Name: Mackenzie Green Date: May 23 2017

Activity 1.1 - Climatographs

Student Instructions:

For this assignment, you will complete the activity by reading the purpose and procedures,
answering questions and writing a conclusion in this Word Document

You will also produce a graph. This can be done on paper, scanned and uploaded OR done
with an Excel if you would prefer.

Please follow the student instructions highlighted in yellow.

Purpose:

To interpret, compare and construct climatographs.

Materials:
Graph paper, pencil ruler OR graphing program

Procedures:

Part 1 - Climatograph Interpretation:

1) Look at the climatograph below and answer the following questions (type directly below each
question using FULL SENTENCES):

a)What information is indicated on the left hand y-axis (vertical axis?) Temperature information is
located on the left hand y-axis.
b)What are the units on this axis? The units on the axis are Degrees Celsius.

c)What information is indicated on the right hand y-axis? The information on the right hand y-axis
is about precipitation.

d)What are the units on this axis? The units on this axis are mm.

e)What information is indicated on the x-axis (horizontal axis)? The information on the x-axis is
months.

f)If you were looking at the line (temperature) which axis should you use? To look at temperature, you
would use the left y-axis.

g)If you were looking at the bars (precipitation) which axis should you use? If you were looking at
precipitation, you would use the right y-axis.

Part 2: Construct a Climatograph

Student Instruction: You can use graph paper and then scan and upload your graph, or use a
graphing program like excel to create a graph. (Note that creating a graph with a double y-axis
is a bit tricky, so you may want to do this by hand)

2) Use the data below (Source: Environment Canada) to construct a climatograph for Prince Rupert
BC.

- months should be on the x- axis (horizontal axis)

- temperature on the left hand y-axis (vertical axis), present as a line graph (smooth curve, NOT
connect the dots)
- precipitation on the right hand y-axis (vertical axis), present as a bar graph
- refer to the graph in part 1 as an example

Climate Data for Prince Rupert, BC

Average Average
Month Maximum Precipitation
Temperature (oC) (mm)
January 4.6 256.9 Tips for good graphing:
February 5.9 203.9 - use a ruler for straight lines,
March 7.4 191.6 - make sure to label all axis including units,
April 9.9 178.7 - make sure all intervals (the squares or tic marks
on a graph) are worth an EQUAL AMOUNT...for
May 12.3 139.5 example go up by twos, fives etc.
June 14.2 123.7 - the graph should be large enough to be
July 16.1 114.3 interpreted visually....at least 1/2 a page is a good
rule of thumb
August 16.7 155.4
September 14.9 244
October 11.7 379 Data and Observations:
November 7.1 305
December 5.1 302
Ensure you upload your graph with this assignment.

Questions:

Student Instructions: Answer these questions directly in the Word document under each
question. Please use full sentences

1) How would you describe the climate of Kamloops (part 1) compared to the climate of Prince
Rupert (part 2). For example is it hot/mild/cold, dry/wet/average precipitation?

Kamloops has a warmer summer than Prince Rupert and a lower precipitation all year
round. There is also a bigger seasonal difference between summer and winter
temperature and precipitation in comparison to Prince Rupert.

2) Which biome type do you think Kamloops is, based on the climatograph? Explain your answer
(refer to the previous lesson biomes if you need to).

I think Kamloops is a boreal forest/desert because of its low precipitation/dry weather and
seasonal differences.

3) Which biome type do you think Prince Rupert is, based on the climatograph? Explain your answer
(refer to the previous lesson on biomes if you need to). I think Prince Rupert is a temperate
rainforest biome based on the climatograph. The weather is pretty constant throughout the
year with cool weather and heavy rainfall.

Conclusion:

Student instructions: Type your conclusion in paragraph form below.

In one or two well written paragraphs written in the third person, write a conclusion. Discuss the
major results of this activity, the science behind it, what you have learned and any difficulties in this
activity.

This activity demonstrated that Prince Rupert and Kamloops have very different climates, even
though they are both in the same province and not very far apart. Prince Rupert has cool
temperatures year round and high precipitation. There arent big changes between the summer and
winter temperatures, which indicates that it is in a temperate rain forest biome. Kamloops is drier and
has colder winters and hotter summers, meaning it is in a boreal forest or desert biome.
Climatographs are useful to learn more about climate in a particular area.