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6th grade What shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea worksheet

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What shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea

Grade 6 Science Worksheet

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. San Francisco and Wichita are at almost the same latitude. Which has the warmer July, Ari?

    • San Francisco, at 18 °C (64 °F)
    • San Francisco, as the sea heats it in summer
    • Both the same, as their latitude matches
    • Wichita, at 28 °C (82 °F)
  2. Which city changes less from January to July, Bo?

    Use the picture in question 1.

    • San Francisco: 11 °C to 18 °C
    • Both change by the same amount
    • Wichita, as inland air changes slowly
    • Wichita: 1 °C to 28 °C
  3. Why is San Francisco's January milder than Wichita's, Esme?

    Use the picture in question 1.

    • The nearby ocean warms and cools slowly
    • Wichita is farther from the Sun
    • San Francisco is much nearer the equator
    • San Francisco is higher up
  4. Read this first

    Use this

    Model map with a key (model data, not to scale). Town A: 10° N, on the coast, at sea level. Town B: 60° N, on the coast, at sea level. Town C: 10° N, on a mountain 20 km from the coast, 3,000 m high. Town D: 60° N, 1,500 km inland, 100 m high.

  5. On the model map, which town is likely warmest all year, Jun?

    • Town A
    • Town B
    • Town C
    • Town D
  6. A town at 1,000 ft is 80 °F. Using 3.5 °F cooler per 1,000 ft, about how warm is a lookout at 3,000 ft, Milo?

    • About 87 °F
    • About 69.5 °F
    • About 73 °F
    • About 76.5 °F
  7. Use this

    Side view of a mountain (example data, not to scale): a campground at 2,000 ft at the bottom, 72 degF; a ridge at 5,000 ft higher up, temperature not shown.

  8. A campground at 2,000 ft is 72 °F. Using 3.5 °F cooler per 1,000 ft, about how warm is a ridge at 5,000 ft, Noah?

    • About 54.5 °F
    • About 61.5 °F
    • About 68.5 °F
    • About 82.5 °F
  9. example data, not to scale. temperature not shown. Note: NWS normal lapse rate, 3.5 degF cooler per 1,000 ft. A trailhead at 500 ft is 68 °F. Using 3.5 °F cooler per 1,000 ft, about how warm is a peak at 4,500 ft, Pia?

    • About 82 °F
    • About 64.5 °F
    • About 52.25 °F
    • About 54 °F
  10. Sacramento and San Francisco are close in latitude and both near sea level, but Sacramento's July is warmer. Which clue explains it, Ren?

    • Latitude
    • Elevation
    • Nearness to the Sun
    • Distance from the sea
  11. Use this

    Map with a key and a climate table (NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals), columns place, where it is, January average, July average: Charleston, West Virginia, 38.4° N, inland, 277 m above sea level, 2 °C (35 °F), 24 °C (76 °F); Beckley, West Virginia, 37.8° N, inland, 766 m above sea level, 0 °C (32 °F), 22 °C (72 °F).

  12. Beckley is a little farther south than Charleston, yet its July is cooler. Which clue explains it, Tala?

    • Elevation: Beckley is about 490 m higher
    • Distance from the sea: Beckley is on the coast
    • Latitude: Beckley is farther north
    • Nearness to the Sun: Beckley is higher
  13. Bismarck and Wichita are both far inland at similar heights, but Bismarck's January is much colder. Which clue explains it, Zee?

    • Latitude: Wichita is farther from the equator
    • Latitude: Bismarck is farther from the equator
    • Nearness to the Sun: Bismarck is farther from it
    • Distance from the sea: Bismarck is on the coast
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6th grade What shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

What shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can explain why places nearer the equator are warmer: the sunlight hits more directly.
  • I can explain why higher places are cooler, and use NWS's normal rate of 3.5 °F per 1,000 ft.
  • I can explain why places near the sea have milder seasons, and pick the clue that explains a difference between two real places.

Standard: MS-ESS2-6

Words to know

latitude: Distance north or south of the equator, in degrees

elevation: Height above sea level

inland: Far from the sea

lapse rate: How fast air cools as you go up

direct sunlight: Rays that hit straight on, putting more energy on each spot

Common mistakes

Your child explained warmth by being closer to the Sun. The Sun is about 150 million km away, so a mountain or the equator is not meaningfully closer. Try shining a flashlight straight down and then at a slant.

Your child expected higher places to be warmer. Air gets colder as you go up, which is why tall peaks can keep snow in summer. Try comparing a valley town with a mountain town on a weather app.

Your child expected places farther from the equator to be warmer. Near the equator, sunlight hits more directly. Try finding the equator on a globe and comparing towns north and south of it.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with what shapes a place's climate: latitude, height, distance from the sea?

Your child explained warmth by being closer to the Sun. The Sun is about 150 million km away, so a mountain or the equator is not meaningfully closer. Try shining a flashlight straight down and then at a slant.

Are these 6th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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