Year 4 Unit 1: Amazon: Rivers and Rainforests
Knowledge organiser
South America
Rivers
South America is a continent in the southern hemisphere that has 12 countries and one territory.
Rivers are an important part of the water cycle. They are a natural habitat for plants and animals. Humans also use them for transport, agriculture, and energy.
In South America, each country has its own capital city and population. There are also different: • languages • religions • types of money • climates • exports. Physical geography - the natural world. Human geography - the impact that humans have on the natural world.
Rivers cause land erosion The eroded rock and soil is deposited Erosion and deposition create meanders Meanders can form oxbow lake
Source Meander Levee Confluence Tributary River Estuary Delta Mouth Oxbow Lake Channel
Rainforests A tropical rainforest is an area along the equator with tall evergreen trees, high temperatures, and rainfall. • Many animals have adapted to live in the rainforest. • Their features depend on Canopy which layer they live in. layer • Some animals move between Understory the layers.
Emergent layer
layer Forest floor Each layer gets different amounts of sunlight and water. © Oxford University Press 2023
The Amazon The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. It is home to many different indigenous people and animals. People • Some people live in different tribes. Many are known to us and others are still uncontacted. • The Yanomami tribe is the largest. Harm • Deforestation - large areas of trees cut down so the land can be used. People and animals can lose their homes.