SASKATCHEWAN
LAND AND ENVIRONMENT
Background
Information
Lesson Plans
Online Activities
Multimedia Items
Related WWW Links
Background
Information
- Surviving
a Dust Storm and Additional Resources on Erosion - excerpts
from a mother's first hand account of what it was like to
be on the prairie's alone when the violent storm hits.
- The
Regina Cyclone, June 1912
- The
Mystery of the Northern Lights -Ask three people to explain
the northern lights and you are likely to get three completely
different interpretations. Some favour scientific analysis,
others take a more spiritual view and still others will take
a view somewhere in between. The truth of the matter is that
while many of the mysteries surrounding the northern lights
have been unraveled by scientists, as many mysteries remain.
-
- A
complete listing of articles is available in Background
Information.
Lesson
Plans
English
Language Arts- Middle Years
Science-
Grade Seven: Saskatchewan: The Land
- Comparing
and Contrasting: The Dust Bowl of the 30s: WORD/
 PDF
In 1934 strong winds blew the soil into huge clouds, and in
the succeeding years, from December to May, the dust storms
recurred. Crops and pasturelands were ruined by the harsh
storms, which also proved a severe health hazard. In this
activity, students will learn about the causes and effects
prairie dust bowl of the 1930’s
. They will also compare and contrast the causes of the 1930’s
dust bowl with the causes and effects of the 2001/ 2003 droughts.
- Letter
Writing: Dust Bowl of the 30s: WORD/PDF
The Dust bowl of the 1930's was an ecological disaster that
occurred in the Canadian prairies and the Great Plains of
the U.S. There was absolutely no way for farmers to grow food
and many migrated to other farmlands or into the cities to
get work. Because of the Stock Market Crash in 1929, there
were no jobs to be had in the 30's. People migrated west to
perhaps help out on farms and eke out a living. The drought
arrived and dried up all the fertile land. The dry land eroded
and was literally blown away leaving nothing on which to grow
food. In
this lesson, students will learn letter writing skills and
practice writing a letter from another person’s point of view.
- Northern
Lights
WORD/PDF-
Saskatchewan has on its license plates, the slogan “Land of
Living Skies”. One of the many reasons that our skies are
described as “living” is a phenomenon known as the aurora
borealis or northern lights. First Nations people were so
awestruck by these evening displays that they named the aurora
“the pathway to heaven”. This phenomenon occurs and can be
seen year-round in Saskatchewan although it is more noticeable
in the winter when the nights are longer. (Curriculum
Connection Grade 6 Science- http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/midlsci/gr6uemsc.html
under Suggested Activities #5)
- Biology
in the Classroom - This unit is designed to give students
an opportunity to examine closely populations and ecosystems
within Saskatchewan. During the course of this inspection,
students will see how Saskatchewan is a part of the larger
global ecosystem, and how diverse the life, and life-support
system, in the province really is. Points to be stressed are
that the quality soil, air, and water provide the basis for
healthy life and that human action has a disproportionately
large effect on populations and ecosystems. They will also
consider how life in Saskatchewan has changed in the past,
consider the changes which are taking place now, and those
which may come in the future.
- Welcome
to Saskatchewan - the Environment (12 lessons) - This
unit is designed to allow students to examine the ecosystem
in which they live, to compare that system to other environments
in Saskatchewan, and to appreciate both how much and why human
habitation has changed the face of the province. The optional
unit Diversity of Life may be integrated with this unit.
Online
Activities
- Weather
Words
- An
online crossword puzzle based on weather word definitions
from the Enivronment Canada website.
- Build
a Prairie - The prairie is one of North America's great
ecosystems and a vital habitat for many plants and animals.
Over 98% of the prairie has been lost in the past 150 years—but
some people are trying to bring it back, hectare by hectare.
Restoring a prairie is a great challenge, requiring knowlege
of biology, ecology, climatology, and even economics.
Multimedia
Items (Photo Galleries, Interviews, Movies)
- CBC
- The Depression Years: "Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan,
there's no place like Saskatchewan; we sit and gaze across
the plain and wonder why it never rains…"
These
words from the song Saskatchewan were written during the
1930s, when Westerners suffered from severe drought conditions
for almost a decade. In this 1958 radio clip from Assignment,
the hosts look back at the difficulties of the Depression-era
drought before playing this memorable ballad.
- Please
check our photo
galleries for images on this theme.
Related
Links
Weather
- A
list by Environment
Canada of Canada's Worst Tornadoes including Regina, Saskatchewan
- June 30, 1912 - 28 dead, hundreds
injured.
- A
compilation of Saskatchewan
Weather Trivia by Environment Canada including cyclones,
dust storms, tornadoes, rainfall, etc. Likely a general link
in our Saskatchewan 100 site.
Crop
Circles - These two links outline the phenomenon of
Crop Circles and how Saskatchewan leads the country in reported
incidences. Virtual
Saskatchewan and Canadian
Crop Circle Research Network.
History
of Agriculture in Saskatchewan
History
of Forestry in Saskatchewan
History
of Mining in Saskatchewan
History
of Trapping in Saskatchewan
Additional
Sites
- Burrowing
Owls - The first step in saving the endangered burrowing
owl must be to raise awareness. It is our job at SBOIC as
educators to talk to as many people as we can about the burrowing
owl's decline. This may sound like a lofty and serious task,
but don't worry . . . we believe in enthusiastic and enjoyable
education!
- Nature
Conservancy Saskatchewan
- NCC has been involved in the conservation of more than 1,200
properties across Canada. To give an idea of their diversity,
we are gradually assembling a catalogue of images and summary
descriptions for you
to browse. Enjoy your visit.
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