New
New
Year 3

The differences between climate zones and biomes

I can understand and explain the difference between climate zones and biomes.

New
New
Year 3

The differences between climate zones and biomes

I can understand and explain the difference between climate zones and biomes.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Some areas within a climate zone have similar plants and animals; we call this a biome.
  2. Biomes have a spatial pattern that can be mapped.
  3. Key biomes of the world include rainforest, savannah, desert, temperate forest and tundra.

Keywords

  • Weather - The weather of a place is the day to day condition of the atmosphere, e.g. sunny, snowing, warm etc.

  • Climate - Climate is an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more).

  • Climate zones - Climate zones are areas that have similar weather conditions and climate, e.g. the tropics.

Common misconception

That climate zones and biomes refer to the same places and locations.

Biomes exist within climate zones; one climate zone can contain several biomes. Climate zones are places with similar average weather patterns, biomes are places with similar animals and plants living there.

Six major biomes are identified in this lesson, but the exact number of biomes in the world can vary according to different sources of information.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
The weather in a place is ...
the condition of the atmosphere taken over a long period of time.
Correct answer: the condition outside each day e.g. raining, snowy, windy.
how hot it is all the time.
the same as the climate.
Q2.
The climate of a place is the average weather conditions (e.g. rainy, sunny, windy) ...
taken over the last month.
Correct answer: taken over a long time, usually 30 years.
taken over the last week.
Q3.
The polar regions are an example of a ...
Correct answer: climate zone
vegetation belt
biome
Q4.
Temperature is measured in ...
Correct Answer: degrees Celsius, degrees
Q5.
The tropical climate zone is found...
At the Equator
At the Arctic and Antarctic Circles
Correct answer: Between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Q6.
Put these key lines of latitude in order from north to south.
1 - Arctic Circle
2 - Tropic of Cancer
3 - Equator
4 - Tropic of Capricorn
5 - Antarctic Circle

6 Questions

Q1.
A biome is a region of the world that has similar climate, ...
Correct answer: weather, plants and animals adapted to living there
only plants adapted to living there
animals that can only be found there
Q2.
Climate zones and biomes are ...
Correct answer: different - one climate zone can have more than one biome
the same - climate zone is another name for biome
different - one biome can have more than one climate zone in it
Q3.
Deciduous trees ...
An image in a quiz
keep their leaves all year round
Correct answer: lose their leaves in winter
lose their leaves in summer
Q4.
Why do very few plants and animals live in the hot desert biome?
An image in a quiz
It is too rocky and hilly
It is too cold
Correct answer: It is too dry and hot
Q5.
Tundra biomes are found ....
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: in the arctic and polar climate zone
between the tropics and the temperate climate zone
Correct answer: in the far north of Canada, Russia and Scandinavia
near the Equator
Q6.
Match these biomes to the correct description.
Correct Answer:tropical rainforest,Hot and wet all year round and have many plants

Hot and wet all year round and have many plants

Correct Answer:hot desert,It is too dry for most animals to survive here

It is too dry for most animals to survive here

Correct Answer:tundra,The top layer of soil there is frozen almost all of the time

The top layer of soil there is frozen almost all of the time

Correct Answer:savannah,These are located between tropical rainforests and deserts

These are located between tropical rainforests and deserts