Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Frisch’s Outreach: African Safari (4-6) Extensions At a glance This program will allow your students to learn about the Geography and Climate of Africa. And where these animals live.. Goal This class is designed to familiarize students with Africa. The students will learn what its climate is like, what types of animals live there and how they survive. Objectives The students will gain an understanding of the basic features of maps and how to read them. The students will know where the major geographic features of Africa are located. The students will be able to identify what types of habitats are found on the African Continent and learn where these habitats are located. The students will understand how the program animal lives and survives in its habitat. The student will be able to identify what is the range of the program animal. Theme Africa has a unique geography that has an impact on its wildlife. Sub-themes What types of habitats are found in Africa. What adaptations do animals have to survive in their habitats. Academic standards Ohio Science Academic Content Standards Grade 5 Grade 7 Grade 10 Title (X-X): Extensions Life Sciences Benchmark C – 4,5,6, Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark C-8, Life Sciences Benchmark E-14, Benchmark F-14,16,17, Benchmark G-18,19, Page 1 of 8 Grade 11 Grade 12 Kentucky Core Content— Science Ohio Social Studies Academic Content Standards Kentucky Core Content— Social Studies/Geography Title (X-X): Extensions Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark B-4, Benchmark C-12, Life Sciences Benchmark E-6,8, Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark B-5, Life Sciences Benchmark C-12 Benchmark E-7,8, Life Science: Grade 4 The Characteristics of Organisms: SC-E-3.1.2, SC-E-3.1.3 Life Cycle of Organisms: SC-E-3.2.2 Organisms And Their Environment: SC-E-3.3.1 Grades 5-7 Structure & Function in Living Systems: SC-M-3.1.1 Regulation and Behavior: SC-M-3.2.1, SC-M-3.2.2, SC-M-3.2.3 Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms: SC-M-3.4.1, SC-M-3.4.2 Populations and Ecosystems: SC-M-3.5.1, SC-M-3.5.2, SC-M-3.5.3, SC-M-3.5.4 Grade 8-12 Interdependence of Organisms: SC-H-3.5.3 Behavior of an Organism: SC-H-3.2.1,SC-H-3.2.2, SC-H-3.2.3 Grade 5 Geography Benchmark A-1,2, Benchmark B-3,4,5, Benchmark C-8,9, Grade 6 Geography Benchmark A-1, Benchmark B-4, Benchmark C-5,6,7, Grade 4 SS-E-4.1.1, SS-E-4.1.2, SS-E-4.1.5 SS-E-4.2.1, SS-E-4.2.2 SS-E-4.3.2, SS-E-4.3.3 SS-E-4.4.1, SS-E-4.4.2, SS-E-4.4.3, SS-E-4.4.4 Grades 5-7 SS-M-4.1.1, SS-M-4.1.2 SS-M-4.2.1, SS-M-4.2.2 SS-M-4.4.1, SS-M-4.4.2, SS-M-4.4.3, SS-M-4.4.4 Grades 8-12 SS-H-4.1.1, SS-H-4.1.2 SS-H-4.4.1, SS-H-4.4.2, SS-H-4.4.4 Page 2 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Background Geography Africa when compared to the other continents has a very unique geography. It has many extremes, from very hot and dry regions in the north and south, to the tropical rainforests in the center of the continent. Africa lacks a major continental mountain range such as the Himalayas or the Andes. The average elevation of the continent approximates closely to 2,000 ft above sea level, roughly the same as both North and South America, but considerably less than that of Asia, 3,117 ft. When compared with other continents, there is little land on very high or very low ground. Lands under 600 ft or over 10,000 ft occupy an unusually small part of the surface. Not only are the highest elevations less than those of Asia or South America, but the area of land over 10,000 ft is also much less, being represented almost entirely by individual peaks and mountain ranges. Moderately elevated tablelands are the characteristic feature of the continent, though the surface of these is broken by higher peaks and ridges. Apart from the lowlands and the Atlas mountain range, the continent may be divided into two regions of higher and lower plateaus, the dividing line runs from the middle of the Red Sea to just south of the Congo River on the west coast. Climate Africa lies almost entirely within the tropics, equally to north and south of the equator. Because of this, Africa does not show excessive variations of temperature. In the North, the great width of the continent limits the moderating influence of the oceans. Great heat is experienced in the lower plains and desert regions. In addition, the contrast between day and night, summer and winter, is greatest. Farther south, the heat may be modified by the moisture brought from the ocean, and by the greater elevation of a large part of the surface, especially in East Africa, where the range of temperature is wider than in the Congo basin or on the Guinea coast. In the extreme north and south the climate is a warm temperate one, the northern countries being on the whole hotter and drier than those in the southern zone; the south of the continent being narrower than the north, the influence of the surrounding ocean is more felt. The most important climatic differences are due to variations in the amount of rainfall. The Sahara in the north and the Kalahari in the south receive very little rainfall, while the scarcity of mountain ranges in these regions tends to prevent rainfall. