Explorer-Biome Project
Outline: Students will be given the mission of researching the perfect biome to be placed
on the moon. Students will conduct this research by going back in time and “traveling”
with a real explorer. They will present their findings to the class and the class will vote
on which biome would be the best for the moon.
Format: Students will be grouped into teams: one for each biome, the moon, and the
ocean. On each biome team will be a historian, a geologist, a biologist, a botanist, and a
meteorologist. On the moon team there will be a historian, a lunar geologist, a lunar
eclipse expert and a lunar rotation and phases expert. On the ocean team there will a
historian, a botanist, a biologist, a meteorologist, and an oceanographer.
Role responsibilities:
Biologist-to research the animals of the biome, to keep a journal of animal
drawings/pictures with classifications
Meteorologist-to research the weather and climate of the biome, to generate graphs of
temperature and precipitation, to keep a journal of types of storms and seasons
Botanist-to research plants, to keep a journal of drawings/plants with plant parts labeled
Geologist-to research land formations and political regions, to make a map of the land
formations and political regions
Historian-to research the explorer and native culture of the biome, to make a map of the
exploration route, to make a map of the native cultures, to make a time line of events, to
keep a journal on events around the world for the time period
Lunar eclipse scientist-to research the lunar eclipse, to make a sequence chart of the
eclipse stages, to keep a journal on how lunar eclipses work
Lunar geologist-to research lunar land formations and regions, to make a map of the land
formations and regions, to select three good locations for a moon biome
Lunar scientist-to research the moon rotation and phases, to make a sequence chart of the
moon rotation and phases, to keep a journal on how the rotation and phases work
Oceanographer-to research ocean waves, tides, and currents, to make a map of currents,
to keep a journal on waves and tides
Leveling to match instructional level: Students are leveled by reading levels. Students
are assigned a geometric shape for each level, such as circle for above reading grade
level, rectangle for at reading grade level, and star for below reading grade level.
Research materials are organized by reading level and assigned the appropriate geometric
shape. Students are told that the shapes represent the groups that will meet with the
teacher at different times. They are also told to use the materials that match their shape.
Each student also receives a folder with information on expectations, background
information, and graphic organizers. The graphic organizers are leveled according to
individual needs.
Ways the teacher can meet with groups:
By role-to help students with role expectations and understanding the concepts related to
the role
By team-to help students collaborate for presentations and share learning
By shape (level)- to help students with reading, taking notes, using graphic organizers, or
products