Atlas of Canada Land Cover – Lesson Description

Grade Level

This lesson fits very well with Geography and Social Studies curriculum for Grades 9 to 12 in many provinces and territories. It could also be modified to suit students from Grades 7 to 8.

Time Required

• Two class periods of approximately 45 minutes each are recommended to complete the exercise.
• Parts 1 and 2 could be completed in the first session, Part 3 in the second session. Part 3 requires student access to the Internet.
• Part 4 is not accounted for in this timeline.

Materials Required

• Access to the Internet (Part 1 – teachers only, Part 3 – student access required)
• Land Cover Poster-map – Canada’s Land Cover (Part 2)

Main Objective

Students will use the online Atlas of Canada and promotional Poster-map to successfully interpret maps that use satellite imagery and other thematic information. They will identify the dominant types of land cover in Canada and will compare two different classifications using information from the interactive Terrestrial Ecozone Map.

Lesson Sequence

• Part 1: Teacher and Student Resources
  This section highlights the learning resources available to teachers from the Atlas of Canada Web site to find and prepare an introductory session for students about the Land Cover Poster-map and the data used to produce it. A sample note and worksheet is included.
• Part 2: Canada’s Land Cover Using the Atlas of Canada Poster-map
  Using the Land Cover Poster-map, students work in groups to identify the types of land cover for specific locations across the country. First, they will use a standard atlas to identify the province/territory for each location on the map. They will record this information in an organizer.
• Part 3: Land Cover and Terrestrial Ecozones Maps Using the Online Altas of Canada
  Students will use interactive maps in the online Atlas of Canada to verify the land cover classification for each location in their organizer. They will also use the Terrestrial Ecozones Map to identify the ecozone, physiography, climate and soil for each location. This information will be added to their organizer. Finally, students will choose two different types of land cover from their organizer and explain the differences using information collected throughout the exercise.
• Part 4: Extension & Evaluation Ideas
  Included in this section are discussion questions to conclude the exercise and ideas for evaluating student work.

Introduction

The Atlas of Canada Web site has many learning resources available to teachers and students. For this lesson, we recommend using some of the background information available online as an introduction to students before they begin working with the Poster-map or online maps.

Steps

• Go to the Atlas of Canada Web site at: atlas.gc.ca
• Select Environment from the left hand side of the page, under the title Explore Our Maps.
• Choose Land from the pop-out menu that appears.
  (In this section of the Web site, you can access the Land Cover Map and detailed information about each.)

Information available to introduce the Land Cover Poster-map from the Land section above

• Find a definition for land and other information about how the land is used by different groups of people
  (Select Read more about Land to find this list)
• View the online Land Cover Map
  (Click the map title to go to the map)
• Access detailed information about the Land Cover Map
  (Select Read about this map beside the map title to find this information. This information can also be accessed by clicking the same links on and around the map)

Printable Material

• Teacher Note and Overhead – Introduction to Land Cover

Introduction

Using the Land Cover Poster-map, students work in groups to identify the types of land cover for specific locations across the country. First, they will use a standard atlas to identify the province/territory for each location on the map. They will record this information in a Land Cover Organizer.

Materials

• The Land Cover Poster-map
• Teacher Note and Overhead - Introduction to Land Cover
• Student Worksheet – Introduction to Land Cover
• Copies of the Land Cover organizers: Groups A to D

Steps

• One strategy might be to brainstorm the definition and how we use the land with students first and then reveal the answers using the overhead note.
• The teacher could also distribute a handout for students to review or pre-read before the exercise begins.
• If computer access is readily available, you may want students to use the Web site to find this information themselves.
• Introduce students to the concept of land cover using resources from Part 1.
• Divide the class into groups. Each group will be responsible for identifying the province or territory and type of land cover for specific places across Canada. For the purposes of this lesson, we have divided the places on the map into 4 groups, with 8 places in each group.
• Students use the Land Cover Poster-map to begin completing the organizer (see sample organizers in Part 1). They will use the poster map and a paper atlas to complete the first two columns of information.

Introduction

• Students use the interactive Land Cover Map in the Atlas of Canada Web site to verify the types of land cover and note the characteristics for each location in their organizer.
• They will also use the interactive Terrestrial Ecozones Map to identify the ecozone, physiography, climate and soil for each location. This information will be added to their organizer.
• Finally, students will choose two different types of land cover from their organizer and explain the differences using information collected throughout the exercise.

Materials

• Student access to the Atlas of Canada Web site
• Land Cover Organizers from Part 2

Steps for using the interactive Land Cover Map

• Go to atlas.gc.ca
• Select Environment from the left hand column under the title Explore Our Maps.
• Choose Land from the pop-out menu that appears.
• Choose Land Cover Map under the title Land Maps.
• Use the Zoom In tool to find each location listed in your organizer. Verify that you have chosen the best type of land cover from the Poster-map by zooming in until the location you want to see is very clear (To do this, select the
  Zoom In tool, then select the location on the map that you want to see and click on it.) The cities are not identified on the interactive map so you will have to compare the Poster-map carefully with the interactive map.
• Use the legend, to the right of the map to identify the exact type of land cover for each location.
• Remember, this map has 31 different types of land cover. The poster only has 9.

Steps for using the interactive Terrestrial Ecozones Map

• Select Environment in the left hand column under the title Explore Our Maps.
• Choose Ecology from the pop-out menu that appears.
• Choose Ecological Framework under the List of Topics.
• Select the Terrestrial Ecozones Map under the title Ecological Framework.
• Identify and record the ecozone for each place in your organizer.

Now you need to find information about the physiography, climate and soil for each location based on the ecozone. To do this:

• Select the Get Info from Map tool above the map, and then choose the ecozone in which each place is located. (For example, Vancouver is located in the Pacific Maritime ecozone. Choose Get Info from Map, then select the Pacific Maritime ecozone on the map.)
• A table of information will open. Record the information about physiography, climate and soil for this ecozone. Think about how that affects land cover.
• Repeat these steps for each place in your organizer.

Introduction

Collect and evaluate the organizer and comparison for completeness and accuracy.

Discussion Questions

• What other factors influence the types of land cover found within different regions of Canada?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using an online atlas versus a paper atlas?

Essay Question

Why is Canada’s land cover important to monitor and map?

Project Extension

Students choose one type of land cover and investigate the physical and human factors that affect this classification. They will present their findings in a poster presentation.

• Student Worksheet – Introduction to Land Cover
• Land Cover Organizer – Group A (printable version)
• Land Cover Organizer – Group B (printable version)
• Land Cover Organizer – Group C (printable version)
• Land Cover Organizer – Group D (printable version)

• Microsoft Word document version
• PDF version (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)