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Year 9

The Arctic Tundra

I can describe the Arctic Tundra and explain what life is like there.

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New
New
Year 9

The Arctic Tundra

I can describe the Arctic Tundra and explain what life is like there.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The tundra is a treeless landscape found at high latitudes.
  2. In the winter the tundra is frozen and dark and experiences 24 hours of darkness.
  3. Some of the ground in the tundra is permafrost, this is ground which is permanently frozen.
  4. Animals such as the Arctic fox and the polar bear can be found in the tundra.

Keywords

  • Tundra - a vast, flat, treeless region; a large-scale, global ecosystem

  • Permafrost - any ground that remains completely frozen

  • Adaptation - a process of change over time; a feature of a living thing that enables it to exist in a particular environment

Common misconception

Animals in the Arctic are camouflaged with white fur all year round.

The Arctic fox is camouflaged with white fur in winter and brown fur in summer.


To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: The Arctic Tundra, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Explore adaptations of other animals found in the tundra.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where is the Arctic region located?
In Africa
Around the South Pole
In the middle of the Earth
Correct answer: Around the North Pole
Q2.
What is the Arctic mainly covered by?
Sand
Correct answer: Ice and snow
Grasslands
Rainforests
Q3.
Which animal lives in the Arctic?
Lion
Kangaroo
Correct answer: Polar bear
Elephant
Q4.
What is the climate like in the Arctic?
Hot and rainy
Warm and wet
Humid and stormy
Correct answer: Cold and dry
Q5.
How long can the Arctic winter last?
1 month
3 months
Correct answer: Up to 9 months
12 days
Q6.
What is happening to the Arctic ice due to climate change?
It's getting thicker
Correct answer: It's melting
It's staying the same
It’s turning into clouds

4 Questions

Q1.
Do Arctic animals always stay white for camouflage throughout the year?
Yes, they are always white to blend with the snow
Correct answer: No, they change colour depending on the season
Yes, because it’s always snowing in the Arctic
No, they are always brown
Q2.
What is a tundra?
A type of forest
A mountain range
Correct answer: A cold, treeless biome
A desert
Q3.
What is permafrost?
Frozen rain
A type of snowstorm
Correct answer: Ground that stays frozen all year
Ice on lakes in winter
Q4.
Which plant is best adapted to survive in the tundra?
Tall oak tree
Tropical vine
Correct answer: Low-growing moss
Palm tree