001 - Hostile Environments

Factual Question

Why are areas categorised as hostile?

Where can the hostile areas be found?

Key Terminology

• Biome
• Hostile
• Environment

Define the words above using a dictionary.

Activity One - Watch

• Watch the clip below and suggest why the environment would be difficult to live in.

• What other areas would you class as hostile?

Activity One - Write

1. Copy and complete the paragraph below using the words in the box to help you.

Since early times people have depended on farming to stay _____________. In many parts of the world this is still true. In areas shown on your world map farming is usually DIFFICULT and sometimes ______________. In _____________ there is not enough rainfall. High up in ______________ it is cold and the steep slopes have little soil. In the _______________ the trees have to be chopped down. In the cold lands ______________ there is not enough warmth for crops to __________________. There are many DIFFICULTIES in hostile areas and because of this, _________________ people choose to live in these places.

Activity Two - Atlas Skills

• Copy the table below and fill in the type of hostile environment found at each place.
• Remember to use the words desert, mountain, rainforest and tundra (some of the places may have more than one hostile area).

Activity Three - Decide

• Complete the paragraph below by choosing the correct word for the sentence.

A map showing the population of LESS THAN/MORE THAN three people per kilometer illustrates where it is difficult for people to live. In Northern Canada the population is HIGH/LOW because it is too COLD/MOUNTAINOUS. In the EAST/WEST of the USA population is also low because of DESERTS/RAINFORESTS and mountains. There is a large band of low population in South America where the ANTARCTIC/AMAZON rainforest lies and a narrow strip along the ATLANTIC/PACIFIC coast in the ANDES/HIMALAYAN mountains.

Activity Four - Mapping

1. Collect a map of the world and shade in the key natural environments of the world. Remember to focus on mountains, tundra, deserts and rainforests.
2. Map on to the same map the areas found in the table above.

Resources

• Atlas