The steppe - feeding the world
I can explain why temperate grasslands are well-suited for farming and why the steppe is important to Russia.
The steppe - feeding the world
I can explain why temperate grasslands are well-suited for farming and why the steppe is important to Russia.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Temperate grasslands are called ‘breadbaskets’ for producing much of the world's wheat and cereals.
- Temperate grassland have characteristics which make them especially good agricultural land: climate, soil and terrain.
- Russia’s main agricultural areas are found in the west of the country and within the steppe.
- The Russian steppe is vital to the nation’s domestic food supply. Russia is largely self-sufficient in grain production.
- Russia is the world's top wheat exporter, generating US$11 billion from wheat exports in 2023.
Keywords
Chernozem - a rich, dark soil full of nutrients and found in temperate grasslands
Export - selling goods or products to other countries
Steppe - a large, flat area of land with grass and few trees, found in regions with dry climates and cold winters
Common misconception
Temperate grasslands are the only places in the world where cereal crops are grown.
Whilst temperate grasslands are significant providers of much of the world’s wheat and other cereal crops and referred to as 'breadbaskets', they are not the only places in the world where these crops are grown.
To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: The steppe - feeding the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: The steppe - feeding the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Russia: How does geography shape the country? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their definitions:
the line where one country ends and another begins
a large continuous area of land on Earth
a region with the same standard time
the ratio between the distance on a map and in real life
Q2.Which continent does most of Russia lie in?
Q3.Russia borders how many countries?
Q4.Which ocean lies to the north of Russia?
Q5.Which of these countries does not share a border with Russia?
Q6.Russia is the country in the world by area.
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the keyword to its correct definition:
Nutrient-rich, dark soil in grasslands
Selling goods to other countries
Large, grassy area with few trees