Arctic (Geography)
Seasons: Polar Peoples
Zach Simmons
Relevant Standards:
9-12.G.2.1. Students are able to identify and explain the impact of the natural
environment on human settlement patterns.
• The characteristics, location, distribution, and migration of human populations
Examples: reasons for variation in population distribution, reasons for human migration
and its effects on places
9-12.G.2.2. Students are able to explain how humans interact with their environment.
• Human actions depend upon, adapt to, and modify the physical environment.
• Ways in which technology has expanded human capacity to modify the physical
environment
• The impact of physical geography on human interaction
• How place characteristics have affected locations
Examples: land usage (New Orleans being below sea level); staple diets (Japanese-fish,
Irish-potatoes); man-made accommodations (Great Wall of China, Netherlands polders,
canals)
9-12.G.2.4. Students are able to identify the main characteristics of cultural geography.
Examples: spatial distribution, cultural diffusion, acculturation, institutions, language,
religions
Possible Linked Objectives:
SWBAT describe the main groups of people that live in the arctic, identify where they
live and the languages they speak
SWBAT explain how the geography and climate affect how people in polar regions live,
what they eat, the design of their clothing, design of their dwellings etc.
SWBAT explain the unique characteristics of the seasons in the Arctic, in particular the
climate and amount of daylight, and how this impacts arctic people
SWBAT explain an example of a cultural practice, story or artifact that has been
developed by Arctic people
Lesson Outline:
Chunk 1: Opening (step 3)- Show video clip of “Snow Walker” or other movie involving
life in the arctic. Have students brainstorm on chart paper their observations about dress,
food, etc and how the arctic environment influences those characteristics
Chunk 2: Introduce New Material (step 4): Brief background info on the peoples of the
arctic, especially the: Inuit, but also Aleut and Sammi. Describe how Innuits live in
northern Alaska, Canada and Greenlend, Aleuts live on the Aleutian islands, Sami in
Europe. Address stereotypes about „eskimos‟. Describe clothing of Arctic People.
Describe foods of arctic peoples. Explain how the seasons dictate hunting seasons.
Explain how the seasons affect the amount of daylight in polar places.
Chunk 3: Guided Practice (Step 5): Student computer investigation. Have students in
pairs investigate the location of a particular settlement in Nunavut, NW Territories,
Alaska, or Greenland. Investigate the following:
1) geographical location
2) climate, average monthly temps and precipitation
3) population
4) ethnic makeup
5) languages spoken
6) festivals, cultural events, etc.
Have student pairs share what they have learned with the class.
Chunk 4: Independent Practice (Step 6) Have students write journal entries from 3 times
(seasons) during the year as if they were living in their town. Emphasize to students how
living in such a place would impact their life compared to how they live now. Students
should include for each entry:
1) What the weather is like,
2) Amount of daylight
3) Hunting activities that are happening,
4) Cultural events.
This independent practice can form an informal assessment. Students will be
responsible for similar info for the travel brochures:
Connection to travel brochure:
If the lesson included the arctic peoples section, students would be responsible for the
following being included in their travel brochure:
Rubric Items to include:
___Description of seasonal weather during the year in arctic regions
___Description of seasonal level of daylight during the year in arctic regions
___Explanation of seasonal hunting and/or cultural activities