Major Biomes of the World - Student Instructions

In this module, you will become familiar with six of the major biomes of the world: Freshwater, Marine, Desert, Tundra, Forests, and Grasslands. You will have the opportunity to explore different biomes through a Nearpod presentation and by creating biomes on SwitchZoo. As a final activity, you can show what you've learned by sharing your thoughts on a discussion board and creating an informational paragraph about your favorite biome.

Lesson Activities

Activity 1 - Inquiry: Major Biomes of the World Nearpod Lesson

Learning Objective: To become familiar with each of the major biomes of the world.

- - - Think about the following essential question: What makes a biome unique?
    - Learn about Forests (including Rainforest, Taiga, and Deciduous), Marine, Freshwater, Deserts, Grasslands (both Temperate and Tropical), and Tundra biomes.

Activity 2 - Apply - Build a Biome on SwitchZoo

Learning Objective: Use what you know about biomes to create your own!

- - - Choose the plants, animals, rainfall/snowfall, and climate you would find in each biome
    - Create more than one to see how well you know each biome!

Activity 3 - Inquiry: Desert Biomes: The Mojave Desert and Antarctica

Learning Objective: Understand the characteristics of a desert biome.

- - - Think about the following question: How can the Mojave Desert and Antarctica both be desert biomes?
    - What makes these two environments unique
    - What are the characteristics of a desert biome?

Activity 4 - Inquiry: Marine Biomes: The Coral Reef and Deep Sea

Learning Objective: Understand what makes these two environment in the marine biome unique.

- - - Think about the following question: What makes these two environments in the marine biome unique?
    - Compare and contrast the environment and life in these two environments.
    - Understand the characteristics of coral reefs and the deep sea.

Activity 5 - Communicating: What Is Your Favorite Biome? What Makes it Unique?

Learning Objective: Record a video telling about your favorite biome and answer the essential question : what makes this biome unique?

- - - Reply to the discussion prompt and click on this icon to record your response: .
    - Remember it can take some time for your recording to save (especially if it is a long response). Just be patient while it uploads into Canvas.

Activity 6 - Evaluating & Communicating : What Makes Your Favorite Biome Unique? - Informational Paragraph

Learning Objective: Write about your favorite biome and describe why this biome is unique.

- - - Do research and find out more about your favorite biome.
    - Create a main idea for your paragraph. Remember, a main idea is an idea that all of the details in your paragraph will fit underneath.
    - Include at least three details that describe how your biome is unique. You can talk about the plants, animals, and climate - or any other details that you want to include.
    - End your paragraph with a concluding sentence.

Optional Activity - Inquiry and Application: Exploring Biomes in Minecraft for Education

Learning Objective: Explore different biomes, their environment, plant, and animal life.

- - - Think about the following question: What makes each biome unique?
    - What kinds of plants and animals do you find in each biome?
    - What is the land and environment like in each biome?
    - To download Minecraft for Education click here.

Technology Help:

If you need help uploading a video into Canvas for an assignment, watch the following video: