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An Introduction to the Online Atlas of Canada
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Student Worksheet – An Introduction to the Online Atlas of Canada
Student Worksheet – An Introduction to the Online Atlas of Canada
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| Go to The Atlas of Canada Web site located at atlas.gc.ca and
click on the English language button. Complete the following
activities to help you become familiar with the atlas.
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Search for Maps Showing
the Location of Geographical Names |
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The Search Our Site section of The Atlas of Canada enables
you to search for the location of places and physical features in Canada on
a map.
Activity 1
In February 2003, a flood and subsequent freezing of
the floodwaters occurred in the town of Badger, Newfoundland
and Labrador. Using the Advanced
Search, locate Badger, Newfoundland and Labrador
and complete the questions below.
[Steps: Type Badger in
the search box on the home page and click on the arrow symbol » Find
the search result indicating Badger as a Town and
click on the link]
a. What is the absolute location (latitude
and longitude) of Badger, Newfoundland and Labrador?
[Steps: Scroll below the map to find the
latitude and longitude]
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b. Go back to the map that shows the location of
Badger. Describe the relative location of Badger.
[Steps: Scroll up the page to view the map]
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Activity 2
Use the Search to locate Mount Logan, Yukon
Territory.
[Steps: Type Logan (without Mount)
in the search box on the home page and click on the arrow
symbol » Scroll
down the list to find the search result showing Mount Logan
in the Yukon Territory]
a. What is the latitude and longitude of
Mount Logan?
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b. Use the legend on the map of Mount Logan to find
its elevation.
[Steps: Click on the link. Use the legend on
the right side of the map to determine the elevation » You
may have to scroll up or down, left or right to see that part of the
legend]
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c. Find other information in the Atlas of
Canada site that explains why Mount Logan is special.
[Steps: Click Facts About
Canada in the menu on the left side of the page » Click
the Mountains link in the list » Click
Yukon Territory in the
list below the introduction » The answer is beside
the name of Mount Logan]
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Explore Our Maps |
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The Explore Our Maps section contains thematic maps
about Canada.
Activity 3
In the Explore Our Maps section, locate the Major
Avalanches Map.
[Steps: Find and mouse-over the Environment label in the left menu » Find
the Natural
Hazards label in the pop-out menu and click » Select
the Major
Avalanches Map title in the list that appears]
a. Find and write down the definition of
avalanches.
[Steps: Click
the link in the text box in the upper right
corner of the map]
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b. Return to the Major
Avalanches Map. Describe and explain the distribution of
avalanches in Canada.
[Steps: View the map by using the Zoom
In tool and the arrows on the sides and
corners of
the map as necessary]
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Activity 4
Locate the Domestic Water
Consumption, 1999 Map in the Explore
Our Maps section.
[Steps: Find and mouse-over the Freshwater label in the left menu » Then
the Water
Consumption label in the pop-out menu and click » Select
the Domestic
Water Consumption, 1999 Map title in the list that
appears]
a. Zoom into Thunder Bay and use the Get Info from Map tool to find out how much the domestic water consumption has increased or decreased between 1991 and 1999.
[Steps: Click on the map until Thunder Bay is clearly visible » Click
the Get
Info from Map tool above the map » Click
on Thunder Bay and view the statistics in the pop-out window]
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Activity 5
Locate an outline map of Canada’s coastline and provinces and territories
without names. Select the JPEG or PDF
version of the map, print it off and then use
a map of Canada’s provinces and territories from
the online atlas to help you label the names of the
provinces and territories on the outline map.
[Steps: Find and mouse-over the Reference
Maps label in the left menu » Then
the Canada
Outline label in the pop-out menu and click » Select
the Coastline
and Boundaries of Canada Map title in the list that
appears » Select the JPEG or PDF
version and print it]
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Map Archives |
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This part of The Atlas of Canada enables you to view the maps of the older editions of the Atlas of Canada.
Activity 6
Find the Aboriginal Groups
[circa 1906] Map in the 1st
Edition, 1906, Atlas of
Canada.
[Steps: Find and mouse-over the Map
Archives label in the left menu » Select
the 1st
Edition of the Atlas of Canada using the pop-out
menus and click » Scroll down the page and
find the People
and Society section
and select the Aboriginal Groups [circa
1906] map]
a. What is the major aboriginal group on Vancouver Island?
[Steps: Zoom into Vancouver
Island by clicking on the map in its general area and use
the arrows on
the side of the map to move it around until the text is readable
and the word Nootka can be read]
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Activity 7
Find the Seismicity
[1994] Map from the 5th Edition, 1978
to 1995, The National
Atlas of Canada.
[Steps: Find and mouse-over the Map
Archives label in the left menu » Select
the 5th
Edition of the National Atlas of Canada using the
pop-out menus and click » Scroll down the
page and find the Environment section
and select the Seismicity [1994] map]
a. Find the location and the date of the largest earthquake
in Canada’s eastern Arctic.
[Steps: Solution
A: Zoom into the legend
by clicking on the bottom left area of the map » Use
the arrows on the side of the maps to move it around as necessary » Do
this until the text in the table is readable. Solution
B: Zoom into the Baffin Island
area » Use the arrows on the side of the map
to move it around » Do this until the location
marked with a date is readable]
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Facts About Canada |
Activity 8
Select the Facts About Canada section.
Under the List of Facts, choose the Significant
Canadian Facts link. Scroll down the page
until you find information about the Canada/USA boundary.
How long is the boundary between the two countries?
Click on the photograph of the vista to see the actual
border.
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Activity 9
Choose one other area of interest you may have about Canada contained
in the Facts
About Canada section and browse for a couple of minutes. Our
country is indeed awesome! Create a question from your research for
a classmate to answer.
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Quizzes |
Activity 10
Spend the remainder of the lesson having fun quizzing
yourself using the interactive quiz section of The
Atlas of Canada.
[Steps: Go back to the home page » Select All
Resources under Learning Resources on
the left side of the home page » Under List
of Topics select
Quizzes » Select some options and submit to
get a quiz sheet]
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