Anticyclones
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the weather associated with an anticyclone, and its impact on people and the environment.
Key learning points
- High pressure systems, when air is sinking, are called anticyclones.
- Anticyclones are characterised by dry, stable weather.
- Anticyclones have very gentle winds shown by widely spaced isobars on a weather map.
- Anticyclones can bring summer heatwaves and very cold conditions in winter.
Keywords
Impact - to have an effect on someone or something
Pressure - a force pushing or pressing on a given area
Heatwave - a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather
Common misconception
The weather associated with an anticyclone stays the same all year around.
Students will analyse images to identify how anticyclones may bring different weather in the summer and winter.
Teacher tip
High-pressure systems cause air to move outward and downward in a clockwise direction (in the Northern Hemisphere) or counterclockwise (in the Southern Hemisphere). You could use a spinning top to demonstrate the rotational motion.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1. describes the day-to-day condition of the atmosphere.
Q2. is the long-term pattern of weather in a particular area.
Q3.What is Earth's atmosphere made of?
Q4.Which weather pattern is typically associated with calm conditions?
Q5.How can weather impact human activities?
Q6.What is a heatwave?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is the main characteristic of an anticyclone?
Q2.How do anticyclones affect weather conditions?
Q3.What impact do anticyclones have in summer?
Q4.In winter, what kind of weather is associated with an anticyclone?
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Anticyclones, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Anticyclones, 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Weather and climate: how do they vary? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.