geography book and write your answer.
Use these expressions: in the north, in the south, in the west, in the east, in the north east, in
the north west, in the south east in the south west.
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………….
What’s the name of the natural environment in which you live?
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
3.
4.
Can you write some of the countries situated in the different natural environments you have
seen?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
WRITTEN TEST
The teacher asks the students about the European environments through a fill in the gaps activity.
taiga; central; central Europe; Mediterranean maquis; tundra; eastern Europe;
deciduous forest; grassland
……………………………………………………….. is situated in southern Europe, along the
Mediterranean coasts.
It’s an environment characterized by frequent precipitations typical of Atlantic climate: we are
speaking about the……………………………………………………………
In …………………………………………………. we can find coniferous and deciduous forests.
……………………………………………. is situated in …………………………………… and
also in ………………….… Spain, in the continental areas.
Where it’s too cold and the vegetation can’t grow, we find …………………………………….
Only conifers can survive in this environment: we are talking
about………………………………………………
The teacher asks the students about the European Environment through a multiple choice activity.
EXTRA ACTIVITIES:
CROSSWORDS
Around Europe
Across
2. It's the coldest biome
4. British people always talk about that
8. It divides the Earth into two parts
10. The particular combination of climate, animals and
Earth form a region called ......
Down
1. The place where you can ski
3. One of the points of the compass
5. One of the animals in the tundra
6.One of the four seasons
7.A tree that loses its leaves
9. The contrary of deciduous
plants on the
Key:
ACROSS:
2. TUNDRA
4. WEATHER
8. EMISPHERE
10. BIOME
DOWN
1. MOUNTAIN
2. NORTHEAST
5. REINDEER
6. SPRING
7. DECIDUOUS
9. EVERGREEN
2. You can watch these short videos on YOU TUBE.
They are about the natural environments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZouWWVyz9v8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7cZ3b6PH2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kdtso3QGjA