Topic 6: Extreme Climates

What are the challenges of extreme climates?
Key Ideas / Content / What you need to understand
Extreme climates are located in polar regions and hot arid areas; each has key physical characteristics. / Investigate the climate of polar and
hot arid areas, including precipitation,
temperature range, seasonality and
variability. /
  • To understand the location of Polar Regions / hot arid regions
  • Know some general characteristics of a polar area or hot arid region.
  • To be able to read a climate graph showing temperature and precipitation (remember bars = rainfall, line = temperature)
  • To be able to describe the climate of a polar region and hot arid regions i.e. cold temperatures and little precipitationor a hot arid regions e.g. high temperatures, low precipitation.
  • Learn some specific data about climate e.g. -89°C recoded in Antarctica / 58°C was once recorded in North Sahara

Examine why these are fragile environments and how flora and fauna are successfully adapted to the chosen climate, but are also vulnerable to change. /
  • To know why these environments are considered fragile.
  • To understand how vegetation has adapted to polar environments.
  • To understand, with examples, how animals have adapted to polar environment or arid regions
  • To know that solifluction and bursting lakes can put both flora and fauna at risk in polar regions, or desertification can put pressure on flora and fauna in hot arid regions

People adapt to the challenges of extreme climates in a variety of ways. / Investigating the adaptations people make in one named extreme polar or hot arid climate, such as farming methods, building styles, clothing, transport, energy use. /
  • To understand how people have adapted to living in a polar climate with specific reference to buildings, transport, farming, clothing and energy use. Be able to refer to a specific place.

Examine the culture and uniqueness of
peoples living in extreme environments
and the value of this culture to others. /
  • To learn some unique cultures e.g. Inupiat whaling ceremony or ‘rotten shark’ in Iceland or Aboriginal Culture in Australia.

How can extreme environments be managed and protected from the threats they
face?
Extreme climates are under threat from a range of processes, which include climate change. / Investigating the threats to people and natural systems in one named polar or hot arid extreme climate area, such as cultural dilution through tourism, pollution though resource exploitation, and land degradation through poor land management. /
  • To understand there are many threats to people living in polar climates e.g. cultural dilution in Alaska and loss of language.
  • To understand that the environment is also under threat e.g. oil spill in Alaska and land degradation due to damage of permafrost.

Investigate how climate change could threaten natural systems, including meltingof permafrost, loss of sea ice, desertificationand species migration and the impact ofthese on traditional economies. /
  • To understand that climate change is having a huge impact in areas of extreme climate.
  • To learn some impacts of climate change on people e.g. Yup’ik people in Alaska = ‘global warming refugees’ as can no longer fish, or loss of tourism in Greenland and the economic impact on the community.
  • To understand the impact of climate change on the environment e.g. glacier retreat, loss of ice and polar bears.

Sustainable management
is needed locally and
globally, if extreme
environments are to
survive. / Assess a range of local actions, e.g. intermediate technology and adaptationto changing climates, and assess theireffectiveness in achieving a sustainablefuture for local communities. /
  • To know that local actions can be used for more sustainable management of extreme environments e.g. geothermal power in Iceland.
  • To know why geothermal power is an example intermediate technology.

Assessing the role of global actions to protect extreme environments from the threat of climate change. /
  • To know that global action is being taken to protect extreme environments e.g. Antarctica Treaty, US polar bears being placed on endangered species list.