A Biomes Webquest
Introduction
A biome is a major geographical region, composed of plants and animals that are adapted
to the region's physical environment, including weather and climate. The biomes that
will be studied in this Webquest are:
Desert, Grassland, Rainforest, Taiga, Temperate Forest, and Tundra.
Task
You can either pick one of the biomes listed above, or your teacher will assign one. You
are a member of the "Chamber of Commerce" for your biome. Your job is to provide
information about your biome and encourage people to visit or move to your biome. You
will work individually and in teams. Find out the following information about your
biome:
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climate and weather (annual high and low temperature, average precipitation,
types of weather)
animals (endangered and non-endangered species)
vegetation (major trees, shrubs, plants, crops)
landforms (mountains, rivers)
geographic location of the biome throughout the world
places of interest
Process
Visit the web resources to find information about your biome. You can use the Biome Worksheet
to record your information. After you have gathered information, answer the following questions
about your biome (you can use the Biome Question Sheet to record your answers).
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Why is your biome important?
What are some reasons people might want to visit your biome?
What might happen if your biome didn't exist?
As you answer these questions, you may begin to work on a PowerPoint (or
HyperStudio) presentation designed to provide information about your biome and to
encourage people to visit your biome. Each member of the team should be responsible
for his or her own presentation. The presentation should consist of:
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A title slide with the name of your biome and the team members
A slide telling/showing where the biome is located
A climate/weather slide
5 slides about major animals
3 to 5 about vegetation (natural and cultivated)
A slide about major landforms
Slides showing/describing places of interest
A slide encouraging visitors (perhaps with a slogan)
A bibliographic slide citing your sources
Click here to look at some sample PowerPoint slides.
Before working at the computer, you should plan your slides on note cards or the Presentation
Planning Form, using a format similar to the samples. Once you have created your PowerPoint
presentation, you will need to decide how you will present it. Divide up the presentation
information and practice before you present to the whole class. In addition to the
PowerPoint presentation (depending on how much time you have), your team could also
create posters and/or a brochure about your biome.
Resources
General Information
All About Nature: Biomes http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/pond/pondlife.shtml
Biomes: http://www.marlborough.la.ca.us/depts/science/biomes.html
Biomes: http://www.furman.edu/~worthen/biomes/map.htm
Biome Links: http://rmhs.dist214.k12.il.us/classes/lepbilscience/biome.html
The Evergreen Project Adventures: http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/index.htm
Introduction to Biomes:
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
(If you get a window asking for a password, click on "Cancel")
Neighborhoods; Ecosystems, Biomes, and Habitats:
http//www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html
Student Biome Projects: http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html
Your Key to Biomes: http://lsb.cyr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/biomes/biomes.html
The World's Biomes: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/index.html
Citing Sources
Citing Internet Sources - Classroom Connect:
http://www.classroom.com/community/connection/howto/citeresources.jhtml
Yahooligans! Teachers' Guide: http://www.yahooligans.com/tg/citation.html
Encyclopedias
Compton's Online: http://www.optonline.com/comptons/index.html
Electric Library's Free Encyclopedia: http://www.encyclopedia.com
Information Please: http://www.infoplease.com/
Animal Pictures
All About Nature: Biomes http://www.allaboutnature.com/biomes/pond/pondlife.shtml
Maps
Biomes of the World: http//www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/index.html
Graphic Maps Free Clip Art http://www.graphicmaps.com/clipart.htm
World Biome Locations: http://www.furman.edu/~worthen/biomes/map.htm
Specific Biomes
Desert Images: http://miragemall.com/desertjpegs/imagesf.htm
Desert: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/deserts.html
Desert: http://www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/desert.htm
Digital Desert Library: http://horizon.nmsu.edu/ddl/
The Living Desert: http://www.livingdesert.org/home.html
Grassland Biome: http://www.southafrica.net/tourism/grassland.html
Grasslands: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/grasslan.html
Grasslands: http://www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/grass.htm
Rainforest: http://www.interlog.com/~rainfrst/home.html
Rainforest: http://www.toucansam.kelloggs.ca/eng/enter.htm
Rainforest Information: http://www.rain.org/info_center/index.htm
Virtual Rainforest: http://www.shs.org/rainforest/rainforest.html
Taiga: http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/taiga/taiga.html
Boreal Forest: http://www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/boreal.htm
Tundra, the Not-So Barren Land:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.html
Tundra: http://www.snowcrest.net/geography/slides/biomes/tundra.htm
Area Chambers of Commerce
Cedar Rapids' Chamber of Commerce http://www.cedarrapids.org/
Evaluation
Very Good to Outstanding:
A completed biomes worksheet
Thoughtful answers to the questions
A well constructed PowerPoint presentation (with a minimum of 10 slides)
An interesting and persuasive delivery of the presentation (clear, rehearsed)
Evidence of teamwork
A posture or brochure
Average to Good:
A completed biomes worksheet
Fairly thoughtful answers to the questions
A PowerPoint presentation (with a minimum of 10 slides)
A somewhat persuasive delivery of the presentation
Evidence of teamwork
Poor to Fair:
An incomplete biomes worksheet
Partial answers to questions
A PowerPoint presentation with less than 10 slides
Poor delivery of the presentation (rambling, unclear, unrehearsed)
Little evidence of teamwork