LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Biomes: Students
built 256 days ago
Explain that although the movie discussed a variety of land biomes, the focus will be on deserts, grasslands, forests, and tundra. Tell the students that they are going to be challenged to research some information about each biome and share this with the class. To begin, have the students define the following terms either from a dictionary or the science text: biome, flora, fauna. Record the students’ responses on the board and tell them that they are going to be using various research tools to explore these characteristics of tropical rainforests, deserts, tundra, and grasslands. Explain that they may use books, magazines, computer encyclopedias, or the Internet to conduct their research and that they are to record the information that they find on the attached sheet. If desired, have the students view the below listed resource if time is a factor instead of allowing them to do a general Internet search.
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Tell students that they will first research the different biomes and fill out a Biome printable for each biome. They can use text books, trade books, internet or other resources. Explain the different sections of the printable and the definitions of terms (climate, terrain, etc.). Cut out the biome cards (6 altogether).
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In this activity, students collect information about different biomes by watching videos and doing a Web activity. They share their information in a carousel brainstorm activity and locate the biomes on a world map. Then they learn how to read a climograph and match climographs to the appropriate biomes. Finally, student teams research different biomes and present their information to the class. As an option, students design an imaginary plant or animal that is adapted to a particular biome.
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NASA’s Earth Observatory offers this overview of biomes aimed at Grades 3-8, but useful for quick review at any level. Each entry covers normal temperatures, precipitation, vegetation, location, and maps related to each biome. In corresponding activities, students read temperature graphs and identify plants to determine the proper biome.
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Once the biomes are placed on the floor map, have the students draw animals on cards and place the animals in the proper biomes. Animals can be placed in more than one biome on a mountain because they may eat many different vegetation. Keep a tally or bar graph of the animals in the different biomes and the animals that may travel from biome to biome.
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In this introductory lesson, students will view an online movie about biomes. Students will then research various land biomes on the Internet and by using other resources and will create a poster that describes one of the biomes studied. This lesson will take place over several class periods.
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