E Copy Grade 6 Geography Term 1
E Copy Grade 6 Geography Term 1
Chapter # 1
INTRODUCING GEOGRAPHY
Answer the following questions
1) Why our Earth is called the Blue Marble?
Because of its big beautiful ocean. Looking at our Earth from space it is obvious that we live on a
water planet. Ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and contains about 97% of the
Earth’s surface water.
Chapter # 2
OUR HOME: THE EARTH
1) Define the terms:
a. Big Bang
The Big Bang was a massive heat explosion that started the universe 15 billion years ago.
b. Galaxy
A galaxy is a huge collection of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar system held
together by gravity.
P.s. You are one of the billions of people on our Earth. Our Earth orbits the Sun in our Solar
System. Our Sun is one star among the billions in the Milky Way Galaxy. Our Milky Way
Galaxy is one among the billions of galaxies in our Universe. You are unique in the Universe!
c. Milky Way
The Milky Way is the Galaxy in which we live. It is a spiral shaped galaxy that contains
several hundred billion stars, including our Sun.
2) There are three categories of galaxies grouped according to their shape. Describe.
Spiral - They look like flat disks and bulges in their centers.
Spiral Galaxy
Elliptical Galaxy
Irregular Galaxy
The Earth is not one solid mass. It is made up of three basic layers: the core, the mantle and the
crust.
The Core
The core forms the center of the Earth. It is solid and the temperatures here can be as high as
5,000ᵒC.
The Mantle
The next layer is the semi-liquid layer called the mantle. The temperatures here can reach
2,000ᵒC. The pieces of the Earth's crust float on the mantle. The mantle is very hot and the heat
causes convection currents that cause the plates to move.
The Crust
The crust is the outermost layer. It is solid and varies in thickness from 5 to 70 kilometers. It is
not a continuous layer but is broken into many pieces. These pieces float on the semi-liquid
mantle and are continuously moving. These pieces of the Earth’s crust are called 'crustal plates’.
9) What are crustal plates and why are they continuously moving?
Crustal plates form the outer layer of the Earth. There are seven major plates and many smaller
plates. These tectonic plates are formed from the Earth's crust and uppermost part of the
mantle.
The pieces of the Earth's crust float on the mantle. The mantle is very hot and the heat causes
convection currents that cause the plates to move.
10) What does the word Pangaea mean? Illustrate with the help of diagram
Pangaea is a hypothetical supercontinent that included all current land masses, believed to have
been in existence before the continents broke apart during the Triassic and Jurassic Periods.
An example of Pangaea is a massive continent that contained Eurasia, North America, India,
Australia, Antarctica, Africa and South America.
The Earth's outer layer is broken into great pieces called crustal plates. Scientists believed that
once, these pieces of the Earth's crust were joined together to form a huge land mass called—
Pangaea. ‘Pangaea’ means 'all land' in Greek.
Continental Drift
13) What evidences were put forward to prove that the Continents fit like a jigsaw puzzle?
Fossils
Fossils of plants and reptiles were found in Africa and South America. This proves that these two
continents were once close to each other or were even joined together, allowing animals like
reptiles to travel from one continent to the other easily.
Minerals and rocks
Scientists have matched rocks and minerals from continents thought to have been separated.
The rocks and minerals have been found to be the same although they are taken from different
continents that are separated by oceans.
Coal distribution
Coal can be found buried under the thick layer of snow and ice in the Antarctica although coal
can only be formed in warm and wet conditions. Coal is a fossil fuel formed millions of years ago
from trees, moss and other vegetation. These plants were covered by layers of soil and rock.
The pressure and heat gradually changed these buried plants into coal. The presence of coal in
the cold and dry Antarctica means that the Antarctica was once together with the other
continents as part of Pangaea and was in a hot and wet region. Coal was formed before the
Antarctic plate drifted away to its present location.
14) What proves that continents were once a huge landmass and has now drifted apart?
OR
What evidence supports the theory of Continental Drift?
Puzzle like fit of continents
Matching plant and animal fossils on different continents
Matching rock types and ages on different continents
Climate clues- tropical plant fossils in Antarctica and glacier evidence in Africa suggest the
continents were not always at their present latitudes
2) Since the crustal plates are moving continuously. Why don’t we feel the movement?
Since the crustal plates are moving continuously in relation to one another but this movement
is not felt because it is very gradual.
1. The sun is just one of the billions of ______________________ within the Milky Way Galaxy
2. The ________________ came from the matter that was left behind during the sun’s formation
3. The solar system consists of the ___________________ and _________________.
4. Venus rotates at a speed of _____________________________km/h
5. The earth rotates at a speed of _______________________km/h and takes only
_____________ hours to rotate on its own axis.
6. A day on Saturn is equal to ___________ earth days.
7. The earth is about ___________________ million kilometers from the sun.
8. The earth is the __________________ planet and the ________________ is largest planet in the
solar system.
