Elevation, Climate, and Weather

21st Century Skills addressed:

information literacy, critical thinking and reasoning, collaboration

Overview:
In this lesson, students will learn the about the six major life zones found in
Colorado: Plains Grassland, Foothills (Shrublands), Montane (Brushlands &
Forest), Subalpine Forest, Alpine Tundra, and Riparian. Through a Prezi,
students will learn definitions of climate and weather. They will also learn
the elevation, average temperature range, average precipitation, and
number of growing days for each life zone. Flora and fauna will also be
discussed, but the depth of these topics will be explored in later lessons.
Objective:
Students will be able to speculate answers to the following questions based
on information provided in the Prezi and their background knowledge of
their own environment and weather experiences.

How does the elevation of an area affect the climate?

How does the climate of an area influence the weather?
How do these elements (elevation, climate, and weather) affect the
life within the area?

Students will add information found in the Prezi to their tiered booklets (see
picture A). (Final product will be complete by the end of the unit- see
below.) Answers to the first two questions will be discussed in partners,
small groups, and whole group. Written answers to the last question will be
submitted for scoring to assess understanding of the lesson (see Appendix A
for rubric).
Life Zone

Plains Grassland
Foothills
(Shrublands)
Montane
Subalpine Forest
Alpine Tundra

Elevation

Average
Precipitati
on
3,500-6,000 ft.
10-20
in./yr.
6,000-8,000 ft.
15-25
in./yr.
8,000-10,000 ft.
30-40
in./yr.
10,000-11,500 ft. 45-60
in./yr.
11,500 ft. and
>50 in./yr.
above

Average
Temperature
Range
Below 0 F- Above
100 F
Below 0 F- mid 90s
F
Below 0 F- high
80s F
Below 0 F- mid 70s
F
-15 F- mid 60s F

Curriculum created by Melissa Dalrymple

Elevation, Climate, and Weather

Riparian Land

Found next to
water

Varies

Varies

Unit Assessment:
Tiered booklets- a level will be used for each life zone and a final summary
to demonstrate learning. Booklets should be started during Lesson 1.

Students will use the top half of each level to record the elevation,
average temperature range, average precipitation, and number of
growing days for each region. They will also have room to take notes
on other information about each region such as flora and fauna found
in the area.
On the bottom half of the level students will then depict either a food
chain or a food web found in the zone. Students will use labels as
well- identifying names of plants and animals as well as classifying
them as producers, consumers, predators, prey, etc.
The final level of the book will include a written summary of learning
about how life functions in each region, what happens when the
balance is upset, and what they can do to preserve the balance of
nature.

Lesson Procedure:
1. Pre-make flip books, if possible, and pass out to students. If books are
not pre-made, allow for extra time to assemble books at the beginning
of the lesson.
2. Explain to students how the books will be used and allow time for
students to pre-label the levels in their books with the life zone
names.
3. Begin by having students share with a partner or small group what
kinds of plant and animal life they see in the area in which they live.
Bring the discussion back to the whole group and allow children to
share their discussions.
4. Ask students if theyve visited other places before and whether or not
they saw different types of plants and animals. Allow time for
additional discussion.
5. Share with students the idea that the world is divided into a variety of
life zones based on the elevation, climate and weather a region
possesses. Let them know that they will be learning about six life zone
regions found in Colorado: plains, foothills, montane, subalpine,
alpine, and riparian.
6. Walk through the Prezi on Colorado Life Zones- stopping at each slide
along the way to discuss and give students the opportunity to take

Curriculum created by Melissa Dalrymple

Elevation, Climate, and Weather

notes in their flip books. Link to Prezi:
https://prezi.com/lvki9emzhize/colorado-life-zones/
7. When finished, have students discuss in small groups how elevation
affects the climate of an area. Share out in the whole group.
8. Then pose the second question: how does the climate of an area
influence the weather? Have students discuss in small groups and
then share out in the large group.
9. Culminate the lesson with students giving a written response to the
last question: How do elevation, climate and weather affect the life
within an area? Show students the rubric so they know how they will
be scored on their written response.
References used:
1. Gregersen provided factual information on Colorado Life Zones.
2. Mutel & Emerick (1992) provided factual information on Colorado Life
Zones via Heart of the Rockies Adventure Guide
3. Chambers (2014) provided inspiration for viewing the natural
environment as a text and using it to teach critical literacy skills
(inferring, connections, synthesizing, etc.).

Curriculum created by Melissa Dalrymple