Date: October 8, 2014
Topic(s): 1. Texas Ecoregions
Objective:
TSW (The student will):
1.
Begin to explore Texas Ecoregions by completing the
“Exploring Texas Ecoregions” Activity.
Assessment:
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City
Weather? (Hot, dry, does it rain a lot
Are there lots of trees and grass?
What kind of landforms are there? Mountains,
hills flat plains?
Etc…
a. Amarillo
b. Austin
c. Corpus Christi
d. Houston
e. Galveston
f. San Angelo
g. El Paso
h. Lubbock
Record the annual average wind speeds for the
cities listed below.
a. Amarillo 21.7 km/h (13.5 mph)
b. Austin 14.3 km/h (8.9 mph)
c. Corpus Christi 19.3 km/h (12.0 mph)
d. Houston 12.2 km/h (7.6 mph)
e. Galveston 17.7 km/h (11.0 mph)
f. San Angelo 16.6 km/h (10.3 mph)
g. El Paso 14.2 km/h (8.8 mph)
h. Lubbock 20.0 km/h (12.4 mph)
Which feature on the list can be found and
observed in Texas?
a. Deserts
b. Canyons
c. Mountains
d. Beaches
e. Meadows of wildflowers
f. Swamps
g. Pine forests
a. Deserts —Chihuahuan Desert
 b. Canyons—Palo Duro Canyon
 c. Mountains—Guadalupe Mountains
 d. Beaches—Galveston Beach
 e. Meadows of wildflowers—Hill
Country/Central Texas
 f. Swamps—Daisetta Swamp, Liberty
County
 g. Pine forests—Big Thicket National
Preserve
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What is the title of this map?
(Ecoregions of Texas)
What two words are joined together to create
the word ecoregion?
(ecological + region = ecoregion)
What is the root word for ecological?
(ecology) What does ecology mean? (Ecology is
the study of the environment. This includes
the study of the interactions of living
organisms with their natural environment.)
What does region mean?
(A region is an area of land.)
What do you think ecoregion means?
(the study of the environment of a particular
area of land)
How many ecoregions are shown on this map?
(eleven)
A. Locate the Piney Woods ecoregion on the
map. Color the area green and label the
ecoregion.
B. Repeat the step for the Gulf Coast Prairies
and Marshes (blue), the Edwards
Plateau(tan),Llano Uplift (yellow), the High
Plains (orange), and the Trans Pecos(grey),etc.
until you have completed coloring the map
and key. Use the next slide to help you.
Date: October 8-10, 2014
Topic(s): 1. Texas Ecoregions
Objective:
TSW (The student will):
1.
Begin to explore Texas Ecoregions by completing the
“Exploring Texas Ecoregions” Activity.
Which part of Texas is
coldest in January?
Which part of Texas is
warmest in January?
Which part of Texas is coolest
in July?
Which part of Texas is hottest in
July?
Which part of Texas has the
biggest changes in temperature
from season to season?
Which part of Texas has the
least change in temperature
from season to season?
Record information.
Why analyze the data of these two months when
studying the environments of the Texas
ecoregions?
(January is in winter. July is in summer. An
inference could be made that these two months
show the extremes in temperature—coldest and
hottest.)
What valid conclusion can be drawn from the data
represented in these maps?
(The northern and northwestern areas of the
state have a wide range in temperature. The
summers are hotter and the winters are colder
than the southern and southeastern areas of the
state. On average, the temperatures of the
southern and southeastern areas of the state are
less extreme.)
What does Precipitation
mean?
What patterns of
precipitation does this
map show?
Do all the ecoregions receive the same amount
of precipitation? Justify your answer.
(No. The map is shaded in different colors to
indicate the amount of rainfall an area
receives according to the map key. )
Why is East Texas shaded green and West
Texas shaded brown?
(In general, East Texas receives more rain
than West Texas.)
Satellite Map of Texas Showing Evidence of Plant Growth
Why is East Texas shaded green and West Texas shaded brown?
Why is central Texas shaded yellow?
Which two
ecoregions
generally receive
the most rainfall?
Which two
ecoregions
generally receive
the least rainfall?
Which two ecoregions generally receive the
most amount of precipitation?
(ecoregions 1— Piney Woods and 4—Gulf
Coast Prairies and Marshes)
Which two regions generally receive the least
amount of precipitation?
(ecoregions 10—High Plains and 11—Trans
Pecos/Chihuahuan)
Record information about Annual Precipitation
for each ecoregion.
How does precipitation affect soil?
(The greater/more frequent the precipitation,
the moister the soil; lesser precipitation
results in a drier soil.)
How does precipitation affect plants?
(The greater/more frequent the precipitation,
the greater the number and types of plants;
lesser precipitation the fewer the number and
types of plants.)
What is the role(s) of plants in a particular
environment?