9. The further away a planet is from the sun, the _______________________ the average
temperature.
10. The planet furthest away from the sun is ______________________ while the planet nearest to
the sun is _______________________.
11. __________________ % of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. However, ___________ %
of water is salt water while __________________ % is fresh water.
12. 1 % of fresh water is found in ___________________ and ___________________ and the other
2% is _______________________________
13. Pangaea means ______________________ in Greek.
14. The Earth’s outer layer is broken into great pieces called __________________________.
15. __________________ proposed the continental Drift Theory.
16. The discovery of the _________________________ was the most significant to show that the
continents have moved.
17. __________________ is the hottest layer of the Earth
18. The place where two plates meet is called the _________________________.
19. Living things can only stay alive and grow when ______________ and ____________ are
present and the ___________ is right.
Chapter # 4
THE EARTH’S LANDFORMS
Landforms
Hill
A hill is less steep and is lower in elevation than a mountain.
Plateau
A Plateau is a raised flat-surfaced landform. It is also known as table land or flat-topped
mountain. Plateaus vary in height from about 500 metres to thousands s of meters above the
surroundings.
Plain
A plain is an extensive, nearly level stretch of land. It usually doesn’t have any change in height
or elevation. Plains are usually lower than the land around them.
Valley
A valley is a long depression surrounded by higher grounds on the sides.
3) What are Fold Mountains? Describe the formation of Fold Mountains. Which mountain
ranges of the world are the Fold Mountains?
Fold Mountains
Fold Mountains are mountains that form mainly by the effects of folding on layers within the
upper part of the Earth's crust.
Formation
Fold Mountains are created due to compressional forces which result in the rocks bending and
crumpling.
The Earth's crust is not continuous but broken into pieces called plates. These plates float on
the semi-liquid mantle and they are continuously moving. The movements of the plates are not
smooth all the time. Sometimes, when two plates collide, the soft sedimentary rocks bend or
buckle up to form Fold Mountains. This known as folding. Fold Mountains are usually formed
over millions of years ago. A mountain may not occur alone but often several mountains
grouped together to form a, mountain range. Examples of fold mountain ranges are the
Himalayan Mountains in Asia, Alps in Europe, Andes in South America, Rockies in North America
and Urals in Russia.
7) State what a plateau is. Name two different types of plateaus and describe their formation.
Plateau
A plateau is a raised flat-surfaced landform. It is also appropriately known as 'table land' or flat-
topped mountain. Plateaus vary in height, from about 500 meters to thousands of meters above
the surroundings.
Types of Plateau
There are two kinds of plateaus
Dissected Plateau
A dissected plateau is formed as a result of upward movement in the Earth’s crust. The uplift is
caused by the slow collision of tectonic plates.
Dissected Plateau
Volcanic Plateau
A volcanic plateau is formed as a result of numerous, but small volcanic eruptions that slowly
build up over time, forming a plateau from the resulting lava flows.
Volcanic Plateau
Formation
Plateaus are formed due to many weathering and erosional processes such as volcanic magma,
extrusion of lava, running water and glaciers. Plateaus are formed when molten magma rises
from the mantle towards the surface of the Earth’s crust; during the rising process, a large flat
area of rock is uplifted to form a plateau. The magma does not break through but instead raises
a section of the rock up as it rises to form a plateau.
Chapter # 3
THE PHYSICAL & THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENTS
1) Define the terms:
Environment
Physical Environment
Human Environment
Environment
Environment means the surroundings in which we live
Physical Environment
Physical environment comprises of the things that occur naturally on the Earth, e.g. mountains,
volcanoes.
Human Environment
Human environment is the environment which is man-made.
The Physical
Environment
Land Water
Rivers, lakes, oceans
Landforms, rocks
Physical Environment
Human Environment
We need the physical environment to meet our needs. We obtain food from plants and animals,
wood from trees and water from rivers. Materials we use from the physical environment is called
natural resources. When we extract and use these natural resources we often change the physical
environment.
Human environment is composed largely of human elements
Human modifications changes the physical environment (e.g. buildings, industries, offices,
clearing forests for residential uses)
We say that a human environment is formed when a physical environment is changed as a result
of human activities
Some example of human environments are villages and cities
5) Today, Humans have a greater impact on the environment compared to a hundred years ago.
Why? Give reasons to support your answer
Today, humans have a greater impact on the environment compared to a hundred years ago.
This is the result of two factors.
Population growth
The world’s population has been growing rapidly in the last 2 years. The change to the physical
environment is less when the number of people on Earth is small. But as the number increases,
the change becomes greater. With a large population, more food, housing, clothes and jobs are
needed. It means more land will have to be cleared to grow food and build houses and
factories. More resources will be needed to make things that the people need. The surface of
the Earth and the environment will be changed by all these activities.
