Lesson 2 THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE NATURAL

RESOURCES
The word “environment” refers to all the elements and conditions, in which living things,
including humans, animals, plants, and organisms, live, interact, and coexist.
ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS
A. Weather and Climate
Weather- it is the condition of atmosphere for the short period of time. It pertains to whether
it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, or clear or cloudy.
Climate- it is a condition of the atmosphere for the long period of time. It is affected by
human activities, primarily due to the emission of greenhouse gases and burning of fossil fuel
which releases harmful gases into the atmosphere.
B. Landforms- is a natural feature of the Earth’s surface .
Major Landforms
1. Mountains- are the highest landforms on the surface of the earth.
Ex. The highest mountain in the world is MOUNT EVEREST.
 Four types of Mountains
a. Volcanic- formed when molten rock or magma deep within the earth erupts and
piles upon the surface.
Ex. Mt. Pinatubo and Mauna Kea in Hawaii
b. Fold- the most common type of mountain. They are formed when two of the
Earth’s tectonic plates collide head on.
Ex. Sierra Madre in the Philippines and Himalayan Mountains in South Asia.
c. Fault-block- created when faults or cracks in the Earth’s crust force materials
upward.
Ex. Sierra Nevada Mountains
d. Dome- created when a large amount of magma pushes up from below the Earth’s
crust, but never actually reaches the surface and erupts.
Ex. Black Hills in South Dakota, US.
2. Hills- are lower than mountains but are higher than their surrounding areas. They are
usually covered with grass.
Ex. Chocolate Hills in Bohol

3. Valleys- are low-lying areas between two mountains or hills. They are formed when
rivers flow down mountainsides and hillsides. Valleys are either V-shaped or U-shaped
depending on the rate of the widening and deepening of the lowland areas.
4. Plateaus- is a flat-topped highland with steep sides. Usually surrounded by steep rock
faces referred as a cliffs.
5. Plains- are areas of flat land which usually meet the oceans or seas. The areas near the
oceans and seas are known as coastal plains.
6. Islands- is a landform which is surrounded by water from all sides and formed either due
to volcanic eruptions or due to hot spots in the lithosphere.
Islands that are close to each other form an archipelago. The Philippines is an
archipelago.
7. Deserts- are large, dry, and hot or cold areas of land which receive little or no rainfall
throughout the year. The vegetation is scarce due to shortage of water. The atmospheric
 air is very dry. Daytime temperature is high and nights could be very cold. Deserts are
covered with sand or snow.
 Two types of Deserts
a. Hot Deserts- deserts that are covered mainly with sand and dust. These receive
little or no rainfall and are very dry.
b. Cold Deserts- deserts that are covered largely by snow. These also receive little or
no rain or snowfall.
C. Major Water Forms
Water- is the natural resources that people take for granted the most .
 Ocean- the biggest body of water. It contains saltwater and some of its parts are very
deep which allows large ships to travel between continents.
 Sea- body of water which is smaller than an ocean.
 Bay- body of water that is almost completely surrounded by land except for the water
passage connecting it to the sea.
 Lake- body of water surrounded by land. It contains fresh water.
 River- body of water formed when water moves from the mountains to the seas or
oceans.

ACTIVITY 4
COVENANT.

Write a personal covenant that states how will you contribute to the appreciation,
preservation, and protection of the country’s natural resources.
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