Students analyze climate and connect it to weather conditions and agricultural practices.

gr6

LEARNING OUTCOME

Students investigate climate, changes in climate, and the impact of climate change on Earth.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Systems of Earth include

• land

• air

• water

• organisms

Earth scientists call Earth’s systems the spheres, including the

• lithosphere (land)

• atmosphere (air)

• hydrosphere (water)

• biosphere (organisms)

The atmosphere

• is a gas layer that surrounds Earth

• warms Earth’s surface

• reduces extremes of temperature

• contains oxygen, which is used for breathing

The hydrosphere is

• all areas of Earth that are covered with water

• necessary for sustaining life

The lithosphere

• is the outer parts of Earth

• is made of rocks

• contains soils and minerals that support life

The biosphere includes all

• life on Earth

• regions of Earth where life is supported

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Systems of Earth interact with one another, resulting in environments that sustain life.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit hold understandings of the interconnectedness of all living things.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Research examples of how human activity can impact the relationships between land, air, water, and organisms.

Analyze the interconnectedness of land, air, water, and organisms.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Weather is the short-term conditions experienced in a region, including

• temperature

• wind speed and direction

• amount of sunlight

• precipitation

• humidity

• cloud cover

Climate is the average weather patterns of a region or place over a period of 30 years.

Average weather conditions refers to the typical, or normal, conditions.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Weather patterns over 30 years determine climate.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Distinguish climate from weather.

Ask questions about the characteristics of local, national, and global weather conditions to determine climate.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Components of Earth’s systems that interact to affect climate include

• sunlight

• water

• air

• land

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Humans rely on Earth's systems for a habitable climate.

Climate involves complex interactions between various components of Earth’s systems.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Research the impacts that interactions between the Sun, water, air, and land have on climate.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Organisms require warmth and energy from the Sun to live.

Sunlight is more direct at the equator.

The equator is warmer than the poles.

In Alberta, sunlight is more direct and the length of daylight is longer in summer than in winter.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Earth’s surface is warmed by the Sun, allowing for life.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Explain how the amount of sunlight and warmth provided by the Sun throughout the year affects characteristics and behaviours of plants and animals in various locations on Earth.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Climates are dependent on

• geographical location

• terrain

• altitude

• proximity to bodies of water

Types of climates include

• tropical

• dry

• temperate

• polar

• continental

• alpine

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climates vary across regions.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Investigate key characteristics of tropical, dry, temperate, polar, continental, and alpine climates, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind.

Research the weather patterns that contribute to Alberta’s climate.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Changes in climate can be caused by natural processes, including

• volcanic eruptions

• meteors

• changes in the Sun’s output

• changes in orbits

Changes in climate can be caused by human activities, including industrialization and pollution.

The release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere contributes to the warming of Earth.

Ethical and clean energy production has the potential to reduce net greenhouse gas production.

Personal actions that can help address human causes of global climate change include

• reducing personal consumption and waste

• planting a garden or buying local produce

• using clean, affordable, and reliable energy sources responsibly

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

While climate is more stable than weather, climate is also susceptible to change due to natural processes and human activities.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Research the relative impacts of natural processes and human activities that affect climate change.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Water is a basic need for plants and animals and provides habitat for many organisms.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit laws of nature honour water as sacred, because water sustains life.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Organisms on Earth require water to meet their needs.

All people are responsible to care for water and water sources.

Laws of nature guide First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in their responsibility to protect water and sources of water.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Discuss ways that plants and animals use water to meet their basic needs.

Research plants and animals that exist in various bodies of water.

Demonstrate respect for water in the local environment.

Discuss the importance of water to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Data used to determine climate includes average

• temperature

• wind speed

• precipitation

• humidity

Average is a number that indicates the normal, expected, or typical value or amount.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit can bring long-term observations of climate for local context.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climate can be identified by analyzing long-term data and observations.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Interpret data about climate represented in diagrams, maps, tables, or graphs.

Identify similarities and differences between the Alberta climate and the climates of other Canadian provinces or territories.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Climate change can affect

• weather and extreme weather events

• migration patterns

• water resources

• forest fires

Traditional ways of living off the land, and hunting and gathering practices of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities have been impacted by climate change.

Theories on potential causes of the extinction of dinosaurs include worldwide climate change, a catastrophic meteoric event, or volcanic activity.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climate change over time can affect land, people, plants, and animals in a variety of ways.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Research the effects of climate change on land, people, plants, and animals.

Discuss how practices, such as the timing of planting and harvesting, have been impacted by climate change.

Research how climate change is affecting ways of living in northern, Inuit, and/or coastal communities in Canada.

Identify how climate change is affecting traditional ways of living off the land.

Research and compare theories about dinosaur extinction.

Propose ideas that will help humans address climate change in Canada and the world.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Changes made to one system that can impact another system include changes in

• number of organisms

• food sources

• habitat

• water cleanliness

• weather patterns

Governments, conservation groups, and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities collaborate with Parks Canada to conserve, restore, and protect Canada’s natural and cultural heritages through initiatives, such as

• culture camps

• science camps

• land management and preservation of important sites

• cultural centres

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Earth’s systems are interconnected.

