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Year 10
AQA

Value of cold environments

I can explain how cold environments are at risk from economic development and how they can be protected.

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Share activities with pupils
New
New
Year 10
AQA

Value of cold environments

I can explain how cold environments are at risk from economic development and how they can be protected.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Cold environments are at risk from economic development.
  2. Cold environments are valuable as wilderness areas and these fragile environments should be protected.
  3. Strategies are used to balance economic development and conservation in cold environments.

Keywords

  • Sustainable - using resources in a way that means future generations will still be able to use them in the same way

  • Biodiversity - a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem

  • Conservation - protection and management of natural resources to prevent damage and maintain biodiversity

Common misconception

The only valuable resource in cold environments is timber.

Many valuable resources are found in cold environments (albeit difficult to access), such as fossil fuels and minerals. Timber in polar and tundra regions is not found there. These are treeless areas. Timber is found further south in the taiga biome.


To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Value of cold environments, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Use GIS tools to analyse areas that have been mined and their impact on the environment. Students could map tundra or polar areas, identify regions most affected by mining or fossil fuel extraction and correlate them with changes in local biodiversity.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where are cold environments typically found on Earth?
Along the Equator and in tropical regions
Correct answer: Near the polar regions and at high altitudes
In urban areas with high rainfall
In coastal areas near the Equator
Q2.
What is permafrost?
Ice that forms on mountain tops only in winter
Water that freezes and melts seasonally
Correct answer: Permanently frozen ground found in cold environments
Glacial meltwater that floods valleys
Q3.
Which of the following best describes a cold environment?
Correct answer: An area with extreme temperatures, long winters and short summers
Any place with high rainfall and mild winters
Areas with daily temperature changes but mild year-round weather
Urban regions in temperate climates
Q4.
What is one way that humans adapt to living in cold environments?
Building only underground
Correct answer: Constructing homes on stilts above permafrost
Relocating every winter
Avoiding technology use
Q5.
What is one environmental risk of developing in cold environments?
Reduced access to transport
Lack of internet access
Correct answer: Damage to fragile ecosystems and long recovery time
Global warming ends permanently
Q6.
Which of the following is a characteristic of tundra regions?
Dense forests and heavy rainfall
Fertile soils and high biodiversity
Warm summers and long growing seasons
Correct answer: Low-growing plants, permafrost and short summers

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What does the term sustainable mean?
Using all natural resources before they run out
Avoiding the use of any natural resources
Correct answer: Using resources in a way that preserves them for future generations
Stopping development in all environments
Q2.
Which of the following best describes biodiversity?
The number of rivers in an ecosystem
The total human population in an area
Correct answer: The variety of different species living in an ecosystem
How fast plants grow in cold environments
Q3.
What economic activity is common in cold environments?
Rice farming
Gold jewellery production
Cocoa farming
Correct answer: Mineral extraction
Q4.
What is a major risk of resource exploitation in cold environments?
Decreased temperatures
Correct answer: Environmental damage and pollution
Increased biodiversity
Improved farming