Grade 8 Geography Lesson Plan PDF

GEOGRAPHY GRADE 8 WEEK 1 LESSON 1 & 2: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL You must know: You must use these Resources: The meaning of the following concepts – Lesson on Pages 3 - 4 l...

GEOGRAPHY GRADE 8 WEEK 1 LESSON 1 & 2: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL You must know: You must use these Resources: The meaning of the following concepts – Lesson on Pages 3 - 4 latitude, aspect of slope, altitude, angle of the Textbook: Topic 2 – Climate Regions sun’s rays and relief. Worksheet How the above factors affect rainfall and Textbook: For additional Activities temperature. WORKSHEET: Use the information on Pages 3 to 4 and your textbook to complete the following questions in your workbook. FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL 1.1 Name the five most important factors influencing the temperature and rainfall of a places. 1.2 Explain briefly why temperatures at the equator are warmer than temperatures closer to the poles. 1.3 Why do you think that regions closer to the equator receive more rainfall than regions closer to the poles? 1.4 How does the temperature of places close to the ocean compare to the temperatures of places further away from the ocean. 1.5 What happens with moisture-laden air as it blows further away from the ocean? 1.6 What happens with the temperature of air as it starts to rise? 1.7 What happens to air pressure as we move up into the air? What is the general rule of air with an increase in height? 1.8 Why do windward mountain slopes receive more rainfall than flat lower areas? 1 1.9 What are the two main reasons for the development of ocean currents? 1.10 How do ocean currents influence the temperatures of regions? 1.11 Why does the east coast of continents normally receive more rain than the west coast of continents? 1.12 Draw the diagram below and indicate with labels why warmer sun-facing slopes receive mare rainfall than leeward slopes. 2  Study this topic with the following questions in mind! TOPIC: FACTORS INFLUENCING TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL Factors Distance from the equator Distance from the sea Height above sea level Ocean Currents Mountains (relief) (Latitude) (Altitude) Questions What is it and what does it look like? Where is it? Around the earth from the Along the coast - from next to This occurs from the coast to Along the coast, with a warm Cold at the top of mountains equator to the poles. the ocean to about 75 km the highest mountain peak. current on the east and a cold with rain on one side and a rain inland. current on the west coast. shadow on the other side. What is it The temperature decreases Cool winds from the ocean The temperature decreases The warm current warms the Rain on one side of the like? further away from the equator. blow onto the coastal regions, with an increase in height. land during winter moderating mountain (windward) and dry cooling them down. the temperature. on leeward side. The cold current cools the land and air. How does it The sun’s rays are concentrated In summer continents heat up The air uses energy to rise and The cold-water mass cools If a warm, moist wind blows happen? at the equator. At the poles the much faster than the ocean. Air energy is equal to heat down the land and the warm from the ocean toward a same amount of sun rays must rises over land. therefore as the height increase water heats up the cold mountain range, it often brings heat a greater area and is more Cool winds from the ocean the temperature decreases. landmass in winter. The warm rain to the sides of the dispersed and obligue. blow onto the coastal regions water causes the release of mountain facing the wind – the cooling them down. moisture to help the forming of windward side. rain. This is because air is forced to rise over the mountains, and so cools and condenses. 3 What impact The temperature influences the Places near the coast have a Places at higher altitudes are The cold currents cause the The air then descends on the does it have amount of rainfall and type of smaller temperature range colder than at the coast e.g. cooling of land and reduce the other side of the mountains, on the plants around the world. (difference between minimum compare Sutherland’s amount of rain due to less the leeward side Environment? and maximum) than places temperature with Cape Town. moisture in the air. This air is dry and no or little further away from the sea. The warm currents create a rain falls on the leeward side. More rain along coasts. moderating climate with mild The land on the leeward side of winters and cooler summers a mountain is said to be in the with more rain due to the rain shadow of the mountain. release of moisture. 4