Grade Levels:  7th and 8th

Subjects:    Science

Learner Outcomes:

1. Compare how climates differ between the terrestrial biomes
2. Describe the physical features of the biomes
3. Locate six terrestrial biomes on a map.
4. Recognize the various biotic and abiotic factors unique to each biome.
5. Explain how climatic changes affect the type of vegetation and inhabitants that occupy each biome.

Duration of Lesson:    (Three) 50 minute class periods.

Materials:   Paper, Pencil, metric ruler, construction paper, magazines, map, colored pencils

Technology Tool/ Courseware:  Personal computer, Internet connection, Microsoft Word, Excel

Teacher Notes:    Before beginning this lesson, the students must research the six terrestrial biomes (see lessons 1-4 contained in this unit).  Review metric measurement with students.  A few weeks before you plan to teach this lesson, have the students bring in magazines that can be gone through and pictures cut out for use in creating the travel journal.
A review of the terrestrial biomes is available on a power point slide show.

Procedures:
Students will create a biome travel journal based both on a fictional journey and factual information pertaining to the following terrestrial biomes:  Desert, Tundra, Rain Forest, Coniferous Forest, Deciduous Forest, and Savanna.

1. Research six terrestrial biomes and obtain information necessary to create a Biome Travel Journal.
2. Design a front cover appropriate for the subject matter.
3. Locate each biome on a map and create a color coded map that identifies each biome.  You will include this map in your journal.
4. Compile a chart on the biomes.  The columns on the chart should include the name of the biome, type of climate, vegetation, animals, and special adaptations of the plants and animals.
5. Using the map that you created, choose a reference point, and compile the information in such a manner that it would flow from biome to biome.  The idea is to arrange your journal so that it appears you are traveling from one biome to another.

• Page one is your table-of-contents.
• Page two is to be a list of terms and definitions to assist the reader's understanding of the journals contents.  This list is to be as long as you need it to be, but it must include the following terms:  ecology, ecosystem, cycle, climate, biome, deciduous, weather, precipitation, and vegetation.
• Page three is your color coded map.
• Page four is your chart of the biomes.
• Page five is where you begin your travels through the six major biomes of the world.  Each biome should have at least one entire page devoted to it.  Write about the biomes as if you had personally traveled through them yourself.  Include information about the climate, vegetation, animals, location, characteristics, and comments about any special features that you find interesting.
• A picture pertaining to the biome must also accompany each story.  This picture can be a photograph, a hand-drawn landscape, or a photo from a magazine.  The choice is yours.
• Create a back cover.  Place your name and class period on the inside of the back cover.  This information should only be found on the inside of the back cover and no where else.
• The Biome Travel Journal is to be no larger than 22 cm  X  15 cm.  This will give you experience in measuring objects using the metric system.
• Students are to use Microsoft Word (of an equivalent program) to type up their text for the journal.  Excel can be used to create the required charts.

Modifications:    As per individual IEPs.  Teachers could create a template that prompts the students to insert the biome information into a story format.

Enrichment Activities:  Have students research famous ecologists on the web and write an essay describing their major contributions to the field.

Evaluation/Assessment:    A rubric can be used to assess the student's individual Biome Travel Journal.

West Virginia IGOs:
    Science:    7.13, 7.15,7.16, 7.20, 7.28, 7.78, 7.79, 7.80, 7.87, 7.88, 7.92, 8.5, 8.16, 8.17, 8.20, 8.21, 8.60, 8.78, 8.84, 8.85, 8.86, 8.87, 8.90, 8.95, 8.98
    English/Language Arts:    7.51, 7.52, 7.53, 7,56, 7.57, 7.60, 7.88, 7.89, 7.90, 7.96, 7.110, 7.17, 7.173, 8.12, 8.48, 8.49, 8.55, 8.58, 8.83, 8,84, 8.85
    Mathematics:    7.55, 7.56, 8.57, 8.58

National Standards:
        Level 3, Standard #6:
                       Understands relationships among organisms and their physical environment.

Job/Career Clusters:  Science (professional)

References:    Heath Life Science, 1987.  Lexington, Massachusetts:  D. C. Heath and Company.

Authors:
             Cynthia Caldwell
             Paul Epperly
             Cora Staten
 
 

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