What you need to know

1. What do we mean by microclimates?
2. What factors cause microclimates in an area?
3. How can we identify and measure microclimates?

1. Why do they need mirrors in Rjuken, Norway?

​Watch the first video on the right very carefully. 

• What happens to the sunshine as the car drives through the valley?
• What is stopping the town from getting sunshine?
• Try to draw a simple diagram to explain Rjukan's problem.

​Now watch the second and third videos below and consider the following questions:

• Why did the people in Rjukan think that their lack of sunshine was a problem?
• Describe their innovative solution (another diagram would be a great idea).
• Now try to list other factors that will affect local weather conditions

2. Microclimates

So what is a microclimate?

​Form groups of three people and do the following:

1. Give each person one of the videos below to watch
2. Watch your video and use a mini-whiteboard to answer these questions:
   1. What is a good definition of microclimates?
   2. List factors that affect the local weather conditions. For each explain how it will affect it and why.
   3. Why are microclimates important for human activity?
3. Once you have finished, share you information from your video with the other two people in your team and agree your answers to record in your books.

Microclimates from janeyk419

Use the slide to add detail to your answers from the videos above.

Check that everyone in your group of three has mentioned:

• Physical features (use the example of Rjuken)
• Shelter
• Surface (albedo)
• Buildings
• Aspect

3. Microclimate investigation

​Your mission is to investigate microclimates around school. Do microclimates exist? Can you gather recorded evidence of this? Can you plan an investigation?

The stages of your geographical investigation will be:

1. Identify your question or hypothesis that you will test.
2. Examine the context of your investigation - what factors will affect microclimate? Why would we expect to find microclimates in school?
3. Design your research - where will you go? How many sites? Who will be in our group? What about staying safe - assess the possible risks and plan to minimise them.
4. Check you have the equipment you need and know how to use it and that you have a clear plan to record your data. Collect your data.
5. Present your results using tables, graphs and maps.
6. Analyse your findings and draw conclusions
7. Evaluate how effective your investigation has been

Stages of a geographical investigation (from Edexcel IGCSE specification)

Use the document below to plan your investigation:

year_8_microclimates.docx
File Size:	604 kb
File Type:	docx

Download File

---

Microclimate investigation - the report

Section 1: Introduction
This section should include:

• A brief introduction to microclimates - what are they and why do they exist?
• Your hypothesis for the enquiry

Section 2: Method
This section explains how you collected the data. You should include the following:

• How you chose the sites you would visit to collect data
• How you collected data for each aspect of the weather including
  • Equipment used
  • Exactly how you used the equipment
  • How you recorded the data
  • Any problems or limitations

One possible way to write your method is to use a table like the one below:

Section 3: Presenting your data
Think carefully about how you will present your data. This must be visual and include at least three different kinds of technique. Here are some ideas:

1) Bar chart - this is a simple technique which allows you to show variations in a single set of data. It is still important that it is done effectively though:

Think carefully about how you can choose the most effective scale for bar charts and other graphs:

2) Weather map symbols
This is a great technique as it allows you to show data on a map. It is also an established way of showing data on weather which means you get to show off your knowledge and skills! Be careful though - you need to keep it VERY neat and clear so you will need to plan carefully.

​Each symbol will look a bit like this (but without the writing!). You could show wind speed, wind direction, sunshine and temperature like this.

Study the information below carefully and make sure you understand how to use these before getting started!

3) Located bar/column charts
These are great because they show the data and the location. You need to be very careful with neatness and accuracy. Remember that it will need a very clear title and key. An example of how it might look is below:

Remember:

• Clear title
• Select colour carefully so that it will be easy to see
• Must be neat and clear
• Key is essential and you will need to work out your own depending on your data - this might take a bit of trial and error!

4) Analysis
Describe – what patterns do the graphs show? For each graph fully describe and quote data
Explain – why are these patterns there? What factors have affected the temperature etc?
Connect – how does the data in the graph support or challenge your hypotheses?

5) Conclusion
Summarise your findings overall. Is there evidence of variation around the school site? To what extent does the evidence suggest that your hypothesis is true? Refer to your data here.

6) Evaluation
What are the weaknesses in your research methods? What factors would affect accuracy or the results (think about the equipment, how you used it, our sampling techniques). Suggest improvements and things we could do differently in order to make the report more accurate or to give a fuller set of results.

Assessment

​This is the rubric that will be used to assess your report.