1. Africa Mini-Atlas Activity
One version of the Africa-Clickable-MiniAtlas works best on a computer.
Another version works on Chromebooks or iPads.
This presentation shows map layers
in the Africa Mini-Atlas. -
The maps in this presentation come from a “clickable” PDF.
(BI5-Africa-clickable-miniAtlas)

2. The map layers that are "turned on" have "eyes" in their boxes.
Clicking on the
"stack of papers"
makes a list of layers
appear.
The map layers that are "turned on" have "eyes" in their boxes.

3. On the map, find the layers that are "turned on" in the list below.
Highlands
Equator
RIVERS
Scale

4. Rainy Days is an important layer.
Lightest color: Less than 10 rainy days in a year
Darkest color: More than 180
rainy days in a year
Less than 10 rainy days in a year
Which line crosses the area with the highest number of rainy days?

5. Rainy Days and the EquatorW
Rainy Days and the
Equator
Equator
Darkest color: More than 180
rainy days in a year
The Equator crosses the highest number of rainy days.

6. Circle the best answer:
The map shows a Millet layer along with the Rainy days layer. Millet is a grain (like wheat). People use it to make soup, cereal, and bread.
Where is Millet grown?
Circle the best answer:
- in the highest number of rainy days (greater than 180)
- in the lowest number of rainy days (less than 10)
- in an “in-between” number of rainy days (not in highest or lowest)
Millet is an important food in African
history.
Why do you think people grow millet in these places?

7. The map shows a Millet layer along with the Rainy days layer
The map shows a Millet layer along with the Rainy days layer. Millet is a grain that people use to make soup, cereal, and bread.
Where is "Millet" grown?
- in the highest number of rainy days (greater than 180)
- in the lowest number of rainy days (less than 10)
- in an “in-between” number of rainy days (not in highest or lowest)
Why do you think Millet is grown in these places?
Millet does NOT grow well in the driest places with few rainy days. It also does NOT grow well in the wettest places with the most rainy days.

8. Describe where the Ancient Empire cities are located in relation to
This map shows the Millet layer along with the Ancient Empires layer and the Rainy days layer.
Describe where the Ancient Empire cities are located in relation to
- the number of Rainy days
- the places where Millet is grown.

9. This map shows the Millet layer along with the Ancient Empires layer and the Rainy days layer.
Describe where the Ancient Empire cities are located in relation to Rainy days and Millet.
The Ancient Empire cities are located in places that are near the drier areas,
but they are NOT in the driest areas.
They are definitely NOT in places with the most rainy days.
People grew millet near the Ancient Empire cities.

10. Ecoregions is also an important layer.W
Ecoregions is also an important layer.
On this map, find the darkest green
Rainforest ecoregion areas.
Next, find the orange
Desert ecoregion areas.

11. Rainforest and Desert are two kinds of Ecoregions.
Equator
1. Which line crosses through the Rainforest ecoregion?
2. Where are the Desert areas in relation to this line?
Desert

12. Equator Where are Ecoregions in Africa? N W E S Desert Rainforest
1. The Equator crosses through the Rainforest areas.
2. Desert areas are both north and south of the Equator, but not right next to it.
Desert

13. What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see chimpanzees?
An ecoregion is a large area that has a particular mixture of plants and animals.
What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see chimpanzees?
Circle the best answer: D=Desert G=Grassland R=Rainforest D R G G
Look at the ecoregions "key."

14. An ecoregion is a large area that has a particular mixture of plants and animals.
What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see chimpanzees?
Circle the best answer: D=Desert G=Grassland R=Rainforest D R G G
Rainforest
Look at the ecoregions "key."

15. What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see camels?
An ecoregion is a large area that has a particular mixture of plants and animals.
What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see camels?
Circle the best answer: D=Desert G=Grassland R=Rainforest D R G G
Look at the ecoregions "key."

