Name: __________________ ____________

Date:

Traveling Group: ______________ Social Studies

Monsoons & The Indus Valley

Please work by yourself today to complete each of these tasks in order.

1. Read the Monsoons handout.

2. Answer the four questions on the Monsoons worksheet with complete

sentences. Follow the directions on that worksheet.

3. Use your book to complete the Lesson 1 Preview worksheet. Follow the
directions on that worksheet.

4. Use your book to complete the Lesson 1 Reading Strategy worksheet. Follow
the directions on that worksheet.

5. Read pages 223 and 224, Almost a Continent and fill in the blanks below:
o The _________________ and _________ _________
mountain ranges separate the Indian region from the rest of
Asia.
o The Himalayas are the source of the _________________,
_________________ and _________________ river
systems.

6. Read page 224, The Indus River System and fill in the blanks below:
o The Indus River is currently in the country of
_________________.
o Rich, fine-grained soil that is carried by the flood waters of
the Indus is called _________________.

7. Read page 224, Asian Monsoons and fill in the blanks below:
o From _________________ to _________________ the
wet monsoons blow over the Indian subcontinent and bring
heavy rains.
o From _________________ to _________________ the
dry monsoons blow over the Indian subcontinent and bring
drought and dry conditions.
 Monsoons
Indias climate is dominated by monsoons. Monsoons are strong,
often violent winds that change direction with the season.
Monsoons blow from
the land toward the sea
in winter (November to
March) and from the sea
toward the land in the
summer (April to
October).
Indias winters are hot
and dry. The monsoon
winds blow from the
northeast and carry little
moisture. The
temperature is high
because the Himalayas
form a barrier that
prevents cold air from
passing onto the
subcontinent.
Additionally, most of
India lies between the
Tropic of Cancer and the
equator, so the suns
rays shine directly on
the land. The
temperature can reach as high as 110oF during the Indian
winter.
The summer monsoons roar onto the subcontinent from the
southwest. The winds carry moisture from the Indian Ocean
and bring the heaviest rains from June to September. The
torrential rainstorms often cause violent landslides. Entire
villages have been swept away during monsoon rains. Despite
the potential for destruction, the summer monsoons are
welcomed in India. Farmers depend on the rains to irrigate
their land. Additionally, a great deal of Indias electricity is
generated by water power provided by the monsoon rains.
Source:
Dowling, Mike, "Monsoons," available from http://www.mrdowling.com/612-monsoon.html; Internet; updated
Monday, July 11, 2005.

Heres a more technical explanation of what a monsoon is

A monsoon is a seasonal shift in the prevailing wind direction that
usually brings with it a different kind of weather. The persistent
wind flow is driven by a warm air mass with low pressure at the
surface that forms over the continent as it is warmed by the sun.
Air from the relatively higher pressure air mass over the ocean
flows toward the low pressure over land. Probably the most
famous monsoon is the Indian summer monsoon, as it affects such
a large portion of Asia. In March and April of each year, the dry
northerly wind flow over India changes direction, and warm
humid air from the Indian Ocean flows from the south, gradually
overspreading the Indian subcontinent. Widespread torrential
rains, and even severe thunderstorms, accompany the "onset" of
the monsoon. The Indian Ocean version of the hurricane, called a
"cyclone", can also occur and move ashore in association with the
onset of the monsoon. These cyclones have at times killed
thousands of people who live in the low-lying areas along the
eastern coast of India and Bangladesh. A weaker version of this
monsoon occurs over the normally dry southwestern United States
in the later summer when more humid air, accompanied by
thunderstorms, invades the region.
Source:
Spencer, Roy. "What is a Monsoon," available from http://www.weatherquestions.com/
What_is_a_monsoon.html; Internet; updated 2007.
Name: _________________ _________________
Date:
Social Studies
Monsoons
*** Please use the wording from the questions to create complete sentence answers. Your answers must
be able to stand on their own without reading the questions! ***

Question: What is a monsoon, according to the handout?

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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Question: What places in the world are most effected by monsoons?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
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Question: Why do wet monsoons happen? When do they happen?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Question: Why do dry monsoons happen? When do they happen?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
TEACHER NOTE:
THESE ARE ADDITIONAL QORKSHEETS THAT NEED TO BE
PICKED UP IN CLASS
1. Reading Support Resources Lesson Preview Chapter 8,
Lesson 1 for AMOAD (PG 109 of booklet)
2. Reading Support Resources Reading Strategy Chapter 8,
Lesson 1 for AMOAD (PG 110 of booklet)