Year 9 - Geography
The Arctic Tundra
Ice and glaciers: How are cold places affected by a warming planet?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit teaches pupils about the physical processes that influence cold places around the world and how areas of ice have changed over time due to climatic variations. Pupils will learn about the impact of global warming on glaciated areas and what this means for the future of our planet.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe the Arctic Tundra and explain what life is like there.
Key Notes
- The tundra is a treeless landscape found at high latitudes.
- In the winter the tundra is frozen and dark and experiences 24 hours of darkness.
- Some of the ground in the tundra is permafrost, this is ground which is permanently frozen.
- Animals such as the Arctic fox and the polar bear can be found in the tundra.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Tundra: a vast, flat, treeless region; a large-scale, global ecosystem
- Permafrost: any ground that remains completely frozen
- Adaptation: a process of change over time; a feature of a living thing that enables it to exist in a particular environment
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Animals in the Arctic are camouflaged with white fur all year round.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
The tundra is a treeless landscape found at high latitudes. In the winter the tundra is frozen and dark and experiences 24 hours of darkness.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'Tundra'
a vast, flat, treeless region; a large-scale, global ecosystem.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Animals in the Arctic are camouflaged with white fur all year round. Correction: The Arctic fox is camouflaged with white fur in winter and brown fur in summer.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Antarctic food webs Study Guide
- Antarctica: A frozen wilderness Study Guide
- Climate change in polar regions Study Guide
- Countries in the Arctic Study Guide
- Evidence of glaciation in the UK Study Guide
- Glacial landforms Study Guide
- Glacial processes Study Guide
- Glacier formation Study Guide
- Ice change over time Study Guide
- Protecting Antarctica Study Guide
- The Mer De Glace Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Geography guide library.