What to Wear and Drink? Weather Patterns & Climatic Regions
Students examine characteristics that define climatic regions.Copyright 2005 Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Argentino_northern_arm_Lago_Argentino_Brazo_Norte_Patagonia_Argentina_Luca_Galuzzi_2005.JPG
Students explore characteristics that define climatic regions. They learn how tropical, desert, coastal and alpine climates result in different lifestyles, clothing, water sources and food options for the people who live there. They learn that a location's latitude, altitude, land features, weather conditions and distance from large bodies of water, determines its climate. Students discuss how engineers help us adapt to all climates by designing clothing, shelters, weather technologies and clean water systems.
Weather and climate conditions affect humans in fundamental ways. Throughout history, individuals and families devised ways to protect themselves from the weather. They were ingenious in making clothing and shelter to keep warm in cold regions, stay cool in hot regions and stay dry in rainy areas, as well as secure clean drinking water in locations with little water or salt. More recently, engineers develop technologies that advance our ability to predict and be protected from weather and climate. Solving basic survival challenges are at the heart of what engineering is all about.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- List several climatic regions in the world.
- Compare and contrast the characteristics of different climatic regions.
- Explain why engineers must take into account climate and weather patterns when designing materials to protect people and systems to provide clean drinking water.