G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 1: Learning About the Physical
Geography of Europe and Russia
70°N
20°W
cC
0°
10°E
N
70°
20°E
40°E
le
50°E
le
60°E
°N 70°E
C
tic
c
Ar
60
°N
250
0
Scandinavia
500 miles
0
250 500 kilometers
Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
40
°N
Baltic
Sea
AT L A N T I C
50
80°E
60
irc
irc
°N
cti
50
Ar
OCEAN
°N
Northern
European
Plain
N
Danube
River
W
E
Alps
S
40°
N
Black Sea
°N
30
Apennines
Iberian
Peninsula
Mediterranean Sea
20°E
30°E
80°N
70°N
Arctic C
60°N
50°N
ircle
0°
50°E
1,000 miles
500
0
40°E
0
500
1,000 kilometers
Lambert Conformal Conic projection
60°N
10°E
70°N
0°
80°N
10°W
170°W
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Arc
10°E
180°
50°N
tic C
ircl
e
ARCTIC OCEAN
170°E
Kamchatka
Peninsula
20°E
Volga
River
Central
Siberian
Plateau
Ob River
°N
40
30°E
160°E
40
Caucasus
Mountains
°N
Lake
Baikal
N
40°E
E
50°E
60°E
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
W
70°E
80°E
90°E
100°E
110°E
120°E
S
130°E
140°E
Europe and Russia 1
G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 2: Learning About the Human Geography
of Europe and Russia
20°W
°N
0°
10°E
N
70°
20°E
ICELAND
50°E
cle
60°E
Faroe Is.
(Denmark)
cti
Ar
E
500 miles
miles
500
00
250 500
250
500 kilometers
kilometers
Lambert Azimuthal
Azimuthal Equal-Area
Equal-Area projection
projection
Lambert
Finland
SWEDEN
80°E
250
250
00
S
AT L A N T I C
°N 70°E
60
ir
cC
N
W
NORWAY
ESTONIA
OCEAN
Isle of Man
(U.K.)
50
40°E
Jan Mayen
(Norway)
le
°N
60
70°N
irc
40
cC
°N
cti
50
Ar
Lithuania
LATVIA
DENMARK
°N
Russia
NETHERLANDS
IRELAND
United
Kingdom
Channel Is.:
Jersey & Guernsey
(U.K.)
BELGIUM
Germany
LUXEMBOURG
France
SWITZERLAND
ANDORRA
SLOVENIA
VATICAN
CITY
Spain
MOLDOVA
Romania
Hungary
Croatia
SERBIA
BOSNIA &
SAN HERZEGOVINA
MARINO
MONACO
MONTENEGRO
N
PORTUGAL
Ukraine
CZECH
REPUBLIC SLOVAKIA
LIECHTENSTEIN
Austria
40°
BELARUS
Poland
Italy
°N
30
BULGARIA
KOSOVO
MACEDONIA
ALBANIA
Greece
Gibraltar
MALTA
20°E
30°E
80°N
70°N
0
500
1,000 kilometers
Lambert Conformal Conic projection
170°W
10°E
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Russia
180°
50°N
cC
ircl
e
ARCTIC OCEAN
Arc
ti
TCI17 133
GA_ML_LG_04-GCH-2a.eps
Europe Political
First proof
ircle
Arctic C
60°N
50°N
0°
50°E
1,000 miles
500
0
40°E
60°N
10°E
70°N
0°
80°N
10°W (U.K.)
170°E
20°E
160°E
°N
40
R
u
s
s
i
a
40
°N
30°E
N
40°E
E
50°E
60°E
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
TCI5 456
Russia Political
GA_ML_LG_04-GCH-2b.eps
W
70°E
80°E
90°E
100°E
110°E
120°E
S
130°E
140°E
Europe and Russia 2
G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 3: Using Geography Skills to Answer “Where?”
Question
1
Circle the thematic map you used. Then answer the question in complete sentences.
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
The most common climate above 70°N is tundra. Russia, Norway, and Iceland have tundra
climate zones.
2
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Coal is the most common resource found in eastern Russia.
3
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
London, England, lies directly on the prime meridian, or 0° longitude.
4
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
The Ural Mountains divide Russia, with European Russia to the west and Asian Russia to
the east.
5
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland have the lowest overall population density in Europe.
