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Name: Jaiden Coleman Date: May 26, 2017

Activity 1.1 - Climatographs

Student Instructions:

For this assignment, you will complete the activity by reading the purpose and procedures,
answering questions and writing a conclusion in this Word Document

You will also produce a graph. This can be done on paper, scanned and uploaded OR done
with an Excel if you would prefer.

Please follow the student instructions highlighted in yellow.

Purpose:

To interpret, compare and construct climatographs.

Materials:
Graph paper, pencil ruler OR graphing program

Procedures:

Part 1 - Climatograph Interpretation:

1) Look at the climatograph below and answer the following questions (type directly below each
question using FULL SENTENCES):

a)What information is indicated on the left hand y-axis (vertical axis?) The information on the x-axis is
the temperature.
b)What are the units on this axis? The units on the axis are degrees Celsius.

c)What information is indicated on the right hand y-axis? The information on the right hand axis is
precipitation.

d)What are the units on this axis? The units on the axis are millimeters (mm).

e)What information is indicated on the x-axis (horizontal axis)? The information on the x-axis is the
time of year (months).

f)If you were looking at the line (temperature) which axis should you use? To look at the line you
should use the left y axis.

g)If you were looking at the bars (precipitation) which axis should you use? To look at the bars, you
should use the right y axis.

Part 2: Construct a Climatograph

Student Instruction: You can use graph paper and then scan and upload your graph, or use a
graphing program like excel to create a graph. (Note that creating a graph with a double y-axis
is a bit tricky, so you may want to do this by hand)

2) Use the data below (Source: Environment Canada) to construct a climatograph for Prince Rupert
BC.

- months should be on the x- axis (horizontal axis)


- temperature on the left hand y-axis (vertical axis), present as a line graph (smooth curve, NOT
connect the dots)
- precipitation on the right hand y-axis (vertical axis), present as a bar graph
- refer to the graph in part 1 as an example

Climate Data for Prince Rupert, BC

Average Average
Month Maximum Precipitation
Temperature (oC) (mm)
January 4.6 256.9 Tips for good graphing:
February 5.9 203.9
March 7.4 191.6 - use a ruler for straight lines,
- make sure to label all axis including units,
April 9.9 178.7 - make sure all intervals (the squares or tic marks
May 12.3 139.5 on a graph) are worth an EQUAL AMOUNT...for
June 14.2 123.7 example go up by twos, fives etc.
- the graph should be large enough to be
July 16.1 114.3 interpreted visually....at least 1/2 a page is a good
August 16.7 155.4 rule of thumb
September 14.9 244
October 11.7 379
November 7.1 305
December 5.1 302
Data and Observations:

Ensure you upload your graph with this assignment.

Questions:

Student Instructions: Answer these questions directly in the Word document under each
question. Please use full sentences

1) How would you describe the climate of Kamloops (part 1) compared to the climate of Prince
Rupert (part 2). For example is it hot/mild/cold, dry/wet/average precipitation?

Kamloops has a hotter summer than Prince Rupert and Prince Rupert has a higher amount of
precipitation all year around.

2) Which biome type do you think Kamloops is, based on the climatograph? Explain your answer
(refer to the previous lesson biomes if you need to).

I think that Kamloops would be a boreal forest/desert based on the climatograph.

3) Which biome type do you think Prince Rupert is, based on the climatograph? Explain your answer
(refer to the previous lesson on biomes if you need to).

I think that Prince Rupert is a temperate rain forest based on the graph.

Conclusion:

Student instructions: Type your conclusion in paragraph form below.

In one or two well written paragraphs written in the third person, write a conclusion. Discuss the
major results of this activity, the science behind it, what you have learned and any difficulties in this
activity.

DO NOT:
- simply repeat the procedures,- use I, we, names etc

Third Person Writing

Climatographs are used to look at the climate of a particular area. The information on the graph
includes temperature and precipitation, which are important aspects of climate. By using
climatographs, a person can compare the climates of different places. This lab demonstrated that
Prince Rupert and Kamloops have different climates and are different biomes. Prince Rupert has a
more mild climate and is in the temperate rainforest biome. Kamloops is drier, with hotter summers
and colder winters, and is in a really dry boreal forest climate or a wetter desert biome.

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