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 3 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden In the inter-tropical zone of summer precipitation, the rainfall is greatest when the sun is vertical or soon after. It is therefore greatest of all near the equator, where the sun is twice vertical, and less in the direction of both tropics. Within the equatorial zone certain areas, especially on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and in the upper Nile basin, have an intensified rainfall, but this rarely approaches that of the rainiest regions of the world. The rainiest district in all Africa is a strip of coastland west of Mount Cameroon, where there is a mean annual rainfall of about 390 inches. The two distinct rainy seasons of the equatorial zone, where the sun is vertical at half-yearly intervals, become gradually merged into one in the direction of the tropics, where the sun Africa lies almost entirely within the tropics, equally to north and south of the equator. Because of this, Africa does not show excessive variations of temperature. In the north, the great width of the continent limits the moderating influence of the oceans. Great heat is experienced in the lower plains and desert regions. In addition, the north also has the greatest contrast between day and night, summer and winter. Farther south, the heat may be modified by the moisture brought from the ocean, and by the greater elevation of a large part of the surface, especially in East Africa, where the range of temperature is wider than in the Congo basin or on the Guinea coast. In the extreme north and south the climate is a warm temperate zone, the northern countries being hotter and drier than those in the southern zone. Because the south of the continent is narrower than the north, the ocean has a greater influence. Therefore it is not quite as warm and dry as it is in the north. The most important climatic differences are due to variations in the amount of rainfall. The Sahara in the north and the Kalahari in the south receive very little rainfall. The scarcity of mountain ranges in these regions tends to prevent rainfall. Within the equatorial zone certain areas, especially on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea and in the upper Nile basin, have an intensified rainfall, but this rarely approaches that of the rainiest regions of the world. The rainiest district in all Africa is a strip of coastland west of Mount Cameroon, where there is a mean annual rainfall of about 390 inches. The two distinct rainy seasons of the equatorial zone, where the sun is vertical at half-yearly intervals, become gradually merged into one in the direction of the tropics, where the sun is overhead but once. Snow falls on all the higher mountain ranges, and on the highest peaks the climate is thoroughly Alpine. The countries bordering the Sahara are much exposed to a very dry wind, full of fine particles of sand, blowing from the desert towards the sea. This winds great dryness causes so much evaporation that cold temperatures often occur. Similar dry winds blow from the Kalahari Desert in the south. On the eastern coast the monsoons of the Indian Ocean are regularly felt, and on the southeast coast hurricanes are occasionally experienced. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 4 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Fauna of Africa The more characteristic African fauna is found in the Afrotropical ecoregion - formerly called Ethiopian (the Sub-Saharan Africa). Lying almost entirely within the tropics, and equally to north and south of the equator creates favorable conditions for rich wildlife. In arid areas of Northern Africa the fauna includes 129 species of mammals, 133 species of resident birds, and 87 species of reptiles. Large mammals are mainly of Afrotropical and small mammals of Mediterranean kinships. Birds are predominantly Mediterranean, while reptiles are evenly balanced between Mediterranean and tropical species. Towards south the fauna gradually changes to more typical African fauna. Savannas are grasslands characterized by seasonal water availability, with the majority of rainfall being confined to one season of the year. They provide habitats for a wide array of animals, many of which foster the vegetation through grazing, pollinating, or seed dispersal. Some areas of savanna are managed now to maintain the grazing mammals, such as the ungulates. The Big Five game animals, zebras, hyenas, wildebeest, cheetahs, gazelles and warthog are some examples of the grassland mammals. The Sahel region was formerly home to large populations of grazing mammals too (including the Scimitar-horned Oryx, Dama Gazelle, Dorcas Gazelle and Red-fronted Gazelle, and Bubal Hartebeest, along with large predators like the African Wild Dog, Cheetah, and Lion), but the larger species have been greatly reduced in number by over-hunting and competition with livestock. The Great Rift Valley with its lakes and mountains goes through the plains area of East Africa, and has especially diverse animal life. The African equatorial rainforests are home to half of the continent's animal species. The rainforests of Central Africa's Congo Basin are second largest in the world after the Amazon. Africa's deforestation, road construction and slash-and-burn farming have already wiped out roughly 90 percent of the West Africa's rainforests, whereas the 'bushmeat' hunting has diminished the numbers of animals. These forests are home to numerous animals found nowhere else (e.g. okapi, bongos, gorillas, water chevrotain, and pottos). Of special importance as a well-known biodiversity hotspot are the forests of eastern Madagascar (lemurs, aye-aye, tenrecs, fossa). The main desert regions in Africa are - the Sahara in northern Africa (home to African Wild Ass, Nubian Ibex) and the Kalahari and Namib deserts, in the south. The Namid is inhabited by many rare animals (African wild dog, Aardwolf, Black-footed cat, Meerkat) Title (X-X): Extensions Page 5 