This unit on North American biomes will be a comparative study of each of the biomes’ biotic and abiotic factors. We will look at representative species of both plants and animals for each of the biomes, and try to develop food chains from those organisms. Since an understanding of the physical environment is important to the understanding of the special adaptations some plants and animals have evolved with, we will also examine such things as temperature ranges, amount of moisture, presence of extremes of wind, sunlight or lack of sunlight, and soil types.
Wherever possible live animals and plants will be examined and kept for observation terrariums. On our collecting expeditions I hope to find various small plants, insects, caterpillars, etc. that we can safely keep for a while in aquariums or terrariums.
Within each area we will focus on the healthy environment and discuss some of the contemporary problems that each area is facing in regards to pollution, habitat reduction, and poaching. Classroom discussions will be extended to include the African and South American biomes and their special animals, adaptations, and problems.
An important part of the unit will be the hands-on activities that can be incorporated into the lessons. For each biome there will be a special activity that is either observational or participational. Each student will produce a Biome book of their own as a result of a group study of the biome. The students will work cooperatively to produce a better product of their own.
Videos will be an important part of their lessons to present a more complete picture of the various biomes. There are numerous well done studies of specific animals or of whole ecosystems that can introduce the beginning student to the tremendous diversity of life in our world.
This unit will be used with my seventh grade Life Science students. It is designed with very low ability level students in mind although any of it could be easily adapted to average students.
