4.2 Weather and Climate

• Weather compared with climate
• Factors influencing weather and climate in Africa
• Distribution and characteristics of major climatic regions of Africa: desert, semi-desert, tropical, Mediterranean, mountain
• Effects of climate on human activities
• Climate change: causes, effects, problem-solving and disaster-related stress

• examine factors influencing climate in Africa
• illustrate distribution and characteristics of major climatic regions of Africa
• explore positive ways of managing disaster-related stress
• apply problem-solving skills in addressing effects of climate change on the environment
• recognise the effects of climate on human activities

“How does climate change affect human activities?”

“How can one manage stress during disasters?”

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1. Weather and climate compared
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Weather is the short-term state of the air. Climate is the long-term pattern. Grade 8 studies Africa's climates, building on Grade 7 weather.
2. Factors influencing climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Latitude, altitude, ocean currents, distance from the sea, relief and winds including the ITCZ together shape Africa's climates.
3. Mapping climatic regions of Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Draw Africa and mark desert, semi-desert, tropical, Mediterranean and mountain climates. Location comes before characteristics.
4. Desert climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Sahara, Namib and the Kalahari thirstland: very low rain, large daily temperature range, and different causes (latitude versus cold current).
5. Semi-desert climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   The Sahel, the Horn and much of northern and eastern Kenya: a short unreliable wet season, then long drought. People herd, farm opportunistically and face famine risk.
6. Tropical climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Tropical Africa includes hot-wet equatorial forest climates and wet-and-dry savanna. Heat is constant; rain decides the season.
7. Mediterranean climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Winter rain and dry summers at the Maghreb coast and the Cape of Good Hope. Vines, wheat and fruit; not the Kenyan coast.
8. Mountain climate in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Highlands make their own cooler, often wetter climate. Kenya and Ethiopia highlands, Atlas, Rwenzori, Drakensberg and Kilimanjaro are the school list.
9. Climate and human activities in Africa
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Farming, herding, settlement, tourism and health follow rainfall and temperature. Recognise the effects; do not treat climate as destiny that excuses injustice.
10. Climate change, disasters and stress
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Climate change shifts Africa's patterns: drought, flood, heat, locusts. Problem-solve locally, and manage disaster stress with facts, routine and help - not shame.