Technology
Technology refers to the knowledge, skills and tools that we have. We use technology to help us
grow our food and make things that we need. With the invention of machines and new
technology, people are able to grow crops and rear animals. The growing of crops and rearing of
animals are very important as they provide food for people. Farming has brought about a great
change to the natural environment. As farms grow bigger, the effect on the environment
Increases.
New technology also brings about the growth in the number of industries. This started with the
Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century in Britain. During the Industrial Revolution,
people used machines to make life easier for them. Machines were used on a large scale to
make goods. Coal was burnt to produce steam to power these machines. With more machines
and factories, roads and railways were built to bring the goods to and from the factories. With
more factories, roads and cars. The natural environment becomes polluted.
7) How does the physical-human environment of Kalahari Desert differ from that of Karachi?
Give reasons for your answer.
Kalahari Desert Karachi
People have grown used to It is hot for most part of the
Climate the very hot desert. Huts year but there are fans and air
provide shade and protection conditioners to keep them cool
from the heat
Dried grasses and branches Houses are made of concrete
found in the desert are used sometimes located in high-rise
Settlements to build simple huts to protect building. There is electricity
from them from heat supply and clean water from
the taps
People living in Kalahari desert People of Karachi have
Technology use simple tools for hunting computers to help them work
and digging to find food in offices & schools
People mainly depend on Natural vegetation here has
natural vegetation for food been cleared up to build
Vegetation and medicine. The dried houses, factories and offices.
vegetation is also used to build People here do not depend on
houses natural vegetation as their food
is grown on farms.
People usually walk about the Bus, train and car are used to
Transport desert while hunting for food travel as these are faster and
save time.
Chapter # 5
MAPPING SKILLS
1) State what a map is?
A map is a representation of the Earth’s features drawn on a flat surface.
It uses symbols & colors to represent features of an area, simplifying the real world
Vidsville Map
Scale
Scale shows the relationship between a length on a map and the actual distance it represents
on the Earth’s surface.
Names of Features
It tells us the names of features buildings, roads and reservoirs.
A key or legend
A key or legend consists of symbols that represent the physical and human features on the
actual surface of the Earth.
North Arrow
North arrow shows where the north lies on the map.
Grid Lines
Grid lines are a series of numbered vertical (eastings) and horizontal (northings) lines on a map.
Title
Compass
Map Scale
3) What are symbols? How many types of symbols are used on maps? What is each symbol used
for?
Symbol
In the legend of a map, there are symbols that are sued in the map. They are used to represent
the different physical and human features found on the Earth's surface.
Types of Symbols
Line Symbol
They represent line features such as roads, paths, rivers, or railway tracks.
Point Symbols
They represent features such as schools, churches, hospitals or buildings.
Area Symbols
They are used for features that cover an area such as lakes and farms. Different symbols are
used to keep the color of the symbols as close as possible to the real features.
Height Symbols
The height of place on a map is shown by contour lines which are imaginary lines which join the
places of the same height.
4) Define scale. Into how many ways a scale can be shown on the map?
Scale
Map scale the relationship between distances on a map and distances on the Earth’s surface.
A scale can be shown in three ways:
• In words
The scale is stated, for example, 1 cm to 1 km. That means 1 cm on the map is 1 km on the
ground.
• As a ratio
A ratio such as 1: 100,000 means 1 cm on the map represents 100,000 cm or 1 km on the
ground. (100,000 cm = 1 km)
• As a line
A line is divided into units, each representing a certain distance. In the scale, 1 cm represents
50,000 cm on the ground. 50,000 cm = 0.5 km. 1 cm on the map represents 0.5 km on the actual
ground.
7) List different types of maps and describe the purpose of each type of map.
Types of Map
There are many types of maps, each showing different types of information and serving
different purposes.
Political Maps
These maps show the individual countries, each separated by national boundary. The capital
cities and major cities are usually shown.
Thematic Maps
Thematic maps have specific themes. For example, climatic maps give information about the
temperature, rainfall and atmospheric pressure of a place, a country, a region or the world.
Physical Maps
A physical map shows the physical features such as mountains, plains and rivers. colours are
used to show land of different heights. Green is usually used to show lowlands while orange or
brown is used to show land of higher elevations, waterways such as rivers, streams and lakes
are marked blue.
Road Maps
Road maps show the roads, highways, railroad tracks and points of interest of a place. These
maps are used by people to find their way around a town, city or country.
Topographical Maps
Topographical maps show the physical features of a place. Unlike in the physical maps, the
physical features are shown in greater detail. Details such as the shape and height of each
feature are shown with the help of contour lines. Contour lines Join places of the same height.
Human features such as buildings, roads and farms are shown using symbols.