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Image from Earth Observatory by NASA
Look at this image of Australia. This is a satellite image put together by a computer from lots of photos of the Earth from above. It shows what Australia looks like from space.
See the colours.
It shows green around the bottom edges. Reddish-brown and white are taking up most of the rest, especially the middle.
Why do you think the areas different?
What do the colours mean?
Now look this map from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. It shows the climate zones in Australia.
Notice the legend on the top right hand side.
Compare the two maps.
What do you notice?
Top Tip
Top Tip
Good inquirers compare sources to see if they can add meaning to each other.
The Bureau of Meteorology Indigenous Weather Knowledge website explores knowledge held by Australia's First Nations.
Indigenous Weather Knowledge
Indigenous Weather Knowledge
Explore this map from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology that explains how our First Nations understood and used seasons.
Why do you think the information is different depending on area?
Learn Bright. (2021, March 17). Climate Zones for Kids: Learn about the 3 Main Climate Zones of the Earth. https://youtu.be/Kp7ZhvJXrMc
What is Climate?
What is Climate?
Climate is the average weather in a place over many years. While the weather can change in just a few hours, climate takes hundreds, thousands, even millions of years to change.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), no date)This video explains what the different climates are like, where you might find them and the sorts of things that live and grow there. As you watch, think about:
which climate zone do you live in.
which one you would like to find out more about?
what about that zone would you like to learn more about?
Top Tip
Top Tip
Good inquirers choose sources that suit them. More detail gives you a better understanding, but it is also harder to read. If unsure, start easier. If you need more detail, read just those parts from the next level.
Choose one of these articles to learn more about climate.
What Factors Affect Climate?
What Factors Affect Climate?
Climate is mostly determined by temperature and precipitation (rain and snow). It is also impacted by wind, humidity, cloudiness, air pressure and distance from the sea
(National Geographic Society, 2017).The map on the right is from NASA's Earth Observatory and shows the different biomes. Click it to use an interactive version on their website. Explore the zones using the labels that will appear below the map. This interactive map is useful because you can see the different climate zones highlighted and look for patterns to help understand the conditions that cause the climate to be the way it is.
Image from Mission Biomes by NASA's Earth Observatory.
When you travel to different areas, the conditions are different and so the climate also changes. You might see different plants and animals.
These big areas are called "climate zones". When we are learning about the living things in the climate zones, we might hear them called "biomes". Can you think of any other words that have that "bio" sound and have to do with living things?
Top Tip
Top Tip
Good inquirers listen to the parts in words to see if they mean the same as their keywords. They can connect new information to things they already know.
Image from pxhere.com CC0
Does the climate change over time?
Does the climate change over time?
Yes. The Earth's climate is always changing. Ever since the Earth was formed, about 4.54 billion years ago (National Geographic Resource Library, 2021) the climate has been changing in response to things like the activity of the sun, dust in the atmosphere, number of plants and many more.
You may have heard of the ice age. There have been several ice ages that we know of over time. This is when the temperature of the Earth cools and more of the water is frozen in the arctic and antarctic regions. This makes the sea level drop and more land is dry for animals and plants to live on. When the Earth heats up again, the extra ice melts and the sea level goes up again, flooding the extra land with ocean again.
Read more about the Earth's climate cycles at Kids' Crossing by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Have a look at the red coloured chapters near the top of the page and explore the different factors.
Then why are people worried about climate change?
Then why are people worried about climate change?
Scientists who measure and study climate believe that the climate is changing too quickly and that it is the actions of humans that is causing it.
Read more about the changing climate and how we can all help in Steve Parker's Changes in Climate. Find it in the BPS Library non-fiction section at 363.738 PAR. Click the cover image on the right to view it in Oliver.
This book uses stunning photographs and colourful images and diagrams to explain the issues surrounding climate change. Take your time and study the images carefully. What is the artist showing you? How could you put that information in to words. Discuss with a friend and see if you can create a paragraph that explains what it's all about.
Carole Wilkinson has written a powerful book, Earth Matters: Loving Our Planet about how families and communities can work together to slow climate change. Illustrations by Hilary Cresp help make a difficult idea easy to understand. Find it in the BPS Library non-fiction section at NON 363.7 WIL. Click the cover image to see it in Oliver.
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