TEACHING SPATIAL THINKING
THROUGH THE BIG IDEA:
ELEVATION IN SOUTH AMERICA
Author: Susan Husiak, MGA
Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations:
Overview: Altitude is one factor in determining
temperature and climate. Students will learn
about vertical zonation. This lesson is meant to
be an introductory lesson to the Big Idea:
Elevation in South America (cst.cmich.edu/mga)
Click on Teacher Resources/World Regional
Geography Using Big Ideas/Elevation in South
America.
Essential Questions:
 What is the effect of elevation on
temperature?
 What plants grow and what animals are
raised at each elevation?
Objectives: The student will be able to:
 Describe vertical zonation of crops using
a map
 Explain the relationship between
temperature and elevation
 Interpret information from graphs
Subject/Grade Level: Sixth and Seventh Social
Studies/World Studies Classes, High School
Geography Courses
Student Materials: No Sweat Quiz, blank
paper, colored pencils, Making Thermographs
for Places in Ecuador.
Teacher Materials: No Sweat Quiz Answer
Key
Elevation in South America PPT
Michigan Geographic Alliance







6-G1.2.1: Locate the major landforms,
rivers and climate regions of the Western
Hemisphere.
6-G1.3.2: Explain the locations and
distribution of physical and human
characteristics of Earth by using
knowledge of spatial patterns.
6-G1.2.3: Use data to create thematic
maps and graphs showing patterns…..and
propose two generalizations about the
data.
4-G1.0.5: Use maps to describe
elevation, climate, and patterns of
population density.
6-G3.1.1 Construct and analyze climate
graphs for two locations at different
latitudes and elevation in the region to
answer geographic questions and to make
predictions based on patterns.
6-G3.2.1 Explain how and why
ecosystems differ as a consequence of
differences in latitude, elevation, and
human activities.
4-G1.0.5: Use maps to describe
elevation, climate, and patterns of
population density.
National Geography Standards


Standard 4: The physical and human
characteristics of places
Standard 8: Ecosystems
Elevation in South America
2014
PROCEDURE:
1. Hand out the “No Sweat” quiz. (Slide 3) Ask
students to answer the questions to the best of their
ability. Set it aside to be used at the end of the
lesson.
Teacher Note: This is a “No
Sweat” quiz because it is not graded.
The quiz is to see growth after you
have completed the lesson. You
may add questions to the quiz to
assess other items.
2. Ask students to draw a single mountain on a blank
sheet of paper or on their electronic device. The mountain does not need to be pretty; it
just needs to be high. (Slide 4)
a) Divide the mountain into thirds (they can eyeball this, it is not necessary to use a
ruler). Then divide each third in half, to have six
Teacher Note: Please remind
equal zones. (Slides 5-6)
students that there are
b) Label the base of the mountain “0” for zero feet of
mountains in the Andes and
elevation or sea level. Label the first line (from the
the World that are higher than
bottom) 3000 feet; next label the second line from
18,000 feet. However for this
drawing we are stopping at
the bottom 6,000 feet; then label the next line 9,000
18,000 feet, because
feet; next label the fourth line from the bottom
everything above that is above
12,000 feet – tree line; and lastly label the fifth line
up the mountain 15,000 feet – snow line. (Slide 7-8) the snow line.
c) Label the sea level to 3,000 feet zone as the “Tierra
Caliente” or hot zone. Color this area red.(Slide 9)
d) Label the 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Templata.” or moderate zone or
temperate zone, and color this area green. This is the most populated zone.