16. An ecoregion is a large area that has a particular mixture of plants and animals.
What ecoregion would you visit if you want to see camels?
Circle the best answer: D=Desert G=Grassland R=Rainforest D R G
Desert
Grassland G
Look at the ecoregions "key."

17. Ecoregion layer AND Rainy Days layer
The next slides will compare these two layers. D R G G

18. 1. Which ecoregion goes together with the least Rainy Days?
Circle the best answer: Rainforest or Desert
2. Which ecoregion goes together with the most Rainy Days?
Lightest color: Less than 10 rainy days in a year
Darkest color: More than 180 rainy days in a year

19. 1. Which ecoregion goes together with the least Rainy Days?
Circle the best answer: Rainforest or Desert
2. Which ecoregion goes together with the most Rainy Days?
Less than 10 rainy days in a year
Desert
Rainforest
More than 180 rainy days in a year

20. Rainy days layer and Animals layers
3. Which animal goes together with the least Rainy Days?
Circle the best answer: Chimpanzees or Camels
4. Which animal goes together with the most Rainy Days?
Less than 10 rainy days in a year
More than 180 rainy days in a year

21. Rainy days and Animals
3. Which animal goes together with the least Rainy Days?
Circle the best answer: Chimpanzees or Camels
4. Which animal goes together with the most Rainy Days?
Less than 10 rainy days in a year
Camels
Chimpanzees
More than 180 rainy days in a year

22. Other layers give us more information about when lots of rain falls.
High rain in July:
Which two "high rain" layers are turned on?
High rain in January:
Which high rain area is mostly north of the Equator?

23. The July "high rain" is farthest north.
High rain in JULY S N E W
Find where the July and January "high rain" areas overlap.
Which line crosses the overlapping "high rain" area?

24. Equator Which line crosses the area where both July and January
Two "high rain" layers are turned on.
High rain in July:
Which line crosses the area where both July and January
"high rain"
overlap?
Equator
High rain in January:
Equator

25. The next set of maps shows rain layers as well as rivers.
Which part of Africa has a large space with no rivers?
- Do you remember which Ecoregion is in the same place?
High rain in JULY
Equator S N E W

26. The next set of maps shows rain layers as well as rivers.
Desert
Part of northern Africa has no rivers.
- Desert is in northern Africa,
not near the Equator.
High rain in JULY
Equator S N E W
Which rivers will receive high rainfall in July?
Use the compass rose and cardinal direction words to explain where the rivers are located.

27. The next slides show rain layers as well as rivers.
Rivers north of
the Equator get July rains.
High rain in JULY
Equator S N E W

28. after January rains after July rains
The Nile River is in northeastern Africa. People who live near the Nile River depend on its water.
When do you think the Nile is most likely to flood? Circle the best answer: during months
after January rains after July rains
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
High rainfall
in July
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean S N E W
High rainfall
in January

29. after January rains after July rains
The Nile River is in northeastern Africa. Maps below show where high amounts of rain fall in different seasons.
When do you think the Nile is most likely to flood? Circle the best answer: during months
after January rains after July rains
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean
High rainfall
in July
Mediterranean
Atlantic Ocean S N E W
High rainfall
in January

30. These maps show two layers: Fires and High rainfall.
Write sentences that explain where fires are located in relation to High rainfall in January and July.
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Dots show fires in January.
Shading:
High rainfall
in July
Dots show fires in July.
Shading:
High rainfall
in January

31. Explain the relationship between fires and rainfall.
Fires in January are mostly outside the high rain area. They are north of the equator in the drier area.
Fires in July are mostly outside the high rain area. They are south of the equator in the drier area.
Dots show fires in January.
Shading:
High rainfall
in July
Dots show fires in July.
Shading:
High rainfall
in January

32. Africa Mini-Atlas Activity
We have used several different map layers to describe different ecoregions and climates in Africa.
We saw where ecoregions were located in relation to the equator.
We found regions of animals or regions of fires in different seasons.
We have seen how people have used different places (with different rainfall)
and where they grew crops (millet) and chose capital cities for ancient empires.