Using lines of latitude to locate the main climate zones
Lesson details
Learning outcome
You can understand what the main climate zones are and describe where they are found.
Key learning points
- Lines of latitude can help us understand the location of climate zones.
- Climate zones cross over national and international boundaries and also lie within them.
- Average temperature is a clue to identifying climate zones.
- Latitude and altitude are both related to climate zones.
Keywords
Latitude - Lines of latitude are imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator.
Weather - The weather of a place is the day to day condition of the atmosphere, e.g. sunny, snowing, warm etc.
Temperature - Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of a place.
Location - A location is the particular position of something on Earth.
Common misconception
That separate countries must be in separate climate zones or that in each single country is part of one single climate zone.
Borders between countries have been invented by humans, they are not related to climate zones which occur naturally. Climate zones can cover many countries, and big countries like Australia can have more than one climate zone within them.
Teacher tip
Pupils have the opportunity to describe Mount Kilimanjaro in this lesson. Add extra challenge by showing pupils the locations of other major world mountains and asking pupils to decide which climate zone they are located in.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a climate zone?
Q2.What is the equator?
Q3.How do rays of light from the sun travel?
Q4.Complete the sentence. At the equator, the sun's rays are more concentrated and have more ...
Q5.What are the atmospheric conditions that we experience from day to day known as?
Q6.How do scientists work out what the climate of a location is like?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What are lines of latitude?
Q2.Put these lines of latitude in order from north to south.
Q3.Which statement about climate zones is true?
Q4.Match the climate zones to the descriptions.
the climate zone around the equator
the climate zone containing the coldest places on Earth
the United Kingdom is in this climate zone
the climate zone north and south of the equatorial climate zone
the climate zone north and south of the tropical climate zone
Q5.Match the words to the definitions
how far north or south of the equator a place is located
how high above sea level a place is located
Q6.Complete the sentence. Altitude affects temperature; the higher the altitude, the the temperature.
To help you plan your 3 geography lesson on: Using lines of latitude to locate the main climate zones, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 geography lesson on: Using lines of latitude to locate the main climate zones, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 geography lessons from the Climate zones: what are they and why do they matter? unit, dive into the full primary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.