Coelho Curriculum Connections

Biome Expedition

Graphic Organizer Mass Standards Citing Resources

Introduction

Task

Process

Resources

A Biome is a group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms. Classifying ecosystems into Biomes help scientists describe the world. Your expedition will focus on one assigned Biome.

Land Biomes: tundra, coniferous forest (boreal or taiga), deciduous forest (temperate), temperate grassland (prairie), desert, rain forest, tropical grassland (savanna)

Water Biomes: marine (ocean) and freshwater

Task

You and a classmate have been selected to accompany a group of scientists on an expedition that will focus on Biomes. Our Principal, Mrs. Martin, was pleased to hear this exciting news. However, because you will be missing school, you will have to prepare photos and research from your trip to present to other students. Your task is to find out information about your Biome and report back to Mrs. Martin and the other Biome Expeditions about your Biome. You must include the following information about your assigned Biome in your report.

	Identify where your Biome is located (show on a map of the world; list cities or countries you visited to study your Biome)
	Tell about the Biome's climate (annual high and low temperature, average precipitation, type of weather)
	Identify major types of plants (sometimes called vegetation or flora)
	Identify major types of animals (sometimes called fauna) and tell if they are endangered
	Identify both plant and animal adaptations that make them suited for their environment (i.e. Biome)
	Diagram a food web for your assigned Biome
	Identify landforms that are common to your assigned Biome
	Identify any ecological concerns in that Biome

Process

In groups of two, you will research your assigned Biome. You and your partner will then create a PowerPoint Presentation about your Biome with a minimum of one slide for each of the listed above plus a Title Slide and a Bibliography Slide. In addition to the PowerPoint presentation, you must each prepare a newspaper on your Biome and include two editorials on "Why your Biome Is Important" and "What Could Happen if your Biome Did Not Exist"

Resources

Visit the Links listed below to learn about your biome. Record the information you have found on the Biome Graphic Organizer and keep a list of Web Sites you have visited in gathering your information.

Biome Resources
Maps	What is a Biome? (World Biome Map) Outline Maps
Climate	World Climate (Average Precipitation & Temperatures for World Cities)
Landforms	List of Landforms (Wikipedia)
Animal Adaptations & Sounds	Animal Adaptations (Utah Education Network) Guide to Animal Sounds (links to other sites) Animal Information (from Sea World and Busch Garden) Adaptations Adventure (U of Richmond Webquest)
World Biomes These sites have sections on the world's major biomes	Blue Planet (includes information on plants, animals and climate) Biomes - Habitats (Enchanted Learning) What's It Like Where You Live (Missouri Botanical Garden) Earth Floor Biomes (includes climograms for each biome) Nature Works (NH Public Television): Biome Basics (U or Richmond) Introduction to Biomes (Cal State LA) (information on Food Webs) Biomes (U of Arizona) Biomes: Kids do Ecology (U CAL Santa Barbara) Introduction to Biomes (Radford Univ) Earth Observatory (NASA) Biomes of the World (Teachers First) The World's Biomes (Berkeley) Biome Resource Page Biomes Living Worlds (Think Quest) - plant and animal adaptations Ecosystem Field Trip Research Guide for Students (Biomes and Ecozones)
Tundra	Tundra: Arctic vs Alpine Tundra Tundra Biome (Kidzworld site) The Arctic
Taiga (Coniferous or Boreal Forest)	Coniferous Forest (In a Pinch) Coniferous Forest Animals of the Boreal Forest (Gander Academy) Boreal Forest (Lakehead University, Ontario) Taiga Biome (UK Site)
Deciduous Forest	Temperate Forest Deciduous Forest
Temperate Grassland (prairie)	Overview of Grasslands Grasslands/Prairies (links) Prairies in the Prairie State
Desert	Desert (Inch in a Pinch) Desert Theme Pages (Gander Academy) Plant and Animal Adaptations in the Desert
Rain Forest	Rainforest (Forest Web) Rainforest Theme Pages (Gander Academy) Learning About the Rainforest
Savannah (Grassland)	Flora Savannah Savannah Background Tropical Grasslands Tropical Savannahs of No. Australia
Marine (ocean)	Ocean Theme Pages (Gander Academy) South Florida
Freshwater	Freshwater Wetlands Freshwater Theme Pages (Gander Academy)
Animals	Cyber Zoo (from Syracuse University) - information on both biomes and animals Polar Bear Animals A to Zoo (Animal Planet) Especies Fact Sheet Fun with Food Webs (Harcourt Brace) - Pond, Meadow, Arctic Interactive Food Webs (Gould) African & Australian Grasslands, Antarctic Animal Adaptations Animal Diversity Web (Univ. of Michigan)
Plants	The Seedy Side of Plants (PBS) A Year in the Life of a Tree (North American trees)