Genetic and Empirical Approaches to Classifying Climates
This is a partially developed activity description. It is included in the collection because it contains ideas useful for teaching even though it is incomplete.
This activity has benefited from a review and suggestion process as a part of an activity development workshop.
HideThis activity has benefited from a review and suggestion process as a part of an activity development workshop.
This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process as a part of an activity development workshop. Workshop participants were provided with a set of criteria against which they evaluated each others' activities. After the review, the authors developed a plan for revising their activities based on the feedback they received from their peers. To learn more about this review process, see http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/review_processes.html#2006.
This page first made public: Jul 25, 2006
Summary
Students (in groups of 3-4) are given a hypothetical planet and create a genetically based climate regionalization taking into account various climate factors (seasonal insolation, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, distance from moisture sources etc.). Students then interpret empirical data of various climate phenomena (precipitation, temperature, evapo-transpiration) from different locations on the planet and apply these to the Koppen system of climate classification.
Learning Goals
- Students recognize the difference between genetic and emprical approaches to classification.
- Students must synthesize multiple climate factors to generate a genetically based classification.
- Students must interpret climate data in tabular and graphic (climagraph) form.
- Students must apply observations to the Koppen system of climate classification.
- Students must form a hypothesis to explain discrepancies between expected patterns based on genetic understanding of climate and the observed patterns.
Students must also work effectively together in groups to acheive a desired result.
