ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION: This activity shows the abundance of water in and around Canada. By identifying and labeling a number of water bodies and courses, students realize the magnitude of Canada s water geography. Students will also identify a few of the Canadian animal species and where they can be found. MATERIALS Map of Canada mounted on board Box of laminated pieces with labels and animal pictures Blue circles to keep score Map with answers Sticky tack Make sure you have all items before the students arrive!
You will be teaching the students about the various oceans, lakes and rivers that make up Canada s water geography, through a game of skill testing questions. The game will be played in two stages. Stage One You will test the student s general knowledge of Canadian waterways by asking a series of questions. You will divide the students up into two teams and allow the students within the teams to work together to answer the questions. The questions and corresponding answers can be found on the following page. For each correct answer give that team a blue circle. Stage Two Using the same teams, students will be asked to place names and pictures on a map of Canada. One at a time each team member will pick a piece from the container and attempt to place it in the correct location on the map provided. The correct answers can be found on the last page of this activity. Feel free to provide some help or guidance if the student is struggling; perhaps suggest the province where the label should go.
THIS IS NOT A SCRIPT - IT IS A GUIDELINE BEGIN THE ACTIVITY Read this to the students Hello everyone, we are going to learn about Canada and its waterways. There are many uses for our water, not just in the home. Who can name different ways in which our water is used? Wait for answers. Water is habitat for animals and plants, it can be used for transportation, water is life for plants, animals and humans, hydroelectric power generation, etc. Okay we are going to divide into two teams and start answering questions about water in Canada. When your team answers the question correctly you will receive a counter (blue circle). We will start with one team then go to the next team. We will go back and forth until all the questions have been answered. The team with the most counters at the end wins. Start Stage Two. While you are still in teams let s match the names and pictures with the right places on the map. We will start with one team then go on to the next team. We will go back and forth until all names and pictures are on the map. Read after all pieces have been placed on the map. Canada is a very wealthy country. As we can see on this map, we live in a country with plenty of water but that doesn t mean we should waste it. We have to remember that many animals rely on our water for their habitat and all plants and animals rely on water to live. Read out What have we learned? WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? Do not take our water for granted! It is used by animals for their habitat! Updated April 27, 2016
Stage One - Skill Testing Questions 1. Canada has about 25 per cent of the world's wetlands the largest wetland area in the world. True 2. In Canada, there is more water underground than on the surface. True 3. The Great Lakes are the largest system of fresh, surface water on earth. True, they contain about one fifth of the world supply 4. Approximately 300 litres of water is required to produce one kilogram of paper. True 5. Approximately 1000 kilograms of water is required to grow one kilogram of potatoes. True 6. Canada has almost one million lakes. False it has almost TWO million 7. Ontario is the only province in Canada or state in the United States that borders four of the five Great Lakes. True 8. Can you name the bodies of water that surround Canada? Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes. 9. How many Great Lakes are there? Five 10. What are the names of the Great Lakes? Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior (Acronym: HOMES) 11. To what river do the Great Lakes flow? The St. Lawrence River 12. The St. Lawrence River is Canada s most important river as it provides a seaway for ships from the Great Lakes to which ocean? Atlantic Ocean 13. What is the name of and where is the largest lake entirely in Canada? The Great Bear Lake in the Northwest Territories 14. What is the name of and where is the world s largest lake inside a lake? Manitou Lake on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron 15. What is the name of the longest river in Canada and where is it? The Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories. This river system has the largest drainage system with 1.8 million sq km which equals 1/5 of Canada 16. Name two other rivers in Canada. The answer can include Yukon, Columbia, Nelson, Churchill, Fraser, Saskatchewan, Peace, Ottawa, and Athabasca 17. Name three reptiles that can be found in Canada. Frogs, toads, turtles, snakes, salamanders, newts
Stage Two Identify on map Water bodies/courses: 1. Atlantic Ocean 2. Arctic Ocean 3. Baffin Bay 4. Beaufort Sea 5. Churchill River 6. Davis Strait 7. Fraser River 8. Great Bear Lake 9. Great Slave Lake 10. Gulf of St. Lawrence 11. Hudson Bay 12. Hudson Strait 13. James Bay 14. Labrador Sea 15. Lake Erie 16. Lake Huron 17. Lake Manitoba 18. Lake Michigan 19. Lake Ontario 20. Lake Simcoe 21. Lake Superior 22. Lake Winnipeg 23. Mackenzie River 24. Pacific Ocean 25. St. Lawrence River Canadian Animals: 1. Beaver: Found in lakes and streams all over Canada but a large portion of the population is found in British Columbia 2. Walrus: Found off the shorelines of Nunavut 3. Pacific Loon: Found off the coast of British Columbia and the Northern Territories 4. Tundra Swan: Found off the coast of the Northern Territories and the upper west side of Hudson Bay 5. Bald Eagle: Found within the Western provinces of Canada 6. Wolverine: Found in the Arctic regions of Canada 7. Blue Jay: Found within Southern Ontario 8. Coho Salmon: Found on the West Coast 9. Beluga Whale: Found in St. Lawrence 10. Polar Bear: Found in arctic York Region Children s Water Festival: Activity Book