Mission:
Protect Earth's Biomes
The Mission:
On a recent camping trip to the Smokey Mountains National Park you notice the
woods are eerily quieter than normal. You wonder - where are all the birds and
frogs that normally sing in the woods? You also notice that the tree leaves in this
temperate deciduous forest don’t seem as green or full, and the fish at your favorite
fishing hole are all dead. What’s happening? Is it occurring in other areas, too?
Back at school on Monday, the principal announces that the National Science
Teachers’ Association is assembling a several teams of teachers, scientists, and
students to study the Smokey Mountains National Park biome, as well as the other
major biomes of the world. You are excited to learn that you were chosen to
represent your school on one team. Your assignment - learn as much as you can
about your biome, assess any changes that are occurring, and make
recommendations about possible solutions at a national conference.
As part of your presentation, you'll are to submit a news report (can be PowerPoint
or Prezi) and printed handout.
The Essential Questions You Must Answer:
1. How do Earth’s major biomes affect the interdependence of plants and animals
that live within the biome?
2. What challenges are faced by each of Earth’s major biomes and how do they
impact the interdependence of the plants and animals within the biome?
Additional Questions to Consider:
What is a biome?
How do organisms interact within a community?
What are the major land biomes?
How does an ecosystem support a variety of organisms?
How have the different plant and animal populations adapted to biome?
How does light, temperature and soil composition effect plant and animal life in an
ecosystem?
What would happen if a new species of plant or animals were introduced to the
biome?
How would it affect the balance of the ecosystem?
How have humans affected ecosystems?
What are pollutants?
How have changes in Earth’s weather patterns and global warming affected the
biomes?
What can humans do to protect Earth’s biomes and the plants and animals living
within the biomes?
How are materials recycled in nature?
What can be done to protect the biomes and the survival of organisms living within
the biomes?
The Task:
1. Before you can leave on your mission, you must assemble a student team of four,
including yourself, to assist the teachers and scientists. Your team should assign
the following roles:
a. Team Leader - provide leadership and direction for the team. Keep the
project on schedule.
b. Lead Researcher - oversee research delegation and completion
c. Producer - oversee production of at least a five-minute TV broadcast about the
biome
d. Marketing Specialist - oversee creation and production of one page handout
on the biome.
2. Conduct detailed research utilizing books, the internet, and Discovery
Education videos of all of components of the biome on the graphic organizer
provided by your teacher. This research should include animal life, plant life,
special plant and/or animal adaptations, landform patterns, weather/climate,
subtypes of the biome, location of the biome, general description, and threats for
the biome.
3. Create and produce a news report using PowerPoint or Prezi, to inform your
audience about the biome, the threats against it, and your scientific team’s
recommendations to insure the biome survives.
4. Create a one-page handout about your biome that tells about its animal and
plant life, general biome description, location in the world, subtypes (if any),
weather/climate, landform patterns, animal/plant adaptations, and threats.
5. Complete one individual project from the individual project chart.
Evaluation:
1. Product: Participation
Criteria: Following directions and working in a cooperative group to accurately
make visual representations for the specified biome(s). Students will assess each
group member using the collaboration rubric.
2. Product: Biome TV News Report
Criteria: Completion and presentation of news report based on the rubric given to
students at time of assignment. Assessed collaboratively.
3. Product: Biome Handout
Criteria: Completion of handout for classmates that creatively and effectively
informs students about the plant/animal life, general description, climate/weather,
location, threats, etc. of the biome. Students will be assessed collaboratively using
the rubric given at the time of the assignment.
4. Product: Individual Project
Criteria: Assessed individually based on the rubric provided at the time students
choose their individual project.
Process:
To aid in your team’s success, you should follow these guidelines:
1.
Research the website links provided below.
2.
Use other resources for research, including books, articles and Discovery
Education videos.
3.
Use the Mission Protect: Earth’s Biomes Research Chart to help guide your
research.
4.
Be sure to write any information found in your own words.
5.
Don't forget to list your sources on your chart.
6.
Develop some recommendations to reduce the impact of the threats being
experienced by the biome.
7.
Use your research to develop a TV news report on the biome and a handout.
8.
Complete one individual project.
Research Web links:
http://www.worldbiomes.com/
http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/biomes.html
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/index.html
http://www.nearctica.com/ecology/habitats/ehabitat.htm
http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/index.html
http://www.mbgnet.net/index.html -This is one of the best sites for biomes. Lots of good info.
http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/expindex.htm
http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html
http://www.westirondequoit.org/ihs/library/environment.html#adiron - Good info on
environmental threats for the biomes
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/main.php?section=impact&topic=taiga&subtopic=environ
mental&subsubtopic=pollution
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html
http://www.svincent.com/MagicJar/Biomes/index.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/Antevs/biomes/
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0769052.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/11353/ecosystems.htm
Conclusion:
After completing this project, students will have a greater understanding of the six
major Earth biomes, the plant and animal life in each biome, special adaptations of
plants and animals in the biomes, climate/weather of the biomes, biome locations
in the world, a general description of each biome, and threats to the major biomes,
as well as be able to communicate things they can do to offset these
threats. Students will also understand the interconnectivity of Earth’s major
biomes, and how any threats to the plant or animal life in the biome impact the
entire biome.
This will form the basis for further study of interdependence and interaction of
plants and animals within ecosystems and how human affect ecosystems.