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Recording weather and using the land

How to record the weather every day, and how people use the plains, mountains and coast. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.

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Record the weather

  • Record at the same time every day, so you can compare the readings.
  • Hang the thermometer in the shade: direct sunlight heats it up too much. Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius (°C).
  • Put the rain gauge out in the open, away from trees and roofs.
  • Add up each day’s rain: 5 + 0 + 12 + 3 = 20 mm for the four days.
  • Cloud cover: look at the sky and write clear (no clouds), partly cloudy or cloudy.
  • Describe each day with weather words: hot, warm, cool or cold; wet or dry; calm or windy.
  • Record the wind direction too, using the wind vane.
The meerkat records the weather every morning.
The meerkat records the weather every morning.
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Naming winds

A wind is named after the direction it blows from. If the wind vane’s arrow points west, a westerly wind is blowing. A wind from the south-east is a south-easterly.

Meerkat tip

Calm wind and clear skies are the best weather to go fishing in a boat. Farmers use weather forecasts to plan their work.

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How people use the land

LandformHow people use it
Flat plainsFarming: easy to plough and water
Mountains (like the Drakensberg)Tourism, hiking and catching water
The coastHarbours for ships, beaches and holiday resorts
Narrow river valleysDams: a short wall holds back lots of water
KwaZulu-Natal coastal plainSugar cane, towns and roads: flat, warm and near harbours
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People can do damage too

Human activities can damage physical features. Mining, for example, leaves holes and dumps behind. Building roads also changes the landscape: hills are cut through, valleys are filled in and plants are cleared, so the soil can wash away (erosion). Roads can also split up animals’ habitats. But roads link towns and farms, and help people to travel and trade. That is why we must use the land wisely.

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Remember this and test yourself

Remember this: your summary
  • Record the weather at the same time every day, so you can compare the readings fairly.
  • Put the thermometer in the shade and the rain gauge out in the open.
  • A wind is named after where it blows from: a south-easterly blows from the south-east.
  • Flat plains are good for farming; mountains for tourism and water; the coast for harbours and holiday resorts.
  • A bar graph is best to show the rain for each month.

Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.

Memory trick

A wind is named after where it comes from, just like a Capetonian comes from Cape Town.

Flash cards · Tap to turn over

Important words

First say what the word means, then turn the card over.

Test yourself · Part 2

True or false?

Read the question and the answer. Is the answer right? Tap True or False.

    Now the real quiz!

    The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.

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    Follows CAPS for Grade 5 Social Sciences (Geography). Always check your teacher’s notes and textbook too.

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