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Habitats and Geographic Features For grades 4 – 6 use the habitats and features that are highlighted in bold. For higher grades and more advanced classes you can add the others. Habitats of Africa: To find where these habitats are located, refer to the World Biodiversity map on pg 11 in the National Geographic World Atlas 7th edition. Mediterranean Shrub. Desert and Dry Shrub Tropical Grassland and Savanna Flooded Grassland Mountain Grassland Tropical Rain Forest Mangrove Geographic Features of Africa To locate these features, use the physical map of Africa on pg 109 in the National Geographic World Atlas 7th edition. Atlantic Ocean, West Coast Atlas Mountains, F3 – F7 Cape of Good Hope, Y10 Congo Basin, P10 – P12 Congo River, R9 Ethiopian Highlands, L15 – M15 Great Rift Valley, U15 – L16 The Great Rift Valley extends from the Zambezi River Delta (U15) to Djibouti (L16). Lakes Malawi, Tanganyika and Turkana lie within this valley. Indian Ocean, Southeast Coast Kilimanjaro, Q15 Lake Victoria, P14 Madagascar, T18 – W17 Mediterranean Sea, D5 – D13 Nile Delta, F13 Nile River, F13 – P14 Red Sea, G13 – K15 Sahara Desert, H3 – H12 Sahel (the sudan), K3 – K13 Serengeti Plain, Q14 Somali Peninsula (Horn of Africa), L1 Kalahari Desert, W11 Vocabulary Adaptation – Something an animal has or something an animal does to help it survive. Basin – All the land drained by a river and the streams that flow into it. Cape – A point of land extending into the water. Climate – The kind of weather a place has over a period of years. Climate includes conditions of heat and cold, moisture and dryness, clearness and cloudiness, wind and calm. Title (X-X): Extensions Continent – One of the seven great masses of land on the planet earth. The continents are Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Equator – An imaginary circle around the middle of the earth, halfway between the North Pole and South Pole. Desertification – The process of turning into an arid or desert land. Direction – Any way in which one may face or point. North, south, east, and west are directions. Page 6 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Globe – A sphere with a map of the earth on it. This is the most accurate world map. Activity #2 Pick a county in the region that they just learned about. Gulf – A large bay, arm of an ocean or sea extending into the land. Have them choose an animal that is from their country. It can not be one of the animals that was brought in for the presentation. Habitat – The place where an animal or plant naturally lives or grows. Isthmus – A narrow strip of land with water on both sides of it, connecting two larger bodies of land. Have them find out what type of habitat it lives in. How it survives in that habitat. Latitude - Distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees. What is its home range? Draw the home range on a map. Longitude – Distance east or west on the earth’s surface, measured in degrees from a certain meridian. Activity #3 Ask the students if they could dig a hole straight down through the center of the earth all they way to the other side, where would they wind up? Map – A drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it, usually showing countries, cities, rivers, seas, lakes and mountains. Ocean – The great body of salt water that covers almost 3 quarters of the earth’s surface. The four main subdivisions are the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Some consider the waters surrounding Antarctica to be a separate ocean. Extensions Activity #1 Have the students draw a map of the school, a local natural area or their backyard. It should include landmarks such as trees, any type of water such as a pond or creek. It should also include different habitats such as fields, woods, ponds or wetlands. Have the students find the location of the school on the globe. Have them find the opposite location on the globe. Mark these two locations on a flat map How close is this to where they thought they would be? What Continent is it on, or what ocean is it in? If it is in the Ocean, what is the nearest Continent? If it is on a Continent, what is the nearest Ocean? Have them identify on the map where they may have seen any wildlife or signs of animals such as a nest or tracks. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 7 of 8 Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Activity #4 Part One Have the students think about every place they went and everything they did yesterday. Try to have them put these things in order. Have them draw a map of their neighborhood. Have them mark all the places where they did these activities on there personal home range maps. Ask them the following questions: Where did they sleep? Where did they eat? Where did their food come from? Who got the food? Where is their school? Resources National Geographic Atlas of the World, 7th edition. National Geographic Society, 1999 P. Jay Fetner, African Safari, St. Martin's Press , 1987 Arthur N. Strahler, Physical Geography, 2nd edition, John Wiley and Sons, 1960 www.africanculturalcenter.org www.geography.howstuffworks.com/ africa/geography-of-africa.htm Have them mark these locations on their maps Compare this to the day of a wild animal. Part Two Have the student observe an animal such as a bird or a squirrel in their back yard. Have them draw a map of places that the animal visited while it was being observed. Try to figure out where it found food, sought cover, where it may have a nest or a den. Compare this map to their personal home range maps from part one. Title (X-X): Extensions Page 8 of 8