New
New
Year 4

Weather and climate in Europe

I can identify different climate zones in the world and describe the climate of different countries in Europe.

New
New
Year 4

Weather and climate in Europe

I can identify different climate zones in the world and describe the climate of different countries in Europe.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The climate in Europe is seasonal and very varied.
  2. Southern areas of Europe around the Mediterranean are mild in winter and hot in summer, and attract a lot of tourists.
  3. The west of Europe receives more rainfall than the east of Europe because it is close to the Atlantic Ocean.

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).

  • Equator - The Equator is an imaginary line encircling Earth at 0° latitude and is an equal distance from the North Pole and the South Pole.

  • Latitude - Lines of latitude are imaginary lines on Earth showing position north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees.

  • Climate change - Climate change is a large-scale and long-term change in the planet’s climate, including weather patterns and average temperatures.

Common misconception

Climate and weather are the same thing.

Explain that weather tells you what clothes to wear that day. Climate tells you what sort of clothes you need to have in your wardrobe.

Teachers may wish to first model using a weather forecast service and tourist information websites to research the climate of a country in Europe.
Teacher tip

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.
Europe is found in the Northern Hemisphere.
Correct answer: true
false
Q2.
Which continent borders Europe in the east?
Africa
Correct answer: Asia
North America
Q3.
Countries in Europe have very different climates.
Correct answer: true
false
Q4.
How many countries are in Europe?
40
27
Correct answer: 44
Q5.
Atlas maps provide information on...
animals
Correct answer: countries
Correct answer: continents
Correct answer: oceans
space
Q6.
Which of these countries are in Southern Europe?
Correct answer: Italy
Correct answer: Greece
Norway
Ukraine

6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is the correct definition of climate?
The day to day changes in the atmosphere.
Correct answer: The average weather conditions of a place taken over a long period of time.
The number of days of heavy rainfall a place gets.
Q2.
All countries in Europe have four seasons; winter, spring, summer and .
Correct Answer: autumn, Autumn
Q3.
What do lines of latitude describe?
How far east and west a place is from the Equator.
Correct answer: How far north and south a place is from the Equator.
How high above sea level a place is.
Q4.
Match the correct descriptions of each climate zone.
Correct Answer:temperate,a climate with moderate temperatures and quite a lot of rainfall

a climate with moderate temperatures and quite a lot of rainfall

Correct Answer:polar,a dry climate with cool summers and very cold winters

a dry climate with cool summers and very cold winters

Correct Answer:Mediterranean,a climate with hot, dry summers and cooler, mild winters

a climate with hot, dry summers and cooler, mild winters

Q5.
Which area of the Europe is wetter?
North
East
South
Correct answer: West
Q6.
What physical factors affect the climate of a location?
Correct answer: altitude
the types of animals that live there
Correct answer: distance from the coast
the number of rivers in an area