ecozones

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES: Tod and the Natural World

ACTIVITY ONE: The Ecozones of British Columbia

Materials Needed

Attribute cards (provided—just print this page)
Ecozone map (provided—just print this page; it works best if you enlarge the map with a photocopier)

Ecozones are distinct areas of the earth, which share common attributes. Attributes include geography, climate, vegetation, and human factors, such as use. Other attributes not used in this activity are geology and wildlife.

Activity Steps

Take the attribute cards and try to match them to the appropriate ecozone, which should then be matched with the appropriate number on the ecozone map.
Look at the journeys that John Tod took in British Columbia and decide which ecozones he lived in or visited.
Tod travelled all over Canada. What sort of scenery would he have seen on his journeys outside of British Columbia? What sort of climate would he have experienced in York Factory or Upper Canada?

Ecozones of British Columbia

1) Boreal Cordillera

2) Pacific Maritime

3) Montane Cordillera

4) Boreal Plains

5) Taiga Plains

Attribute Cards

Geography:

Vegetation:

Climate:

Present Use:

Boreal Cordillera:

Mountain highlands, small plains

Boreal forest, some alpine tundra, open woodland

Cold and moist

Hunting, trapping, forestry, recreation, mining

Pacific Maritime:

Mountains, coastal plains

Some temperate rain forest, cedar, fir and hemlock

Very wet, mild, temperate maritime

Forestry, fishing, urbanization, agriculture

Montane Cordillera:

Mountains, interior plains

Mixed Vegetation: conifers stands to sage brush fields

Hot in summer, cold in winter, arid in mountains

Forestry, agriculture, tourism, recreation

Boreal Plains:

Plains, some foothills

Conifer and broadleaf forests

Moderately cold and moist

Forestry, agriculture: hardy grains, trapping, recreation

Taiga Plains:

Plains, some foothills

Open woodlands, scrub forests and wetlands

Cold, semi-arid, sub arctic to moist

Hunting, trapping, forestry, mining

For Teachers

These activities are meant to supplement your classroom lessons and help to achieve the following Social Studies 5 Learning Outcomes:

Describe the diverse distribution of natural resources within Canada.
Analyze factors that influence use and development of transportation and communication systems in different regions of Canada.
Locate and describe major physical features of Canada using topographical and thematic maps.


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