Canadian Geography Quiz

Mapping

• Cardinal Directions: North, East, South, West (90° apart)
• Ordinal Directions: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest (45° apart)
• Bearings: Compass direction (N or S), angle, and direction (E or W).
• Canadian Capital City Locations (NESW): Victoria (West) is a capital city. Refer to a map for other locations.
• Canada's Time Zones: Pacific, Mountain, Central, Eastern, Atlantic, Newfoundland (1 hour diff.; NL 1.5 hrs). Consult maps.
• Great Lakes: Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario
• Canadian Provinces and Capitals: See detailed list. Ensure accurate spelling.
• Latitude: Horizontal lines measuring distance N or S of the Equator.
• Longitude: Vertical lines measuring distance E or W of the Prime Meridian. Longitude lines are longer.
• Prime Meridian: Imaginary line dividing Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres, passing through Greenwich, England (0° longitude).
• International Date Line (IDL): 180° longitude line, crossing changes the calendar date.
• Equator: Imaginary line at 0° latitude, halfway between N and S poles; divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
• Geography: Study of places and relationships between people and environments.
• Maps: Symbolic representations of selected characteristics, drawn on a flat surface; simplify and visualize information.
• Geographic Lenses: Environmental, Social, Economic, Political perspectives for understanding topics spatially.

Natural Resources and Energy Sources

• Canada's Energy Sources: Hydro, nuclear, oil & gas, coal, renewables.
• Solar Energy: Sunlight converted to heat, electricity, or hot water (PV). Found in parts of AB, SK, ON.
• Wind Energy: Wind farms convert wind flow to electricity. Ontario has many wind farms.
• Geothermal Energy: Earth's internal heat, used to produce energy. Found in BC, NWT, Yukon, AB.
• Hydropower: Water moves through a dam's turbines to create electricity (pumped storage). Found in QC, BC, MB, ON, NL.
• Renewable Resources: Replenished in a short time (e.g., solar, geothermal).
• Non-Renewable Resources: Depleted once used (e.g., oil, gas, coal, nuclear).
• Flow Resources: Replaced naturally, must be used where they occur (e.g., wind, solar).
• Canada's Natural Resources: Fishing, mining, solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear.
• Sustainability's Three Spheres: Social (people), Environmental (planet), Economic (profit). Apply this framework to one Canadian natural resource.
• Three Sisters of Agriculture: Corn, beans, squash; demonstrates a sustainable agriculture practice, enhancing soil fertility.
• Sustainability: Meeting present needs without compromising future generations'.
• Urbanization: Increasing proportion of people living in cities and towns.
• Overpopulation: Too many people for available resources and space.
• Environment: Living and non-living things interacting with surroundings; physical, chemical, natural forces.
• Natural Resources: Naturally occurring materials used by humans.
• Stewardship: Taking care of a resource or area.

Physical Geography

• Canada's Landform Regions: Western Cordillera (mountains), Interior Plains (agricultural), Canadian Shield (rocky), Hudson Bay Lowland (wetlands), Arctic Lands (ice/snow), Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands (populated), Appalachian Regions (mountains). Describe characteristics of each.
• Climate vs. Weather: Climate is long-term atmospheric patterns, while weather is short-term, local conditions.
• Canadian Climate Types: Arctic (cold winters, short summers), Interior (cold winters, hot summers, little rain), Southeast (hot, humid summers, snowy winters).
• Climate Factors (LOWERN): Latitude, Ocean Currents, Wind & Air Pressure, Elevation, Relief, Near Water.
• Pacific Ring of Fire: Zone of active volcanoes and earthquakes along the Pacific Ocean.
• Plate Boundaries/Movements: Divergent (plates move apart), Convergent (plates collide), Transform (plates slide past).
• Maritime vs. Continental Climates: Maritime climates have milder temperatures and smaller temperature swings; continental climates experience larger swings.
• Canadian Climate Zones: Arctic, Pacific Maritime, Western Cordillera, Taiga, Boreal, Prairie, Southeastern, Atlantic Maritimes. Relate zones to landform regions.
• Canadian Ecosystems: Tundra, Boreal Forest/Taiga, Broadleaf/Mixed Forests, Prairie Parkland, Coastal Forest, Grasslands, Wetlands. Describe characteristics.
• Greenwashing: False claims about environmental benefits of products/practices. Examine words and symbols used in greenwashing campaigns.
• Stakeholders vs. Stewards: Stakeholders are interested parties; stewards manage resources/areas.
• Biodiversity: Variety of life in an ecosystem.
• Species Diversity: Number of species in an ecosystem.
• Genetic Diversity: Variety among individuals within a species. Importance for adaptation and avoiding inbreeding.