Mountain environments and human activities (Lesson 1)

Theme: The Physical Environment and its impact on Human Activities

FOCUS QUESTION

How are mountains important to people’s lives and how do human activities affect mountain environments?

SPECIFIC OBJS.

1. Develop working definitions for and use correctly the following concepts/terms: mountain range, hill, valley, plateau, landforms, plains

CONTENT SUMMARY

Landforms are natural features of the Earth. There are different formations on the earth which occur naturally. Some areas are high while others are low. These natural features may be seen on a special type of map known as a relief or physical map. How high the land is above the level of the sea determines the type of landform that is present. Landforms include:

Mountain: highlands that rise more than 500 metres above sea level

Hills: highland areas that rise between 100 – 499 metres

Valley: lowland between two highlands

Plain: large areas of flatlands (Chiefly located on the southern sides of island in Jamaica

Plateau: Flat area at the top of a mountain (flat top mountain)

ENGAGE

Students I want you to sort in your groups these cards that will be given to you. Be ready to justify why you have sorted them the way you have. Teacher will aid in clarification.

(cards will show the different landforms)

EXPLORE

Now what do you think, mountains, hills, valley, plains and plateau can be described as?

Well they are indeed landforms.

Let's watch the video clip below to learn more about landforms. Be sure to listen carefully so that you can define each of them afterwards and identify their characteristics.

Video: Learning about landforms

Video: Landforms

EXPLAIN

Report in groups what you have gleaned from video clips. (Important concepts will be written on the chalkboard). Students will read together as a whole class, paying attention to pronunciation and inflectional endings.

EXTEND/ELABORATE

Read additional information on landforms from your Social Studies text, and prepare notes in table format for sharing with your peers. Let's compare each other’s notes and make adjustments.

Use a graphic organizer below to summarize the information gleaned.

EVALUATE

1. Roy was asked by his teacher to read about hills, plateau, mountains, valleys and plains. Under which topic at the Library would he most likely find the information?

(a) Islands (b) landforms (c) oceans (d) volcanoes

2. 1. Dwight bragged all week about the landform he drew which was a flat top mountain. What did he actually draw?

¡ valley ¡ mountain ¡ plateau ¡ plain ¡ hill

3. Which is an example of a plateau in Jamaica

(a) Bull Head Mt. (b) Mocho Mt. (c) Dry Harbour Mt. (d) Rocky Mountains

4. Complete the table below.