Small changes to an environment can significantly impact organisms in that environment.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Explain how changes made to one system can have impacts on other systems.

Discuss the benefits of governments, conservation groups, and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities working alongside Parks Canada.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Tools and methods to track weather conditions include

• thermometers

• wind vanes

• windsocks

• anemometers

• barometers

• rain or snow gauges

• hygrometers

Websites and weather apps provide access to reliable weather information.

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities rely on traditional knowledge in addition to modern tools and methods to interpret and predict weather patterns.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Weather conditions, within any climate, are measured and tracked using a variety of tools and methods.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Construct simple weather instruments.

Observe and record local weather for a given time interval.

Represent local weather data using a journal, tables, charts, diagrams, or graphs.

Construct a sample weather map for a local region, indicating the temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and cloud cover at a given time.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Climate change can be identified through long-term observation and measurement of weather conditions, including amount of precipitation, temperature, and number of extreme weather events.

Climate change can be identified through long-term observation and measurement of environmental conditions, such as

• sea and ocean levels

• thickness and duration of sea ice

• permafrost changes

• number of forest fires

Climate observations come from a variety of sources, such as

• recorded information

• oral narratives

• surface layers, including ice, from different time periods on Earth

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Identifying changes in climate relies on observations from different points in time.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Compare historical observations and measurements of weather and environmental conditions to current data.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Natural resources include

• air

• water

• soil

• minerals

• metals

• organisms

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Earth’s systems include natural resources.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Investigate natural resources found locally.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Climate affects various aspects of human activity, including

• agriculture

• infrastructure

• clothing

• transportation

• recreation

Climate affects various aspects of animal activity, including

• migration patterns

• diet

• timing of having offspring (reproduction)

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climate has an effect on human and animal activity.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Explain how climate can influence human and animal activity.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Location factors that affect climate include

• latitude

• proximity to a large body of water

• elevation

• landforms

• urban or rural setting

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climate is dependent on location.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Compare and contrast the climate of selected Canadian cities or provinces based on their location.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Conservation is the preservation and protection of Earth’s systems from pollution, depletion, or extinction.

Conservation practices can be implemented in natural and cultivated areas.

Conservation involves creating parks, including

• local parks

• provincial parks

• national parks

Conservation can be informed by

• methods

• understandings

• processes

• history with the land

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Conservation can impact land, natural resources, and organisms.

Conservation aims to minimize disturbance of and impact on plants, animals, and land.

Many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit practise traditional methods of conservation within contemporary society.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Identify examples of conservation practices in natural and cultivated areas.

Evaluate the benefits of creating provincial and national parks.

Discuss how to balance human use of parks and conservation of wildlife.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Conservation agriculture is a sustainable agriculture practice.

Conservation agriculture practices are adapted to the requirements of the plants and animals being farmed, as well as the local climate and environment of each region.

Conservation agriculture practices include

• minimally disturbing soil

• maintaining soil covers

• rotating crops

Sustainable harvesting includes practices such as

• crop rotation

• companion planting

• limiting hunting and trapping

• considering future harvests

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Climate has an effect on agricultural practices.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Relate the types of plants and animals commonly farmed in Alberta to climate.

Research how agricultural production contributes to daily life in Alberta.

Investigate how conservation agriculture practices are used for the protection and maintenance of land.

Explain practices related to sustainable harvesting.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Technologies used to predict extreme weather events include radars, weather satellites, and computer modelling.

Technologies are emerging that allow for improved tracking and prediction of extreme weather events.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Extreme weather events are related to location and climate.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Relate extreme weather conditions to specific locations in Canada and on Earth.

Research technologies that are used to track and predict extreme weather events.

4

KNOWLEDGE

Conservation can be practised through actions around

• use of electricity

• use of water

• reducing waste

• daily life choices

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Conservation of Earth’s systems requires taking deliberate actions.

Conservation of Earth’s systems requires planning and design.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Describe examples of personal actions that contribute to conservation in daily life.

Create a plan to implement a conservation practice in a local environment.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Methods used to predict weather include

• computer modelling

• historical data

• satellite imaging

• traditional knowledge

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Weather predictions are very complex and made using a variety of methods.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Explain the importance of weather forecasts.

Investigate how computer modelling, historical data, satellite imaging, and traditional knowledge are used to predict the weather.

6

KNOWLEDGE

Traditional knowledge and modern technologies both provide information on long-term climate changes.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Collaboration between scientists, Elders, and traditional Knowledge Keepers provides a broader understanding of the effects of weather on people and the environment.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Discuss how scientists, Elders, and traditional Knowledge Keepers can collaborate to develop deeper understandings of the effects of weather on people and the environment.

Propose ideas on how local Elders, traditional Knowledge Keepers, and the scientific community can collaborate to support understanding of local climate and climate change.

5

KNOWLEDGE

Observations of weather conditions and animal behaviour can be used to recognize patterns and cycles.

Patterns and cycles can be used to predict weather conditions.

psychology

UNDERSTANDING

Intergenerational observations and accounts of place have enabled individuals and communities to recognize patterns and cycles related to weather and seasons.

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SKILLS & PROCEDURES

Examine how weather patterns and cycles can be used to predict weather conditions and animal behaviour.