1. ELEVATION IN SOUTH AMERICA
TEACHING SPATIAL THINKING
THROUGH THE BIG IDEA:
ELEVATION IN SOUTH AMERICA
Written and Presented by: Susan Husiak
Michigan Geographic Alliance Teacher Consultant
Whitehall District Schools -Retired
Sixth and Seventh Grade World Studies Teacher
English Language Arts Teacher

2. Overview: Altitude is one factor in determining temperature and climate Learn about vertical zonation!
Objectives:
Describe vertical zonation of crops using a map
Explain the relationship between temperature and elevation
Interpret information from graphs
Activities:
Take a “No Sweat” test before and after the lesson
Create a map of a mountain showing elevation zones
Show vertical zonation of crops on the map
Learn about temperature and elevation
Interpret information from graphs

3. NO SWEAT QUIZ Circle the correct answer for each question.
Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation True False
between sea level and 3,000 feet.
2. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow. True False
3. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can True False
grow at any elevation.
4. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no True False
longer grow, is 10,000 feet.
5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the True False
Andes Mountains.
6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to True False
3,000 feet.
7. As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature …….. drops rises
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets…….. heavier thinner

4. Draw a mountain on your paper

5. Now divide your mountain into thirds.

6. Divide your thirds in half to make 6 sections

7. NOTE:
There are mountains in the Andes and the
World that are higher than 18,000 feet. However
for this drawing we are stopping at 18,000 feet,
because everything above that is above the snow
line.

8. Write the elevation of each line.
18,000 feet
15,000 feet
12,000 feet
9,000 feet
6,000 feet
3,000 feet
0 feet or Sea Level

9. Color the elevation zones as shown below.
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level

10. Color the elevation zones as shown below.
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level

11. Color the elevation zones as shown below.
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level

12. Color the elevation zones as shown below.
18,000 feet
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level

13. Label the snow line, tree line and snow.
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level

14. Write the paragraph at the bottom of the page.
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. As you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live in 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone.

15. Now give your map a title, because every map needs a title.

16. Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. As you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live in 3,000 to 6,000 feet zone.

17. Next we are going to add the vertical zonation of crops to the map.
Vertical zonation is the elevation at which a crop is able to grow.
You will also add some of the animals that can be raised at certain elevations.

18. Elevation in South America
Write what will grow at
0-3,000 feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao and cotton
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.

19. Elevation in South America
Write what will grow at
3,000-6,000 feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash, beans
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.

20. Elevation in South America
Write what will grow at
6,000-12,000 feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
quinoa, barley potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
The land is used for grazing, and raising dairy animals.
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash, beans
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.

21. Elevation in South America
Write what will grow at
12,000-15,000 feet
Elevation in South America
18,000 feet
snow
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Sheep,
pine and fir trees
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
quinoa, barley potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
The land is used for grazing, and raising dairy animals.
9,000 feet
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash, beans
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.

22. Remember that elevation is not the only
You now have an easy reference map for elevation and vertical zonation in the Andes mountain.
Remember that elevation is not the only
factor that determines the temperature and what
crops will grow at each elevation. You also need
to know the latitude where the mountain is
located.
Remember that the seasons south of the Equator (Southern Hemisphere) are opposite of ours in the Northern Hemisphere.

23. Next you will need to figure out what the temperature would be at each level.
You will assume that you are on the equator, and that the temperature drops 3.5° for every 1000 feet of elevation, or 10.5° for every 3000 feet as you ascend the mountain.
You will have _____minutes to do this.

24. Elevation in South America
23°
18,000 feet
snow
33.5°
Snow Line
15,000 feet Tierra Helada (Punta) or cold to frozen zone
Sheep,
pine and fir trees
44°
Tree Line
12,000 feet Tierra Fria or cold zone
Quinoa, barley potatoes, wheat
(hearty crops)
The land is used for grazing, and raising dairy animals.
54.5°
9,000 feet
65°
6,000 feet Tierra Templata or moderate zone
Corn, small grains, coffee, wheat, squash, beans
75.5°
3,000 feet Tierra Caliente or hot zone
Rice, papaya, citrus fruit, manioc,
Banana, sugarcane, cacao, and cotton
86°
0 feet or Sea Level
The temperature drops approximately an average of 3°-5° for every 1000 feet that you go up the mountain. Also, as you go up the mountain the air gets thinner. Most people live between the 3,000-6,000 feet.

25. Take out your “No Sweat Quiz”
Would you change any of your answers?
If so, make your changes in a different color
than the one you initially used.

26. NO SWEAT QUIZ Answer Key Circle the correct answer for each question.
Most people in the Andes Mountains live at an elevation True False
between sea level and 3,000 feet.
2. Elevation helps to determine where crops can grow. True False
3. As long as the latitude is tropical most citrus products can True False
grow at any elevation.
4. The tree line, the starting elevation where trees can no True False
longer grow, is 10,000 feet.
5. The “Tierra Caliente” is the hot elevation zone in the True False
Andes Mountains.
6. Manioc and Cacao grow at an elevation of sea level to True False
3,000 feet.
7, As you ascend (go up) a mountain the temperature …….. drops rises
8. As you ascend a mountain the air gets…….. heavier thinner
Answer Key