(Slide 10)
e) Label the 6,000 to 12,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Fria” or cold, and color this
area blue. (Slide 11)
f) Label the 12,000-15,000 feet zone as the “Tierra Helada (Punta)” as cold to
frozen zone, and color this purple. (Slide 12)
g) Label the snow line, tree line and snow. (Slide 13)
3. Students write the following paragraph on their map: “The temperature drops
approximately an average of 3° to 5° for every 1000 fee 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.” (Slide 14)
This mountain map should be titled “Elevation in South America” because every map
needs a title. This map gives students a simple visual reference for elevation, so that
they can begin to think spatially about a mountain. (Slides 15-16)
4. Explain to students that altitude is not the only factor in determining temperature and
climate. However, this lesson concentrates on Elevation. As part of elevation we need to
add vertical zonation, or what plants grow and animals are raised at each elevation. The
following is a list of the most common plants and animals at each elevation. (Students
may find other plants grown and animals raised at each elevation, and they can add them
later.) Ask students to label the crops that are grown and the animals raised at each
elevation. (Slides 17-21)
Michigan Geographic Alliance
Elevation in South America
2014
a) 0-3,000 feet –Tierra Caliente – bananas, sugarcane, rice, papaya, citrus fruit,
cacao, manioc, cotton also some livestock
b) 3,000-6,000 feet – Tierra Templada – corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash,
beans
c) 6,000-12,000 feet – Tierra Fria – quinoa, potatoes, barley, wheat (hearty crops);
the land is also used for grazing and raising dairy animals
d) 12,000-15,000 feet – Tierra Helada – sheep, pine and fir trees
5. Have students figure out what the temperature would be at each level. For this exercise
assume that you are on the equator, and that the temperature drops 3.5° for every 1000
feet of elevation. If your students find this hard to do, tell them that for every 3000
feet that the temperature drops 10.5° as you go up the mountain. (Slides 22-24)
6. Revisit the “No Sweat” quiz; students may change any answers in a different color on
the quiz. Then review the answers with them. (Slides 25-26)
7. Students should do the activity 2X “Making Thermographs for Places in Ecuador”. In
the activity students will make thermographs of places in Ecuador and a comparison city
in the United States - Chicago. Students are asked to answer geographic questions, make
assumptions, as well as graphing temperatures. Then extend the lesson by having
students write on each graph what foods would grow at the elevation of each city.
Extensions
1. Ask students to decide what clothing they would need to take with them if they were taking
a trip up the mountain, and what they would expect to see along the way. Students can use
the internet or magazines to find pictures for this part of the lesson. Give them choices for
their presentation: 1. Write a paper about their trip with pictures; 2. Createa power
point or other digital presentation to present to the class; 3. Make a poster board using
pictures from magazines or the internet.
Scaffolding
This lesson is meant to be an introductory lesson to the Big Idea: Elevation in South
America (cst.cmich.edu/mga) Click on Teacher Resources/World Regional Geography Using Big
Ideas/Elevation in South America.
Scaffolding on this lesson can be done with the following activities found at the same location:
Activity 1 – Where are the Mountains?
Activity 1x - Cutout mountain pairs
Activity 2 - Parts of a Hamburger
Activity 3 - Elevation and Capitals
Activity 4 - Placenames in a Region Colonized by Several European Countries
Activity 4x - Placenames Clickable - a clickable map
Activity 4x - Global Wind Background – Power Point on colonization of the Americas:
Background for the Atlantic Trade Triangle
Activity 4x - Languages in Hispaniola
Activity 4x - Teachers notes
Michigan Geographic Alliance
Elevation in South America
2014
NO SWEAT QUIZ
Circle the correct answer for each question.
2. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation
between sea level and 3and 3,000 feet.
True
False
3. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow.
True
False
4. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can
grow at any elevation.
True
False
5. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no
longer grow, is10,000 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
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets……..
Michigan Geographic Alliance
Elevation in South America
Rises
Heavier Thinner
2014
NO SWEAT QUIZ
Answers
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation True
between sea level and 3and 3,000 feet.
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
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets……..
Rises
Heavier Thinner
Resources
Elevation and latitude
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=elevation+and+latitude&qpvt=elevation+and+latitude&FORM=I
GRE#view=detail&id=64008CBA662BBE64033ACC9F8441DB172AD70682&selectedIndex=37
NOAA and climate change
http://www.climate.gov/teaching/resources/wind-and-ocean-circulation
C.L.E.A.N. (N0AA)
http://www.climate.gov/teaching
Andes Mountain information
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/andes.htm
Coastal Areas of Ecuador
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Coastal+Area+of+Ecuador&FORM=RESTAB
Prentice Hall Illustration of crop zonation
http://wps.prenhall.com/wps/media/objects/1017/1041578/FIG25_00A1.JPG
Illustration of crops and elevation
http://people.uwec.edu/ivogeler/w111/slope.jpg
Dome view of temperature, elevation, and precipitation
http://inkwellideas.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/04/elevation_lattitude__climate_biome.png
Michigan Geographic Alliance
Elevation in South America
2014