Purpose :
 to identify components of an ecosystem
 to describe how organisms, including producers, consumers, and decomposers live together in an environment and use existing resources
 to describe how different environments support different varieties of organisms
Introduction
A travel agency is trying to boost travel to different parts of the world by increasing the advertising and selling vacation packages. You have been hired to make a presentation to sell a travel package.
Task
Working as a group, develop a website to entice visitors to vacation in your biome and sell your vacation package. Presentations will be done using Weebly, a free website creation site. On Monday, October 29, your group will be putting your website on display for everyone to see! After all presentations are finished, the class will vote on the most appealing vacation. Winners will receive a bonus!
Vacation Packages

 taiga (coniferous forest) tundra
 tropical rain forest
 desert

Shrubland/scrubland/ chaparral
 temperate grassland or prairie
 savannah
 temperate deciduous forest
 freshwater (lakes, rivers, or streams)

Marine/ocean
Process
Each team will be assigned a biome by the teacher. It is the team's job to research the biome and gather facts and information about that biome. Each member of the team will become an expert in a particular aspect of the biome. Your group will conduct research and gather information about the biome you have been assigned. Make sure you gather information about:

Location

General characteristics

Weather & Climate

Temperature

Precipitation
 Landforms
 Mountains
 Bodies of water

Canyons

Islands

Animals

Plants

Adaptations need for plants & animals to survive in the biome

Relationships o Predator-Prey o Competition

Limiting Factors o Biotic o Abiotic

Ecological concerns or issues o catastrophic events o human impact

Team Roles
• Botanist - this expert in the plant life of the area
• Zoologist - the expert in the animal life of the area
• Meteorologist - the climate and weather expert
• Geographer - map and area expert
Discuss with your team which role each of you will assume. Remember that you are all responsible for learning about the biome you are presenting, but your role reflects an area of particular focus for you as your research
Botanist--expert in the plant life of the area:
 Describe the Living / Biotic factors of the biome
 Plants--minimum of 5

Describe the adaptations of plants that are needed to survive in the biome; Give at least one example of a plant adaptation
Meteorologist--Climate and Weather Expert:

Describe the Physical / Abiotic features of the biome

Climate

Weather

Temperature

Precipitation
 should also determine the best time of year to vacation in the biome, and what kinds of clothes to bring
Zoologist--expert in the animal life of the area:

Describe the Living / Biotic factors of the biome
 Animals--minimum of 5
 Describe the adaptations of animals that are needed to survive in the biome; Give at least two examples of animal adaptations

Describe one example of competition

Describe one example of a predator-prey relationship
Geographer--map and area expert:

Location

Landforms

Bodies of water

Ecological concerns or issues
 show landmarks
 major cities and places a tourist should visit
 activities related to that area (climbing, scuba..etc).

Think about using GoogleEarth to locate specific points on the map
Each team member should utilize different resources to find information pertaining to your biome. You should record facts and information about the biome that would be useful in the creation of your presentation website.
This factsheet will be turned in to show that you did your share of the group work. Please do not print out whole webpages, a list of facts on notebook paper is acceptable or you may utilize the graphic organizer provided. Do not forget to include your sources for information and photos. Remember your role. You can write down anything useful you think the team will need, but your focus should be on the role you were assigned (geographer, meteorologist, Zoologist, Botanist)

Some questions to consider:
What kinds of activities could people do in this location?
What kinds of plants and animals live there?
What kind of clothes should they bring?
What's the weather like?
What is the best time of year to travel there?
What part of the world will they be travelling to?
Are there any dangerous elements to traveling there?
Resources & Research Links
The web is not a constant place; some of these links may be broken or dead. If you cannot access a website, move on to the next one - you have several on each topic from which to choose.
Biomes - Missouri Botanical Gardens http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/
The World's Biomes http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/
Biomes of the World http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/biomes.html
Introduction to Biomes http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
RAINFOREST http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/index.htm http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rforest.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biorainforest.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/rainforest.htm http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/rainforest.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/rain.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_forest2.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/rainforest.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/encyclopedia
/content/rainforest.htm
TAIGA / CONIFEROUS FOREST http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/taiga/index.htm http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes
/taiga/taiga.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/bioconiferous.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/boreal_forest.htm http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/coniferous.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/coniferous.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_forest2.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/taiga.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/encyclopedia
/content/coniferous.htm

DESERT http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/index.htm http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/desert.html http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes
/desert/desert.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biodesert.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/desert.htm http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/desert.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_desert.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/desert.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/desert.htm
GRASSLANDS http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/grasslnd/index.htm http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes
/tempgrass/tempgras.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biograssland.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/grassland.htm http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/grass.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_grassland.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/grassland.htm
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/temp/index.htm http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/dforest.html http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes
/tbdf/tbdf.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biotemperate.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/forest.htm http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/deciduous.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/marine.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_forest2.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/temp_forest.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/deciduous.htm
TUNDRA http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/tundra/index.htm http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/tundra.html http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/ biomes/tundra/tundra.html http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/biotundra.html http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/tundra.htm http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/tundra.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_tundra.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/tundra.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/tundra.htm

SHRUBLAND / SCRUBLAND / CHAPARRAL http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/bioshrubland.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/scrubland.htm http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/chaparral.htm http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/
GEOG235/biomes/medit/medit.html https://royercenter.cwc.psu.edu/biodiversity/defined/biosphere/biome-chaparral.html
TROPICAL SAVANNAH http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/savannah.html http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes
/savanna/savanna.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/savanna.htm http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/savannah.html http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_grassland.htm http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/savanna.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/savannah.htm
MARINE (SALT WATER) http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/ http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/oceans.htm http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/ocean.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/marine.html http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/marine.htm http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/Oceans.htm
FRESHWATER http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/ http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/fresh.html http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/freshwater.html http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/freshwater.htm http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html http://www.howellschools.com/~hwmedia/ encyclopedia/content/Freshwater.htm
*Also, you are free to use search engines, such as Google, to locate information