1. REGIONS IN CANADA Student Task
CORDILLERA PRAIRIES CANADIAN SHIELD ARCTIC ST LAWERENCE LOWLANDS ATLANTIC

2. Student Task
Location- Where is this region located and what provinces are in this region?
Land -identify the main characteristics in each region(forests, bodies of water, rivers, land forms, vegetation )
3. Climate
-make a graph of the amount of precipitation using a graph
-what is the weather like in the winter and summer?
4. Natural Resources - -minerals, fossil fuels, trees, water, fertile land, animals, fish
5. Industries-mining, petroleum industry, forestry, agriculture, hunting, tourism, fishing
6. Environmental identify one issue for their region and report the pros and cons of each side of the question
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3. Cordillera Region NEXT PAGE Location
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
Cordillera means mountains; the mountain ranges include, Rockies, and coast mountains
Hills, plateaus, valleys
Major Industries are forestry, paper mills, hydropower
Provinces include British Columbia, and parts of Yukon Territory and Alberta
-- Fraser River is the largest river
-Great Bear Lake is the largest body of water
Natural Resources – Minerals such as gold, copper, silver and zinc, lead, sand, gravel , coal
Next to Pacific Ocean
There are permanent pastures and crops
Okanogan Valley for growing fruit
On the West Coast of Canada
Vegetation includes coniferous forests which have the largest trees in Canada
Fishing industry- fishing for salmon, halibut, and herring
There are plants shrubs and trees, although there is none on top of the mountains
Gas- Petroleum
Iron Ore
Mountain ranges were formed millions of years ago from rocks that were bent and crushed against each other.
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4. Cordilera page 2 Cordillera Region Wild life Climate
Environmental Issues
North – Polar Bears and Caribou
North part of region- cold winters and cool summers
water quality ( contamination of water due to pollution )
Birds- eagles , ravens and owls
Mammals- deer, elk, lynx and grizzly bear
Southern part of region- mild winters, warm summers and lots of rain
- Ocean helps keep areas on coast cooler in summer and warmer in winter
pesticide used in orchards and vineyards and from over-fertilization of crops under irrigation.
Ocean animals- whales, sea lions, seals
Natural Hazards: permafrost, cyclonic storms, tornadoes and forest fires
- Rise in population is affecting farmland available
Fish- Salmon, trout, halibut, northern pike

5. Prairies/Plains Region
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
Flat and rolling hills
- Thousands of years ago glaciers covered the land. The weight of the glaciers caused the land to become flat with rolling hils.
Major Industries are farming and agriculture.
Provinces include large parts of Alberta , Sask, MB and parts of NWT.
- Lowlands with sedimentary rock
Natural Resources – Minerals such as potash, coal, oil and gas,
Central part of Canada
Lakes and rivers are Great Bear, Slave Lake and Manitoba Lake.
Red river, Saskatchewan River
Fertile soil for the farm land
Largest area of farmland in Canada
-has very fertile soil for growing wheat, barley, rye , and oats.
Vegetation includes deciduous trees, grasslands, shrubs, small plants, mosses,
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6. Wild life Climate Prairies/Plains North – bears, buffalo, wolves
Continued
Prairies/Plains
Wild life
Climate
Environmental Issues
North – bears, buffalo, wolves
Most of region- cold winters and hot summers
Air /waterpollution
Birds-ducks, geese, swans, loons
Least amount of precipitation in Canada
Droughts in some parts
Irrigation is sometimes necessary to grow crops
– warmer winters and hotter summers cause the following to happen : plant maturation slowed, drying conditions were poor, and access to fields was restricted because of saturated soil conditions.
Herbivores- deer, moose, elk and caribou
Natural Hazards:
Wind storms, tornadoes ,
Livestock production- Swine Flu is a result of bacteria found in pigs.
Carnivores- coyotes, eagles hawks

7. Canadian Shield Region
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
-made of ancient rock, and is covered with a thin layer of soil
- Landforms include flat, areas and rocky hills and lots of trees
the biggest industry is forestry.
Other industries found in the Canadian Shield are farming and mining.
Provinces include parts of Alberta, SK, MB, Ontario and Quebec, NWt, Nunavut, and Labrador
-Some of the trees are coniferous and deciduous trees
-mixed forests are beautiful in the fall when the leaves of the deciduous trees change color. -
- Natural Resouces- soft wood and hard wood, gold, silver, iron, copper, uranium,
- Is the largest region in Canada
¼ of the Canadian Shield is covered with water
boggy wetlands
Hydroelectricity
- Covers about half of Canada
- It has lakes, rivers, streams and marshes. Some rivers flow into the Hudson bay, while others flow into the great lakes and St. Lawrence River
The largest bodies of water in this region are Great Slave Lake, Lake Athabasca, Reindeer Lake and part of Lake Superior.
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8. Canadian Shield Wild life Climate
Continued
Wild life
Climate
Environmental Issues
Mammals such as moose, caribou and deer , wood buffalo , wolverines
Northern part of Region -long, cold winters and short, warm summers.
- less than 300 mm of rain and snow each year.
Water quality and soil quality-
Air Pollution -
Global Warming Issues
-birds such as ravens, loons, and sparrows
- Fish such as trout, bass, and pickerel
Southern part of Region
cold, snowy winters and warm summers
-has between 300 mm and 1600 mm of rain and snow each year.
-growth and concentration in the livestock industry- affects water and soil quality
Also takes up more land and wild life habitats are being lost.
- problems of odor and air pollution
- Mosquitoes and black flies

