Activity One - Describe - Arid

The first syllabus point is asking for you to describe what deserts look like (but not landforms at this stage) and to describe their general climate. Deserts can look different to each other depending on where they are located but there are generalisations that can still be made. 

• • 1. What are the key climatic characteristics of arid and semi-arid environments? Use the first youtube clip to answer this question and then the textbook 'Arid Environments' by Lucy Cole to help flesh out your answer. 

    2. Why does such extreme heat affect the human body so badly? Read the article by Scientific America in the 'Useful Resources' section below.

    3. Why do arid environments have unreliable precipitation events?

    4. What is the relief like in arid environments. Use the second youtube clip to answer the question.

Useful Resources

Activity Two - Describe and Explain - Flash Floods

Flash floods have an amazing source of energy to change the landscape. The syllabus point is asking you to consider the following things: Why do flash floods happen? What conditions are needed for the flooding to occur? Watch the clip below and describe what you see.

• • 1. What are the causes of flash floods in desert regions?

    2. Read the article below and make notes on why flash floods are a relevant natural hazard for geographers to study. Don't forget to write about the location and why it is susceptible to flash flooding.

Activity Three - Challenges

While it is all well and good to know what makes arid areas dry and hot, the information you have learnt becomes more powerful when you link it to human habitation and resource exploitation. Answer the questions below:

• • 1. How do the characteristics of extreme environments create challenges for resource exploitation and habitation? Use the padlet below to share your ideas.

    2. Once we have shared our ideas make a copy for your notes.

Activity Four - Detailed Example

You are now going to link your the key ideas of this lesson together by creating a detailed example for a specific desert. You can choose either of the examples below or a desert area of your choice. Remember a detailed example is between one and two paragraphs in length. If you bullet point your detailed example it should include no more information than can fit on an A6 piece of paper. For a detailed example you need to include the following things:

• • • • • • • • • Desert name

                • Location

                • Description of the climate

                • Description of the relief

                • State whether there is human habitation and whether there is resource extraction occurring.

The Sahara - Niger

Death Valley - California