1. SPONGE:
How would you define climate? How would you define environment?

2. SPONGE: How would you define climate?
the temperature, precipitation, winds, etc. that characterize a region.
How would you define environment?
the natural or human surrounding in which living things interact.

3. STANDARD:
SS6G3 - The student will explain the impact of location, climate, physical characteristics, natural resources, and population distribution on Latin America and the Caribbean.
a. Compare how the location, climate, and natural resources of Mexico and Venezuela affect where
people live and how they live.
b. Compare how the location climate, and natural resource s of Brazil and Cuba affect where people
live and how they trade.

4. ACTIVATOR: Differentiate between an ocean and a sea.

5. OCEAN
SEA

6. 7 10 9 1 2 3 5 6 13 8 4 12 11
Assess your
geography skills
Identify each
country.

8. About how many people per sq mile live in Belem?
What kind of climate is found around Belem?
About how many people per sq. mile live in Rio de Janeiro?
What kind of climate is found around Rio?
What kind of climate does the Amazon River pass through?
Much of Brazil is covered by rain forest. What kind of climate would probably be found in the rain forest?
Do more people live near the coast or in the middle of Brazil?
Why do you think many people in Brazil choose to live near the coast?

9. About how many people per sq mile live in Belem?
What kind of climate is found around Belem?
About how many people per sq. mile live in Rio de Janeiro?
What kind of climate is found around Rio?
What kind of climate does the Amazon River pass through?
Much of Brazil is covered by rain forest. What kind of climate would probably be found in the rain forest?
Do more people live near the coast or in the middle of Brazil?
Why do you think many people in Brazil choose to live near the coast?

10. Brazil Population Density Per Sq. Kilometer
What relationship do you see between population density, vegetation, and climate regions?
Discuss with your partner.
CLIMATE, TEMPERATURES AND RAIN IN BRAZIL - BRAZILIAN CLIMATE MAP
We may consider five big climatic regions in Brazil:
The Amazon Basin region (1), with an equatorial climate characterized by agreeable temperatures but plenty of rain and humidity. The Northeastern Coastlands (2) from Fortaleza to the Bahian south coast, with an all year round travel climate pattern. The Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria and Sao Paulo coast (3), with a hybrid pattern. The South States Region (4), with a temperate four season climate pattern; and The Inland Plateau (5), from the northeast inland to the Pantanal, with a hard dry season and more extreme temperatures.
The map above shows the rough configuration of these five climatic regions. Obviously, there are transitional zones and some significant variations within each climate region.  

11. Brazil Resource map.
Discuss with a partner. How might the location of natural resources and the location of farms threaten the Rainforests?
Agricultural Sites in Brazil

12. Cuba
Look at these maps.
With your partner, come up with a hypothesis to explain why some areas of Cuba might be more densely populated than others.

13. Look at these great scuba diving spots
Look at these great scuba diving spots. Why do you find very few US citizens diving here?
In what way does that affect Cuba’s economy?

14. Study the topography of Mexico, then look at the population density map. What conclusions can you draw looking at the two maps?

15. Venezuela Physical Map
Venezuela Population Density Map
NOTICE THAT MOST PEOPLE LIVE ALONG THE COAST OR IN THE HIGHLANDS. LOOK AT THE YELLOW PART OF THE POPULATION MAP. WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE SO FEW PEOPLE LIVE IN THE LARGE AREA THAT IS COVERED IN YELLOW? DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR PARTNER.

16. Physical Features of Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America includes Mexico, Central America, and South America
The islands of the Caribbean are also considered to be part of Latin American
The region is called Latin America because the languages spoken there (mostly Spanish & Portuguese) developed from the Latin language.