1. Using the Atlas of Canada

a. Go to the Atlas of Canada Web site atlas.gc.ca

b. Click on English.

c. On the left side of the home page in the Explore Our Maps section find Reference Maps.

d. Put your mouse on the word Reference Maps and a pop-out menu will appear.

e. Put your mouse on the word Canada and click.

f. Put your mouse on and click on the link Political Divisions Map.

g. You should now see a small map of Canada. Click on the link that says, View this map as a JPEG. You should see a colourful map of Canada on your computer screen.

2. Where is Saskatchewan?

a. Using the map of Canada on your computer screen find the province of Saskatchewan.

b. On your blank map of Canada that your teacher has given you, colour the province of Saskatchewan green.

c. On your map of Canada, write the title Saskatchewan in the top right corner of the paper. You now have a map of Canada showing where the province of Saskatchewan is located.

3. Compass Direction and Saskatchewan’s Neighbours

a. Do you remember the four main points of the compass that you reviewed at the beginning of the lesson? Here is a compass rose to remind you of the four main points of the compass so that we can find the direction of one place from another. On the diagram below, write the names North, East, South and West next to the letters representing these compass directions.

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Compass Rose

b. Use your understanding of the four compass points and the map of Canada on your computer screen to answer the questions by filling in the table.

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Questions on Saskatchewan's Neighbours

4. The Physical Geography of Saskatchewan

You will now use the Atlas of Canada to learn about the physical geography of Saskatchewan. Physical geography is the study of what nature has made and where it is located. You will learn about:

• geology (rocks)
• the land (relief)
• natural hazards (for example, hail)
• ecology (the shape of the land, the natural vegetation or plants, the soil type and climate)

5. Geology

a. In the Explore Our Maps menu, place your mouse over the topic Environment. A pop-out menu will appear. Move your mouse over Geology and click. When the new page appears, move your mouse over and click on the link Major Rock Categories Map.

b. The Major Rock Categories Map will appear on your computer screen.

c. Next to the magnifying glasses Zoom In and Zoom Out, you will see a pull down menu called Zoom to Region. Click on the down arrow of this menu and scroll down until you find Saskatchewan.

d. Click on Saskatchewan.

e. What type of rock covers most of Saskatchewan?

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(Hint: use the legend to the right of the map to find out what type of rock is represented by the bright yellow colouring on the map.)

f. What types of rock are found in parts of Northern Saskatchewan?

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6. Relief

a. In the Explore Our Maps menu, place your mouse over the topic Environment. A pop-out menu will appear. Move your mouse over Land and click. When the new page appears, move your mouse over and click on the link Relief Map.

b. The Relief Map will appear on your computer screen.

c. Next to the magnifying glasses Zoom In and Zoom Out, you will see a pull down menu called Zoom to Region. Click on the down arrow of this menu and scroll down until you find Saskatchewan and click.

d. Click on Saskatchewan.

e. Use the map of Saskatchewan’s relief to check the box to show which statements are true or false about Saskatchewan’s relief.

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True or False Statements on Saskatchewan

f. For the statement(s) that are false, rewrite them so that they are true.

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7. Natural Hazards

a. In the Explore Our Maps menu, place your mouse over the topic Environment. A pop-out menu will appear. Move your mouse over Natural Hazards and click. When the new page appears, move your mouse over and click on the link Major Hailstorms Map.

b. You should see a map showing major hailstorms on your computer screen.

c. Above the map, click the Zoom in tool and then click once on the province of Saskatchewan on the map.

d. You are now going to learn about the major hailstorms that have happened in Saskatchewan.

e. Click on the Get Info from Map button which you will find to the left of the magnifying glasses. Now click on the red dot that represents a major hailstorm south east of Regina. Answer the following questions:
i. When did the hailstorm occur?

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ii. How much damage did the hailstorm cause?

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iii. What is the name of the place where this hailstorm occurred?

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f. Now click on the link Cedoux–1973 to the right of the word STORY. This window will tell you more about the hailstorm event that happened at Cedoux in 1973. The largest documented hailstone in Canada was produced by this storm.

g. What was the weight of the hailstone? ________________ grams

h. What was the diameter of the hailstone? ____________ _____millimetres. (Look at the measurements on your ruler; this will show you how wide the hailstone was.) Close the window by clicking on the X in the top right hand corner.

i. Now click on the Zoom In tool (the magnifying glass with the + sign). Click on Saskatoon and you will see that the map has zoomed in on the city of Saskatoon. Click on the Get Info from Map button and click on the red dot at Saskatoon. Now click on the link Prairie Provinces – 1995 to the right of the word STORY. Hailstorms cause a lot of damage on the Prairies. Read the Story and write down the answers in the table below.

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Hailstorm Damages

8. Ecozones

An ecozone is an area that consists of biotic (living) and non-biotic (non-living) factors that make it unique. In this section, you will study the ecozones of Saskatchewan and record the information in the organizer below.

a. In the Explore Our Maps menu, place your mouse over the topic Environment. A pop-out menu will appear. Move your mouse over Ecology and click. When the new page appears, look for the section called Ecological Framework and click on the link Terrestrial Ecozones Map.

b. You should see a Terrestrial Ecozones Map of Canada on your computer screen.

c. Above the map, click the Zoom in tool and then click once on the province of Saskatchewan on the map.

d. You should now see the province of Saskatachewan.

e. Saskatchewan contains four ecozones. Click on the Get Info from Map button. Click on each ecozone in turn. For each ecozone, record the information shown in the table.

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Ecozone Information for Saskatchewan

f. Which ecozone would you most like to live in and why?

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