University of Toledo An OBOR Eisenhower-funded Project
Lesson Title: __Biome Research__________________Age or grade level___5th – 8th ___ This is lesson #__10__ of a unit titled ________ Earth’s Biomes__________________ Central question__What are the characteristics of Earth’s Biomes___________?
Ideal student answer to central question in age-appropriate language.
Each of Earth’s biomes has different location, climates, plants, and animals.
Specific goals for this lesson:
1. Students will conduct in-depth research on one of Earth’s biomes.
2. Students will present their research findings in a visual presentation to their classmates.
Specific measurable objectives of this lesson. Student will be able to...
1. summarize key characteristics of a specific biome, including location, climate, plants, animals, soil type, people who live there, and environmental problems.
2. create a power point presentation to exhibit their research findings and pictures of their biomes.
Specific Ohio State Model Competencies
Grade 5 Life Sciences: Diversity and Interdependence of Life - 4. Summarize that organisms can survive only in ecosystems in which their needs can be met (e.g., food, water, shelter, air, carrying capacity and waste disposal). The world has different ecosystems and distinct ecosystems support the lives of different types of organisms. 5. Support how an organism's patterns of behavior are related to the nature of that organism's ecosystem, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present, the availability of food and resources, and the changing physical characteristics of the ecosystem. Grade 6 Life Science: Diversity and Interdependence of Life - 8. Describe how organisms may interact with one another. Grade 7 Earth and Space Science: Earth Systems - 8. Describe how temperature and precipitation determine climatic zones (biomes) (e.g., desert, grasslands, forests, tundra and alpine). Grade 7 Life Sciences: Diversity and Interdependence of Life - 3. Explain how the number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on adequate biotic (living) resources (e.g., plants, animals) and abiotic (non-living) resources (e.g., light, water and soil).
Specific problem areas (student naive conceptions or anticipated misunderstandings)
Students may not be aware of different types of biomes. They may not be familiar with any types other than the place where they live. Students may need training doing Internet research and creating presentations using Microsoft Power Point.
Materials needed
Teaching strategy and hands-on activity (Attach all handouts and/or student materials)
1. Introduction and motivator: Show video to the students, “The Temperate Deciduous Forest” to get them aware of the characteristics of the biome in which they live.
2. Give students a research project instruction sheet that outlines the information that they should include in their Power Point presentations. (biome location, climate, plants, animals, people, soil type, and environmental problems)
3. Show students all available research resources to find information for their presentations.
4. Give students several class periods to conduct research, prepare their presentations, and find images on the Internet to insert into their Power Points.
5. Students present their Power Points to the class and teach their classmates about the biome that they researched.
Assessment strategies for this lesson
Use a rubric style of grading.
A = found accurate information for all 7 characteristic categories in the instructions, presentation was visually appealing with many appropriate images, written summaries used correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar, student demonstrated an excellent knowledge of their topic while presenting to the class
B = found accurate information for 5 of the 7 characteristic categories in the instructions, presentation was visually appealing with some appropriate images, written summaries had few punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes, and student demonstrated a good knowledge of their topic while presenting to the class
C = found information for 3-4 of the characteristic categories in the instructions, some information was not accurate, presentation was visually appealing with a few appropriate images, written summaries had several punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes, and student demonstrated moderate knowledge of their topic while presenting to the class
D = found information for less than 3 of the 7 characteristic categories in the instructions, some information was not accurate, presentation was not considered visually appealing with one or two appropriate images, written summaries had many punctuation, spelling, and grammar mistakes, and student demonstrated little knowledge of their topic while presenting to the class
F = failure to complete research or a Power Point presentation
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