History & Geography Grade 5 - Part 1

Vocabulary flashcards covering the natural environment, geology of the Mascarene Islands, sustainability concepts, and the historical discovery of Mauritius and Rodrigues.

Environment

Everything that surrounds us.

Natural Features

Features that form part of our environment naturally, such as air, water, mountains, hills, and coral reefs.

Man-made Features

Features in the environment created by people, such as sugar cane fields, gardens, houses, and roads.

Sustainability

Taking actions to maintain and take care of the world and acting responsibly to preserve natural resources for future generations.

Globe

A model of planet Earth.

Continents

Large areas of land on Earth.

Oceans

Large areas of seas on the Earth's surface, making up $70\%$ of the total area.

Lines of Latitude

Horizontal lines drawn on a globe or map used to help locate places on Earth.

Equator

The longest line of latitude, numbered $0^{\circ}$, which divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Lines of Longitude

Vertical lines drawn East and West of the Greenwich Meridian to help locate places on Earth.

Greenwich Meridian

The vertical line of longitude numbered $0^{\circ}$ that passes through Greenwich in London.

Magma

Hot molten rocks stored in a big reservoir called the magma chamber beneath the Earth's surface.

Lava

Magma that comes out of the Earth and flows on the surface during a volcanic eruption.

Crater

The opening at the surface of the Earth from which magma rises and flows down slopes.

Volcanic Cone

A structure built up after many volcanic eruptions.

Basalt Rocks

Rocks formed when lava cools down and solidifies.

Tuff

A material formed when volcanic ash and dust accumulate and solidify.

Active Volcano

A volcano that erupts frequently, such as the one found in Réunion Island.

Dormant Volcano

An old volcano that has not erupted for a very long time, such as Trou aux Cerfs.

Relief

The variation or changes in the height of the land.

Mountain Range

A group of mountains that are joined together, such as the Moka Range.

Central Plateau

A large area of flat and high land, such as the one located in the middle of Mauritius.

Plain

An area of flat and low land, usually found along the coast or outside mountain rings.

Gorge

A deep valley with steep slopes carved by a river.

Contour Line

A line drawn on a map to join all the places that have the same height above sea level.

Central Ridge

The area of highlands in Rodrigues stretching from east to west.

Alluvium

Mud transported and deposited by rivers along their banks and mouths.

Limestone

White rock made of solidified wind-blown sand, found in Plaine Corail in Rodrigues.

Beach Erosion

An environmental problem where sandy beaches are washed away by strong waves or human activities.

Soil Erosion

The removal of topsoil caused by heavy rains or human activities like deforestation.

Fauna

The animals of a particular place.

Flora

The plants of a particular place.

Endemic

Animals or plants that are unique and native to a specific island or region.

Nature Reserves

Areas set up to protect endemic fauna and flora from damage and extinction.

Century

A period consisting of $100\,\text{years}$.

Timeline

A record that helps people understand important events in history by showing when they happened and the time between them.

Spice Trade

The main motivation for European explorers like the Portuguese and Dutch to sail the Indian Ocean about $500\,\text{years}$ ago.

Dutch

People from Holland who landed in Mauritius in the year $1598$.

Dodo

A unique, heavy, flightless bird found only in Mauritius that is now extinct.

Extinct

A term used to describe a species that can no longer be found on Earth, such as the Red Rail or the Solitaire.

Stop-over

A place used by sailors during long voyages to obtain food, fresh water, and rest.