G08: I&S Choose your own Adventure: Physical Geography

From the iconic Hoover Dam of US to Mao’s Three Gorges Dam in China and India’s Sardar Sarovar, here is a selection of 12 mega dams of the world – but are they a boon or bane?

Not only does hydroelectric power fail to prevent catastrophic climate change, but it also renders countries more vulnerable to climate change while emitting significant amounts of methane, one of the worst greenhouse gases

Global sand use hits 50 bln tonnes a year
Sand is the second-most exploited natural resource
UN report calls for new rules on sand mining
Some rivers flow backwards, deltas sink

It may be little more than grains of weathered rock, and can be found in deserts and on beaches around the world, but sand is also the world’s second most consumed natural resource.

A rapid increase in the demand for sand is driving shortages around the world.

Sand is essential in the construction world, used to make concrete, glass and other vital building materials. But demand is set to soar by 45 per cent in the next four decades, according to a new study.

Students explore Earth’s five major biomes, extensive communities classified by similarities, and some of the threatened species that exist within them. Maintaining their planetary steward worldview, students gather data on the ecosystems, habitats, and species within the biomes. Students then research one biome and one endangered species within the biome.

Millions of unique maps are in use throughout the world. Most of these maps can be placed into one of two groups: 1) reference maps; and, 2) thematic maps.