Lesson – 1 Grade - 4

Weather,
Climate, And
Climate Zones
 Learning Objectives
Understand the difference between weather and climate.

Explain how the weather changes.

Identify the latitudes and climate zones.

Key Vocabulary
WEATHER:- Weather is a temporary condition of the
atmosphere
CLIMATE:- The weather condition prevailing in an area in
general or over a long period.
ATMOSPHERE:- The envelope of gases surrounding the
earth or another planet
EQUATOR:- The equator is an imaginary line that goes
around the earth.
POLES:- The two opposite points on the earth’s surface
through which its axis passes.
Key Vocabulary
LATITUDE:- Latitude measures the distance north or
south of the equator
NORTH POLE:- The north pole is the northernmost point
on the earth.
SOUTH POLE:- The south pole is the southernmost point
on the earth.
CLIMATE ZONES:- Climate zones are areas with distinct
climates
 Weather
Weather is a temporary condition of the
atmosphere (the air that surrounds the
planet earth). It changes continuously. For
example, on a day when clouds form in the
atmosphere, we may get rain. Later the
same day, the sun may come out. This is
why we call weather a temporary
condition.
The weather is effected by the heat produced
by the sun. The heat travels through the
atmosphere. When the air is heated, it rises. Cold
air replaces it. This movement of the air in the
atmosphere is called wind.
Moisture can cause the weather to change.
Clouds are moisture formations in the air. When
they grow big, they produce fog, rain, or snow.
The precipitation, water that falls on the ground,
depends on the time of the year and the climate.
 CLIMATE
Climate describes the typical weather conditions in an entire
region for a very long time – 30 years or more. Average
measurements of temperature, wind, humidity, snow, and rain
in a place over the course of years are used to describe the
climate.
 The planet Earth is round and tilted, so rays
reach certain areas more directly than others. For
example, the North pole and South pole get a lot
less sun than the Equator. The Equator is the
imaginary line that goes around the earth. It is the
same distance from the two poles. That is why the
regions around the equator have the warmest
climate.
A common way to describe climates is to divide
them into five categories: tropical, dry, mild, cold, and
polar. These categories are based on long term weather
patterns, mostly of temperature and precipitation .
 IMPORTANT LATITUDES
Specific latitude lines indicate areas where the earth is
specially warm or cold. The earth is warmer where it is
closest to the sun.

The Equator is the midpoint between North pole and

South pole and is given 0 degree latitude. The equator is not
a real line on the earth.

It is only drawn on maps to help us find locations. It

divides the earth into the northern and the southern
hemispheres.
 THE CLIMATE MAP
The earth is divided into climate zones. A climate is
a region with a distinct climate. A climate map shows
the climate of different areas of the world.

The earth is colder where it is farthest from the sun.

The northern and the southern polar regions are the
coldest parts of the earth. The polar regions are called
circles. The northern polar region is called the Arctic
Circle. The southern polar region is called the Antarctic
Circle.

The line drawn between the Arctic Circle and the

Equator on the map is called the Tropic of Cancer. The
line drawn between Antarctic Circle and the Equator is
called the Tropic of Capricorn.
 THE CLIMATE ZONES
The area between the Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn is called the tropical zone or
the tropics. The weather stays warm throughout
the year in tropics. There are two seasons in the
tropics: the hot season and the wet season. It can
be very humid in the tropics due to many rainfalls.
The average temperature in the tropics is between
20 and 30 degrees Celsius.

The subtropical zone, also known as the

subtropics, is located north and south of the
tropics. In the subtropics, the average
temperature is between 20 and 35 degrees
Celsius. The subtropical zone receives less
moisture than the tropical zone. Deserts are
often in the subtropical zone.
The temperate zone, is between the subtropics and
the sub-polar zone. In the north, it reaches to the
Arctic Circle and in the south to the Antarctic
Circle. The average temperatures in the temperate
zone are between 0 and 20 degrees Celsius. In the
temperate zone, there are four distinct seasons:
spring, summer, fall (autumn), and winter.

The polar and the sub-polar zones are the

farthest north and south points of the earth.
The average temperatures are -47 to 0 degrees
Celsius. Instead of rain, polar and sub-polar
zones often get snow. Sometimes, the sun
does not shine on this part of the world.
Match each tree to the season and Explain why the tree looks different in each season.
SPRING SUMMER AUTUMN WINTER
Thank You!!