Webquest_of_Africa___s_Geography_18yhvlf

Webquest of Africa’s Geography

SS7G3 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, and physical characteristics on population distribution in Africa.

a. Explain how the characteristics in the Sahara, Sahel, savanna, & tropical rain forest affect where people live, the type of work they do, & how they travel.

The Sahara

Sahara is the largest desert in the world.
It receives less than 4 inches of rain each year.
- The Sahara covers a third of the African continent- an area the size of the China.
  Location: What borders the Sahara to the west, north, east and south?
  On the west, the Atlantic Ocean borders the Sahara. On the east, the Red Sea borders it. To the north, the Mediterranean Sea borders it. To the south, the Sahel and Savanna border it.
Climate of Sahara
During the day, the temperature can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The Sahara receives 4 inches of rain per year.
- The hot climate and absence of rain makes it a desert.
- What is an oasis? An oasis is an area of land in a desert in which there is a lot of life. Most of the time, an oasis has a stream that provides fresh water to help plants grow and animals thrive.
  
  People
The majority of people living in the Sahara are nomads, which means these people move from region to region in search of better living conditions.
What are the names of at least 3 animals found in the Sahara? Gerbil, Jerboa, and Dorcas gazelle.

* Describe and illustrate them on your construction paper. The Sahel

Location The Sahel is a narrow band of semi-arid land south of the Sahara

People Both the Fulami and Dogon, on the desert and grazing land, the Sahel has attracted a diverse population. Some are semi-nomadic cattle herders moving with seasonal flooding of the Niger. Others are farmers.

* How have people along the Sahel caused it to shrink? By making the desert grow.

Climate:

For nine months of the year, the Sahel is a vast expanse of brown (dry season).

Greenery comes with the rainy season, but is quickly consumed by animals in search of food or farmers in search of farmland.

*** Sahel ranks as the hottest place on earth. Temperatures stay between 77 and 86 degrees year round.

Animals Pick 2 of the featured animals of the Sahel. Describe and illustrate them on your construction paper.

The Sahelian goat, African wild dog, and cheetah inhabit the Sahel.

The Savanna

Location: What countries that are listed in our standard SS7G1 are covered with African savannas? Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Sudan.

Climate: The African savanna are covered in grass and trees. The temperature is between 45 and 55 degrees all year.

** In the winter, the savanna might get 2 inches of rain each month. In the Kalahari Desert during summer it is possible for no rain to fall.

People:

Today, the plains boast a wide range of cultures, from Maasai Nomads, to Kikuyu Farmers, and Dorobo Hunter-Gatherers.

Sporadic d , and are tiring the land out.

Animals

The savanna is where people go on a safari to see wild animals in Africa.

On this page are pictures and descriptions of various animals found in the African savanna. Pick 3 and describe and illustrate them on your construction paper.

The zebra, cheetah, and lion are found in the savanna.

The Tropical Rain forest

Location In the space provided, sketch a small map of Africa and identify where the tropical rain forest is located.

Climate

In the rainforest, it may rain as much as 63-79 inches a year!

The air is humid and the temperature is always high.
List and describe the 4 layers of the rainforest.
The emergent, canopy, understory and forest floor layers

People
African forest people tend to be notably smaller than those from the savanna.
Their small stature allows them to move around the forest easier than taller people.
These groups are nomadic, moving to new parts of the forest several times each year.
They carry all of their things on their possessions on their backs.
The women do the gathering with baskets on their backs.
Men concentrate on hunting and collecting honey.
Why is the nomadic lifestyle good for the rainforest environment? It allows the group to move and not over exploit the resources.

Animals

Why are many animals of the rainforest endangered species?

Many animals in the rainforest are endangered species because deforestation causes habitat loss and the animals don’t have a place to live, so they become endangered because they don’t have a place to live.

On your construction paper: Describe and illustrate 3 other animals found in the rainforest.

Gorilla, leopard, and Okapi are animals in the rainforest.

Atlas Mountains:

The Atlas Mountains are the most northern of Africa’s mountains.
What 3 African countries do they stretch across? Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.

Kalahari Desert:

What 3 countries does the Kalahari Desert stretch across? South Africa, Botswana, Namibia
What do people that live in the Kalahari do for a living? Hunt and farm.

Lake Tanganyika:

Lake Tanganyika is found in the hills of the Great Rift Valley.
It lies in what 4 African countries?

Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria

This is the largest lake in Africa
It is the main reservoir of the Nile River.
Lake Victoria is known for its abundance of fish.

Atlas Mountains

The Atlas Mountains provide a route between the Mediterranean and the Sahara Desert.

Kalahari Desert

Grass grows throughout the Kalahari in the wet season.

Grass and agriculture are possible in certain areas.

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