9. Arctic Region NEXT PAGE Location
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
Land used to be covered by glaciers long time ago called the Ice Age.
Huge flat areas of rock and boggy plains
Major Industry: Hunting and Fishing
Region includes lots of islands in Arctic Ocean
Permafrost- ground remains frozen all year long. Only the surface of the ground thaws.
Natural resources: lead, zinc, coal, oil and natural gas, soapstone
- Parts of Yukon Territory, NWT, and Nunavut
Pingos- are a land form found in the Arctic. They are rounded hills with a core of solid ice. They slowly grow larger
- Region is found North of Arctic Circle
Vegetation: large areas of tundra
Small flowering plants, shrubs, and mosses
No trees
- very few plants
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10. Arctic Region Wild life Climate Whales, Seals and Walrus
Continued
Arctic Region
Wild life
Climate
Environmental Issues
Whales, Seals and Walrus
Short sunny summers with clear skies
Sun does not set in the summer
Does not rain in summer
Permafrost -
Wolves, polar bears and arctic foxes
Long winters, very very cold. Middle of winter, the sun does not rise, so it stays dark for 24 hours. –
Snows very little in winter
Global warming- Polar Bears cannot survive, because the ice is melting too quickly and they are not able to hunt for food for their survival
Birds- loons, snow geese, and snowy owls
Aurora Borealis- Northern Lights, is colorful lights in the sky . This happens when gases react to particles in the sky.

11. St. Lawrence Lowlands Location
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
Has flat land and some hills
- The rivers drain into the the St. Lawrence river and the five great lakes: Erie, Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario.
Major Industries: Hydroelectricity
Provinces include Southern Quebec and Ontario
The land has very deep and fertile soil
landscape of the St. Lawrence Lowlands region can be described as very fertile with many waterways.
Natural Resources: iron, silver, coal, lead, and copper
Includes part of the Ottawa River Valley
Niagara Escarpment is located near the Great Lakes. ( This is a long rocky cliff that marks the boundary of a flat or sloping upland area)
- The Niagara River flows over the escarpment at Niagara Falls
Fresh water and sugar maple trees
Fertile soil for growing fruit and vegetables
- Has the best growing areas in Canada
Vegetation: mixed forests of coniferous and deciduous trees
Has the longest growing season in Canada

12. St. Lawrence Lowlands Wild life Climate
Continued
St. Lawrence Lowlands
Wild life
Climate
Environmental Issues
Mammals- white tailed deer, squirrels, moose, and lynx
- Hot and humid summers
Air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affects lakes and damages forests.
Fish- perch, northern pike
- Winters are cool and snowy and can drop to - 30 degrees Celsius.
ocean waters are becoming contaminated from agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities.
Birds: bluebirds, blackbirds, loons, and woodpeckers
- an alternative transport route to the Panama Canal through the Northwest Passage.
These animals make this region their home because the water's fresh and the St. Lawrence Lowlands is a great area to make a home.

13. Atlantic Region Location
Characteristics of Land
Natural Resources/ Industries
Location
Has small mountains that have been worn down by erosion over millions of years
- waves, tides, swift currents have eroded cliffs and formed islands, beaches, bays and harbors.
Major industry is fishing and potato farming.
Includes NBW, NS, PEI and NFL and parts of Quebec. THESE ARE CALLED THE MARITIME PROVINCES
Bay of Fundy- has highest tides in the world
Natural Resources – oil, lead, potash, salt, copper and gold
- Is on the East Coast and is by the Atlantic Ocean
- Continental Shelf: where the ocean floor gradually slopes downward for many KM and then drops off into a deep trench. The shallower portion is called a continental shelf.
- Fertile Soils are found in the plains and valleys of this region.
- Grand Banks is world famous for fishing grounds
Vegetation: Coniferous trees, fir and spuce
Trees grow very slowly due to rocky soil
- hardwood forests of beech and sugar maple, birch have been completely logged

14. Atlantic Region Wild life Climate
Continued
Atlantic Region
Wild life
Climate
Environmental Issues
Marine life: Grey seals, and harbor seals and some whales
Summers can be cool or warm and rainy
Air Pollution: Smog which affects human health
Mammals-fox, deer, coyote, mink, hares, caribou and beaver
Winters are long and have lots of rain.
Oil spills on ocean – oil pollution from ships travelling on the ocean causes death of many birds
Fish such as cod, salmon, and scallops
There are strong windstorms called GALES and these happen often
Clean air and water needed
Birds-puffins, gulls , blue herons, and razorbills