Download Unit 3 Lesson 5 Landforms of Canada Puzzle

Grade 9 Geography of Canada - Unit 3 Lesson 5
Canada’s Landform Regions
What is a Landform
A landform is any physical feature of the Earth’s surface having a
characteristic, recognizable shape and produced by natural causes.
Landforms include major features (e.g., continents, ocean basins, plains,
plateaus, mountain ranges) and minor features (e.g., hills, valleys, slopes,
drumlins, dunes).
Collectively, the landforms of Earth constitute the entire surface configuration
of the planet.
Canada has three distinct landform regions: (1) Canadian Shield, (2) highlands
and (3) lowlands.
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield – also called the Precambrian Shield -- is Canada’s
largest and oldest landform. It is a deep, joined bedrock region typically
covered by a very thin layer of soil. The thin soil is due to glaciation and
scraped off much of the soil layer.
The Canadian Shield covers almost 8 million square kilometres of North
American representing more than 50 percent of Canada. It covers much of
Labrador, most of Quebec north of the St. Lawrence River, east and north
Ontario, the central/northern portions of Manitoba excluding the area around
Hudson Bay, much of northern Saskatchewan, a small portion of northeastern
Alberta, and mainland Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
How old is this region? The rocks do NOT contain deposits of fossils fuels
such as coal, oil or gas. The life forms that produced these fuels did not exist
at the time the Canadian Shield was formed. The rocks are over 570 million
years old.
Drainage is very poor.
The Canadian Shield is covered by boreal forests in the south and tundra in
the north.
Lowlands
Three lowland areas surround the Canadian Shield: (1) Interior Plains, (2) Great
Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands and (3) the Hudson Bay-Arctic Lowlands.
Interior Plains
The Interior Plains of Canada are part of the Great Plains of North
America.
They are the eroded sediments from the Canadian Shield and the Rocky
Mountains. Each layer of sediments was compressed under layers of new
sediment. These layers are several thousand metres thick and took
millions of years to form. The compressed layers are much of the oil and
gas in Alberta and Saskatchewan is found.
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Lowlands
This is a small landform. The region is located in the southern parts of
Quebec and Ontario bordering the St. Lawrence River and the Great
Lakes.
The Great Lakes Lowland developed from glacial deposits off the
Canadian Shield. The St. Lawrence Lowland is a rift valley formed by
faulting.
More people live in this region than in all the rest of Canada.
Hudson Bay-Arctic Lowlands
The Hudson Bay Lowland is a very flat, low area covered by swampy
forest. The characteristic vegetation is muskeg.
The Arctic Lowland is a series of islands in Canada's far north. The
ground remains frozen most of the year. The sedimentary rock contains
lignite (a form of coal), oil and natural gas deposits.
Highlands
Canada has three highland areas that lie outside the lowlands. The three
mountainous areas are (1) Appalachian Mountains, (2) Innuitian Mountains and
(3) Western Cordillera.
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains are found along Canada’s Atlantic coast
occurring throughout the Maritimes, the Gaspé Peninsula and
Newfoundland.
The region consists of sedimentary rocks that were uplifted when North
America collided with Europe and North Africa during the formation of the
Pangaea.
The rocks are rich in non-metallic metals such as coal.
The once tall, jagged mountains have, over millions of years, been eroded
to rolling mountains and hills.
During the last Ice Age, deep water inlets were formed creating long bays.
Innuitian Mountains
These mountains occur in Canada’s far north.
These mountains are largely unexplored and the population is sparse due
to the severe climate in the region.
Some peaks are over 2,500 m in height suggesting the area is younger
geologically than the Appalachian Mountains.
The region is mostly sedimentary rock.
Western Cordillera
The region flanks the Pacific coast of Canada.
It comprises a series of mountain belts separated by plateaus and valleys.
The total region is about 680 km wide. These mountains were formed
when the Pacific tectonic plate forced its way under the North American
tectonic plate. This collision caused folds and faults to occur. Along with
the volcanic activity, the Western Cordillera Mountains were formed.
The Western Cordillera consists of three mountains ranges that run north
and south: (1) Eastern Mountains consisting of the Rocky and the
Columbia Mountains, (2) the Interior Plateau which includes the Okanagan
Valley and (3) the Coast Mountains that include the Coast Range.
The great heights (reaching over 3,000 m) and angularity of the peaks
suggest the Western Cordillera is much younger geologically than the
Appalachians.
NOTE: Canada has seven landform regions. This map identifies eight, but the
Arctic Lowlands and Hudson Bay Lowlands can be combined as one region: the
Arctic and Hudson Bay Lowlands.
Grade 9 Geography of Canada - Unit 3 Lesson 5
Canada’s Landform Regions
Instructions: Using Chapter 11 in your textbook Making Connections, identify the
landform region using the clues, questions and riddles.
1. Differential erosion has created three different levels of elevation in this
landform region.
2. “Though I try, I find digging hard and staying warm is quite a feat” in many
parts of this landform region.
3. Every other landform region relied on me.
4. These mountainous landform region was formed by uplifting and folding of
rocks at the end of the Paleozoic era
5. I am the middle sibling of Canada’s other mountain landform regions
6. People place me at the heart of Canada
7. How can 50% of you get into the 14% that is me?
8. When you think of Sudbury, you think of this landform region.
9. Sediments from the Canadian Shield and the Rocky Mountains were
deposited in this landform region many millions of years ago.
