Teacher Guide for FACES ® Extreme PlacesMay 2006
Teacher Guide prepared by Betty Lou Askin, a retired elementary school principal in Ontario.
Before reading the issue:
High Five (pg. 2-3)
Extreme Places around the World (pg. 4-5)
If each of your students has an atlas, ask them to locate these places. Or, use a large wall Map of the World and ask students to point out the locations.
The Rainiest Place (pg. 6-7)
Vocabulary: extinct, eroded, impenetrable, species, stunted, mecca, pristine
What has the rainfall created on Kauai? Compare the rainfall in your area with that of Kauai. Why would Kauai have the most species of endangered forest birds? How can scientists now explore on Kauai? Why is some of the vegetation stunted? Why would "No rain, no rainbows" be a popular saying?
Going to Extremes (pg. 8-11)
Vocabulary: trenches, satellites, barren, inhospitable
Before reading this article, ask the students to describe what they think would make an extreme place. List their ideas on the board. After making the list, discuss what life might be like for humans, animals and plants. How was Mt. Everest created? If Mt. Everest was placed at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, how much water would there be between the mountaintop and the surface of the ocean? How is the ocean bottom similar to land? How is the Atacama Desert helping with future exploration? What do the heavy rains produce in Mount Waialeale? Measure 200 + feet on the ground (or a building) to get a sense of the height of redwoods. Make a picture of Angel Falls.
Yellowstone National Park (pg. 11)
Vocabulary: spurting, spouts, disbelieved, geothermal, geysers, porous, pressurized, fumaroles
What was USA's first national park? Where is it located? What are geothermal features? Make a list of these. What is the difference between a geyser and a hot spring? What are fumaroles? Explain how mud can boil. Why is Old Faithful a popular attraction? Pretend that you are John Colter. Write a paragraph to describe the new exploration site.
Near the Ends of Earth (pg. 12-15)
Vocabulary: aurora borealis, solar ions
When is there light in winter at Siorapaluk? How are the aurora borealis created? When there is little light in Siorapaluk why is there little dark in Ushuaia? Who built Ushuaia? Describe what you might do as a tourist in Siorapaluk. Choose a season to visit Ushuaia. Explain why you would visit at that time of year. Why would birds from your backyard be seen in Argentina?
A Matter of Survival (pg. 14-15)
Vocabulary: regulate, plummet
Life at the Top (pg. 16-17)
Vocabulary: plateau, nomads, hypoxia, homeostasis, adaptation, cultural, physiological, yak, repel, fleece, evolutionary
What does adapted to your environment mean? Explain how a human or an animal adapts to its environment. Why is the Tibetan Plateau a harsh environment? Describe the plateau. What does hypoxia cause? What is cultural adaptation? How do animal skins help the Tibetan people? Explain "seasonal shifts". - List three physiological adaptations.
Standing Room Only (pg. 18-19) Vocabulary: navigate, frenzied, misconception, fertility rate
Describe Mongkok's market district. Why are officials worried about crowded places? Where do most people live in Hong Kong? Why? Compare your area's people per square mile. Why do businesses find creative locations? Are there large families in Hong Kong? Why? What is Hong Kong's trade? How has Lagos grown? What are some of the problems in Lagos? Name some of the beautiful aspects of Lagos.
Near & Far (pg. 20-23) Vocabulary: tributary, savor, boulders, terrain, cataracts, travertine deposits
How would you travel to Supai? Why is a pact train needed? How do you know that the Havasupai residents value their privacy? Suggest reasons why the Havasupai people choose to live such an isolated existence.
Life in the Andes (pg. 22-23) Vocabulary: eke, alpaca
Describe the inside of Marino's house. Make a list of the foods eaten by Marino's family. Why are sales for wool dropping? What other jobs does Marino have?
Science in a Land of Extremes (pg. 24-27) Vocabulary: meteorology, oceanography, geology, astrophysics, biology, seismology, glaciology
Why do you think that so many scientists wish to get grants to study in Antarctica? Why is summer October through February in Antarctica? Explain why scientists must take a training course before working there. Describe leisure time for the scientists. What do scientists do in the field? Describe winter in Antarctica.
Life Aboard an Icebreaker (pg. 26-27)
· Why is the bow rounded?
· What amusement is provided for the crew?
· Why do the icebreakers carry their own supplies?
· Why are icebreakers necessary?
A Liquid Lake Wrapped in Ice (pg. 28-29)
· Why is it important that scientists study Lake Vostok?
· Why is the water in Lake Vostok not frozen?
· Why did drilling stop in 1999?
· Describe how they plan to reach the lake.
· Why would the study of Europa be important to us?
Timbuktu in 52 Days (pg. 30-32)
· What continues to keep Timbuktu important today?
· Why was salt as valuable as gold in the past?
· What is a modern day explorer?
· Why would your hotel room be dark in the daytime?
· Why would a mud house keep its shape?
· Why are there communal gardens?
· Who are the Tuareg?
· Why did """The Little Tuareg""" follow the visitors for two days?
Singing Sands (pg. 33)
· What noises do booming sands make?
· How does sand sing?
· Why does it stop singing?
· Where else can we find booming sands?
The Wettest Place on Earth (pg. 36-37)
· What is the average rainfall where you live?
· Why is there a shortage of water in the wettest place?
· What happens during the dry season?
· Suggest ways in which water might be stored.
Yakutsk (pg. 38-39)
· Why did Yakutsk become a city?
· Why is it an important city today?
· Why are the people known as good hunters?
· How is Yakutsk connected to the rest of Russia?
· Why are buildings built 4 feet above ground?
· Describe the work of the Permafrost Research Institute.
Lake Baikal (pg. 38-39)
· How is Lake Baikal used in the winter months?
· Name three reasons why Lake Baikal is special.
Human Homes That Master the Weather (pg. 40-41)
· Describe an underground cave.
· Why do some people build their homes on stilts?
· What are nomads?
· Why do gers suit the nomads?
· Make pictures of the various types of homes.
The Atlantic""'s Forgotten Island (pg. 42-43)
· Why are most of the islands not inhabited?
· Explain why potatoes are a good crop to grow on Tristan?
· How do the people sustain themselves on the isolated island?
· What are the two main industries?
· Why are family bonds so strong?
Brother Camel, Sister Date Palm (pg. 44-45)
· How does this creation story differ from the one you know?
· Choose one of the extreme places in this article. Write a creation story, similar to this passage, using the information provided for your chosen location.
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