A Critique of the Proposed National Education Policy Reform
Key Geography Terms - Definitions of Important Environmental Vocabulary
1. Acid rain – rainwater that contains chemicals resulting from the burning
of fossil fuels
Adapt – vegetation and animals have had to learn to live with their
environment e.g. hot, cold, dry, wet etc.
Amerindian – indigenous (native) people of South America
Biodiversity – the number and range of plants and animals in one
ecosystem, greatest in tropical rainforests
Biome – a very large ecosystem such as the rainforest or coniferous
forest
Buttress roots – roots that stand above the ground to support large
trees
Canopy – an almost unbroken top layer of trees that acts like a roof over
a tropical rainforest
Climate – the average weather conditions of a place taken over many
years
Climate change – increase in world temperature – global warming
Convectional rainfall – rainfall produced when air rises after being
warmed by the ground
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2. Deciduous – plants that lose their leaves in autumn
Decomposition – the process of bacteria such as worms and
mushrooms, which break down dead material
Deforestation – the cutting down or burning of trees to clear large areas
of land
Cattle ranching – grazing cows for beef
Climograph – diagram containing a bar graph displaying precipitation
and a line graph displaying temperature
Coniferous – plants and trees that don’t lose their leaves such as pine
trees
Consumers – herbivores (plant eaters) and carnivores (meat eaters)
Ecosystem – the living community of plants and animals and the
physical factors upon which they depend on, such as climate and soil
Eco tourism – a sustainable form of green tourism aimed at protecting
the environment and local cultures
Evergreen – deciduous plants that don’t lose all their leaves at once in
the autumn but lose a few leaves daily so trees are green all year round
Equator – imaginary horizontal line that runs around the middle of the
earth, it is the hottest part of the world and lies between the Tropics of
Cancer and Capricorn, therefore tropical
Food chain (web)– the transfer of energy through an ecosystem from
primary producers to consumers and decomposers
Global warming – the increase in the worlds average temperature,
believed to be a result of the release of carbon dioxide and other gasses
into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels
Hardwood – a very expensive type of wood that is very had such as
mahogany, green heart and rosewood
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3. Hydro – electricity – energy from water in a reservoir flowing through a
dam
Liana – vine like plants that climb up trunks of trees before hanging
downwards from the branches
Living environment – the part of the environment that includes plants,
insects and animals
Logging – cutting down trees to sell for profit
Mining – extracting minerals from deep in the earth
Non-living environment – the part of the environment that includes
features such as solar energy, water, air and rocks
Nutrient recycling – the process by which minerals necessary for plant
growth are taken up from the soil and returned when the plant sheds
their leaves or die
Photosynthesis – the process by which green plants take in sunlight,
carbon dioxide and water to produce energy and oxygen
Producers – plants use energy from the sun through photosynthesis e.g.
leaves
Rainforest – jungle or forests found along the equator
Slash and burn – the cutting down of small areas of rainforest and
burning it to clear the ground fro growing crops
Soil erosion – soil is washed away without vegetation to protect it from
heavy rain
Soil fertility – how nutrient rich the soil is
Species – groups of plants or animals e.g. a species of dog is a Spaniel
Sustainable – able to be used for many years into the future without
harming the environment and depleting reserves
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4. Tropic of Cancer – line of latitude that runs 23 ½ north of the equator
Tropic of Capricorn – line of latitude that runs 23 ½ south of the
equator
Tropics – a band circling the earth between the Tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn containing hot and wet tropical rainforests along the equator
and hot and dry tropical deserts north and south of the equator
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14. LESSON 1; 1. Pack p10/11 Locations
2. Research a biome; information, map and
pictures, see examples p12 and 13
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
14
18. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
What's the weather like? 1
www.livingrainforest.org
How does our climate compare with that of a typical rainforest?
Using the information provided, answer the questions to find out.
Average monthly climate statistics for London and Manaus (in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest):
Using the figures in the table above, draw two climate graphs, one for London and one
for Manaus. Remember to show the rainfall as a bar chart and the temperature as a
line graph.
Colour the rainfall bars in blue and the temperature lines red. Don't forget to label the
graphs.
London
Temperature (o
C)
Rainfall (mm)
Jan DecNovOctSepAugJulJunMayAprMarFeb
4 56.510.51416.51715128.55.54
49 5159655260594847413939
Manaus
Temperature (o
C)
Rainfall (mm)
Jan DecNovOctSepAugJulJunMayAprMarFeb
26 26.52727.527.52726.526.526262626
264 220161111634667103204283298262
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20. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
What's the weather like? 2
www.livingrainforest.org
Complete the table below using the information from your graphs.
Would you prefer to live in London or Manaus? Explain your answer.
Extra time? Write a short paragraph explaining the differences between the climate
in London and central Brazil.
London
Which is the wettest month?
How much rain fell in the wettest month?
What is the total rainfall?
Which is the hottest month?
How hot is the hottest month?
Manaus
How cold is the coldest month?
What is the difference between the hottest
and coldest months?
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25. LESSON 2; 1. Find pictures of the flora and fauna of
tropical rainforest , at least five of each, extra
merit if you label them correctly!
2. Doddle; Rainforests mini quiz
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
25
27. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
Rainforest layers
www.livingrainforest.org
Complete the labels for each layer of the forest. Choose from the following words:
forest floor canopy understorey emergents
Some very tall trees tower
above the main forest layer.
These are called
This layer is called
the .
Many birds, monkeys and
other animals live here.
Here it is more airy, and
climbing plants can be found.
This is the .
On the
it is dark, hot and humid.
.
Now colour in your picture.
Extra time? Add some rainforest animals to your picture.
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40. LESSON 3; 1. Pack p31 Dominoes
2. Write a story about spending the night in the
jungle (tropical rainforest), what do you see,
hear and smell?
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
40
58. LESSON 4; 1. Pack p48 Ex 1, 2 and 3 (WWF leaflet as a
separate piece to go on the wall)
2. Pack p55 How are ecosystems at risk?
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
58
65. LESSON 5; Doddle;
Developing Rainforests mini quiz,
Resources and rainforests super quiz,
Eco-tourism extension quiz
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
65
67. ECOSYSTEMS AND TROPICAL
RAINFOREST HOMEWORK
Lesson 1; 1. Pack p10/11 Locations
2. Research a biome; information, map and
pictures, see examples p12 and 13
Lesson 2; 1. Find pictures of the flora and fauna of tropical
rainforests; at least five of each, extra merit if
you label them correctly
2. Doddle; Rainforests mini quiz
Lesson 3; 1. Pack p31 Dominoes
2. Write a story about spending the night in the
jungle (tropical rainforest); What do you see,
hear and smell?
Lesson 4; 1. Pack p48 Ex 1, 2 and 3 (WWF leaflet as a
separate piece to go on the wall)
2. Pack p55 How are ecosystems at risk?
Lesson 5; Doddle;
Developing Rainforests mini quiz,
Resources and rainforests super quiz,
Eco-tourism extension quiz
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