Canada’s Landform Regions…2
10. The Rocky Mountains make up only one part of me.
11. This landform region is along the southwestern shores of Hudson Bay and
James Bay.
12. Glacial and river deposition have made parts of this elevated landform
region excellent farmland
13. Part of this landform region is a rift valley formed by faulting.
14. Drowned coastlines were formed in this landform region by the sheer
weight of the glaciers during the last Ice Age.
15. I am very sturdy but not too young, and I once stood tall but time was worn
me down.
16. I am a very active landform region preferring to shake, rattle and roll.
17. If you walk on me, you will usually see tracks.
18. I was made greater by the gouging of glaciers
19. Part of this landform region is a series of islands.
Canada’s Landform Regions…3
20. Because of the thick layers of rich and fertile soils developed from
sediment deposits, this region is known as “Canada’s Breadbasket”
21. My rocks may look like Scotland, but I am not.
22. Reach inside me and you may find what others are fighting for.
23. This region is Canada’s Storehouse of Metallic Minerals
24. This region was formed by the collision of the North American and Pacific
plates
25. The sedimentary rocks in this harsh landform region contain rich deposits
of lignite, oil and natural gas.
26. To your surprise, I roll a bit.
27. The Niagara Escarpment is found in this landform region
28. This region is Canada’s oldest highland landform region
29. Stand on my edge and you may slip in, but a cat would enjoy my shape.
Canada’s Landform Regions…4
30. This mountain landform region is mostly composed of sedimentary rock.
31. Glaciers eroded the coastal valleys in this landform region to create fiords.
32. The vegetation in this low-lying landform region must like water.
33. This landform region is part of the Great Plains of North America
34. The plateaus in this landform region contain metallic minerals such as iron
and zinc.
CONGRATULATIONS
You have successfully got to the final question…well done. Your knowledge of
Canada’s landform regions is no longer frozen in ice.
For the final question, you must use all the clues and answers you have gathered
to date.
FINAL QUESTION (for all the rocks) - Something is wrong. I just do not
add up to the other landform regions.
Landform Regions of Canada
ANSWERS
1. Differential erosion has created three different levels of elevation in this
landform region.
INTERIOR PLAINS
2. “Though I try, I find digging hard and staying warm is quite a feat” in many
parts of this landform region.
HUDSON BAY – ARCTIC LOWLANDS
3. Every other landform region relied on me.
CANADIAN SHIELD
4. These mountainous landform region was formed by uplifting and folding of
rocks at the end of the Paleozoic era
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
5. I am the middle sibling of Canada’s other mountain landform regions
INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS
6. People place me at the heart of Canada
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
7. How can 50% of you get into the 14% that is me?
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
8. When you think of Sudbury, you think of this landform region.
CANADIAN SHIELD
9. Sediments from the Canadian Shield and the Rocky Mountains were
deposited in this landform region many millions of years ago.
INTERIOR PLAINS
Landforms – Answers…2
10. The Rocky Mountains make up only one part of me.
WESTERN CORDILLERA
11. This landform region is along the southwestern shores of Hudson Bay and
James Bay.
HUDSON BAY – ARCTIC LOWLANDS
12. Glacial and river deposition have made parts of this elevated landform
region excellent farmland
WESTERN CORDILLERA
13. Part of this landform region is a rift valley formed by faulting.
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
14. Drowned coastlines were formed in this landform region by the sheer
weight of the glaciers during the last Ice Age.
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
15. I am very sturdy but not too young, and I once stood tall but time was worn
me down.
CANADIAN SHIELD
16. I am a very active landform region preferring to shake, rattle and roll.
WESTERN CORDILLERA
17. If you walk on me, you will usually see tracks.
INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS
18. I was made greater by the gouging of glaciers
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
19. Part of this landform region is a series of islands.
HUDSON BAY – ARCTIC LOWLANDS
Landforms – Answers…3
20. Because of the thick layers of rich and fertile soils developed from
sediment deposits, this region is known as “Canada’s Breadbasket”
INTERIOR PLAINS
21. My rocks may look like Scotland, but I am not.
APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS
22. Reach inside me and you may find what others are fighting for.
INTERIOR PLAINS
23. This region is Canada’s Storehouse of Metallic Minerals
CANADIAN SHIELD
24. This region was formed by the collision of the North American and Pacific
plates
WESTERN CORDILLERA
25. The sedimentary rocks in this harsh landform region contain rich deposits
of lignite, oil and natural gas.
HUDSON BAY – ARCTIC LOWLANDS
26. To your surprise, I roll a bit.
INTERIOR PLAINS
27. The Niagara Escarpment is found in this landform region
GREAT LAKES – ST. LAWRENCE LOWLANDS
28. This region is Canada’s oldest highland landform region
APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS
Landforms – Answers…4
29. Stand on my edge and you may slip in, but a cat would enjoy my shape.
CANADIAN SHIELD
30. This mountain landform region is mostly composed of sedimentary rock.
INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS
31. Glaciers eroded the coastal valleys in this landform region to create fiords.
WESTERN CORDILLERA
32. The vegetation in this low-lying landform region must like water.
HUDSON BAY – ARCTIC LOWLANDS
33. This landform region is part of the Great Plains of North America
INTERIOR PLAINS
34. The plateaus in this landform region contain metallic minerals such as iron
and zinc.
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
For the final question, you must use all the clues and answers you have gathered
to date.
FINAL QUESTION (for all the rocks) - Something is wrong. I just do not
add up to the other landform regions.
INNUITIAN MOUNTAINS