TEACHING SPATIAL THINKING
THROUGH THE BIG IDEA:
ELEVATION IN SOUTH AMERICA
Written and Presented by: Susan Husiak
Michigan Geographic Alliance Teacher Consultant
Whitehall District Schools -Retired
Sixth and Seventh Grade World Studies Teacher
English Language Arts Teacher
Overview: Altitude is one factor in determining temperature and climate.
Learn about vertical zonation!
Objectives:
• Describe vertical zonation of crops using a map
• Explain the relationship between temperature and elevation
• Interpret information from graphs
Activities:
• Take a “No Sweat” test before and after the lesson
• Create a map of a mountain showing elevation zones
• Show vertical zonation of crops on the map
• Learn about temperature and elevation
• Interpret information from graphs
NO SWEAT QUIZ
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation
between sea level and 3,000 feet.
True
False
2. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow.
True
False
3. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can
grow at any elevation.
True
False
4. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no
longer grow, is 10,000 feet.
True
False
5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the
Andes Mountains.
True
False
6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to
3,000 feet.
True
False
7. As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature ……..
drops
rises
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets……..
heavier thinner
Draw a mountain on your paper
Now divide your mountain into thirds.
Divide your thirds in half to make 6 sections
NOTE:
There are mountains in the Andes and the
World that are higher than 18,000 feet. However
for this drawing we are stopping at 18,000 feet,
because everything above that is above the snow
line.
Write the elevation of each line.
18,000 feet
15,000 feet
12,000 feet
9,000 feet
6,000 feet
3,000 feet
0 feet or Sea Level
Color the elevation zones as shown below.
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
Color the elevation zones as shown below.
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
Color the elevation zones as shown below.
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
Color the elevation zones as shown below.
18,000 feet
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
Label the snow line, tree line and snow.
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
Tree Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
Write the paragraph at the bottom of the page.
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
Tree Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. As you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live
in 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone.
Now give your map a title,
because every map needs a
title.
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
Tree Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. As you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live
in 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone.
• Next we are going to add the
vertical zonation of crops to
the map.
• Vertical zonation is the
elevation at which a crop is
able to grow.
• You will also add some of the
animals that can be raised at
certain elevations.
Write what will
grow at
0-3,000 feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
Tree Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao and cotton
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people
live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.
Write what will
grow at
3,000-6,000
feet
Elevation in South America
Snow Line
Tree Line
18,000 feet
snow
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
corn, small grains, coffee,
wheat, squash, beans
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people
live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.
Write what will
grow at
6,000-12,000
feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
Tree Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
quinoa, barley
potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
The land is used for
grazing, and raising
dairy animals.
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
corn, small grains, coffee,
wheat, squash, beans
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people
live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.
Write what will
grow at
12,000-15,000
feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Sheep,
pine and fir
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
Tree Line
trees
quinoa, barley
potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
9,000 feet
The land is used for
grazing, and raising
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
dairy animals.
corn, small grains, coffee,
wheat, squash, beans
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people
live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.
•
You now have an easy reference map for elevation
and vertical zonation in the Andes mountain.
• Remember that elevation is not the only
factor that determines the temperature and what
crops will grow at each elevation. You also need
to know the latitude where the mountain is
located.
• Remember that the seasons south of the Equator
(Southern Hemisphere) are opposite of ours in the
Northern Hemisphere.
• Next you will need to figure out what the
temperature would be at each level.
• You will assume that you are on the equator, and
that the temperature drops 3.5° for every 1000 feet
of elevation, or 10.5° for every 3000 feet as you
ascend the mountain.
• You will have _____minutes to do this.
Elevation in South America
23°
33.5° Snow Line
18,000 feet
snow
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Sheep,
pine and fir
44° Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
trees
Quinoa, barley
potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
54.5°
9,000 feet
The land is used for
grazing, and raising
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
dairy animals.
65°
75.5°
86°
Corn, small grains, coffee,
wheat, squash, beans
Rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
Banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you
go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people
live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.
Take out your “No Sweat Quiz”
1. Would you change any of your answers?
2. If so, make your changes in a different color
than the one you initially used.
NO SWEAT QUIZ
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation
between sea level and 3,000 feet.
True
2. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow.
False
3. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can
grow at any elevation.
True
4. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no
longer grow, is 10,000 feet.
True
5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the
Andes Mountains.
False
6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to
3,000 feet.
False
7, As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature ……..
rises
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets……..
heavier