6
7
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Chaparral is common around the Mediterranean Sea. Students could list any three of the following countries: Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Vatican City, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia, Croatia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Montenegro.
The climate that is most common in Europe is marine west coast. Students could list any five
of these countries as having an entirely marine west coast climate: Ireland, United Kingdom,
Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, and Denmark.
8
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Deciduous forest is the most common type of vegetation in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, and United Kingdom.
9
10
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
United Kingdom, France, Germany, Czech Republic, and Belgium (any four of these) have at
least one fourth of their land used for manufacturing and trade.
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
The Danube River runs through Hungary and Serbia and then along the border between Romania
and Bulgaria before it empties into the Black Sea.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Europe and Russia 3
G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 4: Using Geography Skills to Answer “Why There?”
Question
1
Circle the thematic map you used. Then answer the question in complete sentences.
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Many minerals can be found along 60°E longitude. This is also where the Ural Mountains are
located. Minerals are often found in mountainous areas.
2
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
A large amount of coal can be found on the Central Siberian Plateau. However, the tundra and
subarctic climates make this coal difficult to mine, because it is very cold and the ground stays
frozen for much of the year.
3
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
Switzerland, Italy, and Austria (any two of these) have highlands vegetation. This is related
to the presence of the Alps. Highlands vegetation is generally found in a highlands climate.
4
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
The primary economic activity in Poland, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania is commercial
farming. The marine west coast and humid continental climates provide plenty of rain to grow
crops. In addition, the flat land of the Northern European Plain is suitable for farming.
5
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
This man could be from Milan, Italy. Milan is a city of 4–8 million people. It is in a region of
trade and manufacturing. Milan is also situated near the Alps for mountain climbing and is not
too far from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The climate in Milan is humid subtropical,
with mild winters.
6
Physical Features
Climate Zones
Vegetation Zones
Population Density
Economic Activity
The northern parts of Finland and Sweden would be good choices. Both have areas of coniferous
forests, and much of the land is used for forestry. They also have access to the Baltic Sea for
fishing. They are not densely populated, with no more than 25 people per square mile. Finally,
they have a subarctic climate, which is neither hot nor dry.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Europe and Russia 4
G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 5: Using Maps to Analyze a Field Photograph
Research
Station
Physical
Features
Location A
Location B
Location C
(66° north, 25° east)
(57° north, 22° east)
(67° north, 79° east)
• located in Scandinavia
• elevation between 0 and
1,000 feet above sea level
• located at northern tip of
Baltic Sea
• located on Northern
European Plain
• located at eastern end
of Baltic Sea
• located on West Siberian
Plain
• located near an inlet of
Kara Sea
• elevation between 0 and
1,000 feet above sea level
• elevation between 0 and
1,000 feet above sea level
Climate
Zones
• located in subarctic
climate zone
• located in humid continental
climate zone
• located in subarctic
climate zone
Vegetation
Zones
• located in coniferous forest
vegetation zone
• located in mixed forest
vegetation zone
• located in tundra vegetation zone
Population
Density
• population density between
2 and 25 people per square
mile
• population density between
25 and 125 people per
square mile
• population density under
2 people per square mile
Economic
Activity
• forestry
• precious metals nearby
• commercial farming
• hydroelectric power nearby
• nomadic herding
• natural gas nearby
• precious metals nearby
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Europe and Russia 5
G u i d e
t o
S t u d e n t
H a n d o u t
Challenge 5: Using Maps to Analyze a Field Photograph
C
We think the field photograph best matches Location _______
.
Supporting-evidence statements:
physical features
1.From the _______________________
map, we learned that this location is on the West Siberian Plain.
In the field photograph, we see
that the land seems to be flat.
climate zones
2.From the _______________________
map, we learned that this location is in a subarctic climate zone.
In the field photograph, we see snow-covered ground and a woman dressed in warm clothing.
vegetation zones
3.From the _______________________
map, we learned that this location is in a tundra vegetation zone.
In the field photograph, we see what looks like frozen, snow-covered ground.
population density
4.From the _______________________
map, we learned that this location has a population density of
under 2 people per square mile. Another possible answer: From the economic activity map, we learned
that this location is mostly used for nomadic herding.
In the field photograph, we see a woman and many reindeer, but no other people or any urban settlements.
Another possible answer: In the field photograph, we see a woman with many reindeer, possibly evidence
of herding.
© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute
Europe and Russia 6