(hold soil in place to prevent erosion, provide
food for animals, shelter/habitat)
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You will work with a group to research the
ecoregion that you are assigned.
Use “Descriptions of Ecoregions of Texas”,
the internet and other resources that your
teacher provides.
http://texasprairie.org/index.php/learn/about_prairies_entry/what_are_the_
ecoregions_of_texas/
Also for Llano Uplift:
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fc.burlesonisd.net/~jgonsoulin/FOV1-000486F5/.../Llano%20Uplift.pptx
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Fill out your “Texas Ecoregions Data Sheet”
Be Prepared to share what you learn.
Date: October 13, 2014 (EARLY RELEASE DAY)
Topic(s): SCIENCE FAIR
TSW:
1. Adjust science fair topics once reviewed by
me to obtain approval.
2. Begin background research
Assessment:
Date: October 14, 2014
Topic(s): 1. Texas Ecoregions
Objective:
TSW (The student will):
1.
Begin to explore Texas Ecoregions by completing the
“Exploring Texas Ecoregions” Activity.
Pair with another person/group and compare what you learned.
Create a Venn diagram that compares the two ecoregions using the
given materials.
What are some differences between the ecoregions in Texas?
(Answers may vary but include varying amounts of precipitation,
different temperature extremes, vegetation, soils, land features,
etc.)
What are some similarities between the ecoregions in Texas?
(Answers may vary but could include that each ecoregion contains
many types of environments to sustain living organisms.)
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Each paired group will present their Venn
Diagram/research to the whole class
Finally: to elaborate, each student will write to
explain how Texas ecoregions are similar and
different.
What are some characteristics of the Piney
Woods ecoregion?
(tall pine trees, swamp, maple trees, sandy
soil, shrubs, broad-leaved plants, grasses,
etc.)
What are some characteristics of the Gulf Coast
Plains and Marshes/Coastal Sand Plains
ecoregions?
(barrier islands, marshes, flat plains, grasses,
etc.)
What are some characteristics of the Edwards
Plateau/Llano Uplift ecoregion?
(Enchanted Rock—a dome of granite,
canyonlands, streams, deciduous forests, etc.)
What are some characteristics of the High Plains
ecoregion?
(hills, mountains, short grasses, not as many
trees)
What are some characteristics of the Trans Pecos
ecoregion?
(mountain ranges, desert, desert valleys, cactus,
etc.)
Date: October 16-17, 2014
Topic(s): 1. Landforms (Texas Ecoregions)
Objective:
TSW (The student will):
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Wrap up ecoregion presentations and notes.
List typical landforms and make a foldable to
describe.
Identify which ecoregions of Texas are likely to
have particular landforms.
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Open your science journal to P. 45
IF IT IS BLANK, get the paper from in front of
your class tray.
Answer the questions in COMPLETE
SENTENCES.
5 min
MUST HAVES
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Beach
Canyon
Delta
Desert
Hill
Marsh
Mesa
Mountain
Plain
Plateau
Prairie
Swamp
Valley
BONUS TERMS 
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Bay
Cliff
Flood Plain
Glacier
Island
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Plains are flat lands that have only small
changes in elevation.
A
plateau is a
large, flat
area of land
that is higher
than the
surrounding
land
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A cliff is a steep
face of rock and
soil.
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A canyon is a deep valley with
very steep sides - often carved
from the Earth by a river.
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A glacier is a slowly moving river of ice.
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A mountain is a very tall high, natural
place on Earth - higher than a hill. The
tallest mountain on Earth is Mt. Everest.
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A mesa is a land
formation with a
flat area on top
and steep walls usually occurring
in dry areas
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A desert is a very
dry area.
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A prairie is a wide, relatively flat area
of land that has grasses and only a
few trees.
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A bay is a body
of water that is
partly enclosed by
land (and is
usually smaller
than a gulf).
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Sea Level is the
average height, or
elevation, of the
sea surface.
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A marsh is a type
of freshwater,
brackish water or
saltwater wetland
that is found
along rivers,
pond, lakes and
coasts. Marsh
plants grow up
out of the water.
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A swamp is a
type of freshwater
wetland that has
spongy, muddy
land and a lot of
water. Many trees
and shrubs grow
in swamps.
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An island is a
piece of land that
is surrounded by
water.
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Floodplain is a flat region of a valley
floor located on either side of a river
channel.
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A delta is a low, watery land formed at the
mouth of a river. It is formed from the silt,
sand and small rocks that flow downstream in
the river and are deposited in the delta. A
delta is often (but not always) shaped like a
triangle (hence its name, delta, a Greek letter
that is shaped like a triangle).
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http://www.enchantedlearning.com/geography/lan
dforms/glossary.shtml
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/landforms.ht
m
http://www.geocities.com/monte7dco/
http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/GeoImages/Johnso
n/Landforms/Landforms.html
http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/landform/
landform.html
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/types_of_l
and_2/