Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit introduces climate zones around the world. Pupils use maps and climate data to spot patterns, compare environments, and explore how plants and animals adapt to different conditions. The unit also introduces climate change.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand the position of the Earth in space in relation to the sun and how this affects climate.

Key Notes

• The Earth rotates on a tilted axis as it orbits the sun.
• The sun's energy is more concentrated near the Equator and spread out over a larger area near the poles.
• Average temperature across the Earth is related to how far from the Equator a place is located.
• Climate is the average pattern of weather taken over a period of time, usually 30 years.
• Some areas of the world share a similar climate; we call these climate zones.

Vocabulary To Learn

• solar energy: The light and heat that come from the sun's rays are solar energy.
• Equator: The Equator is an imaginary line of latitude going around the centre of Earth.
• poles: The North Pole is at the northern end of Earth's axis and the South Pole is at the southern end of Earth's axis.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• That weather and climate are the same thing.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Adaptations of plants and animals in different biomes Study Guide
• Climate change Study Guide
• Climate data and patterns Study Guide
• The differences between climate zones and biomes Study Guide
• Using lines of latitude to locate the main climate zones Study Guide