Biomes of the World  

Goals and Objectives

Audience:  Fifth Grade Science
Overall Goal:  Students will become experts on one biome
Concept and Performance Goals: Students will be able to persuade people to travel to their biome by presenting their PowerPoint presentation. 

Curriculum Standards

Students will...

1.  Plan, develop, and implement a proposal to solve an authentic, technological problem. (5.4.C.12)
2.  Record observations that describe the features of the natural world and the local environment of a given area.  (5.8.A.4)
3.  Describe current weather conditions and recognize how those conditions affect our daily lives and describe daily and season changes in weather patterns.  (5.8.B.2)
4.  Describe the composition of oceans and marine environments. (5.8.B.6)
5.  Use graphs, charts, and diagrams to interpret text. (3.5.A.1-2)
6.  Demonstrate an awareness of different media forms. (3.5.A.1-2)
7.  Use a rubric to evaluate the content of media presentations.  (3.5. C.3)            

Thinking and Communication Skills

    I am currently teaching fifth grade at Catherine E. Doyle in Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.  My students completed group research and shadow box project on Biomes.  The students enjoyed working on the project, but have done shadow boxes in the past.  Next year, I would like to incorporate more internet research as well as replace the shadow box with a PowerPoint presentation.  By the end of this teamwork project, I would like each child to be an expert on part of aspect of a biome.  I except them to answer each of their data questions; each child will be required to connect the biome information they have researched to their personal travel preferences.  Using their personal preferences and creativity they will create a PowerPoint on why people should travel to their biome.

    At the completion of this project, students will be able to present their persuasive PowerPoint to their peers. Students will be guided through this critical thinking project by having predetermined research roles.  Roles will be assigned by the student’s strengths, weakness, and independent working levels.  The roles are meteorologist, biologist, zoologist, and ecologist.  In addition to critical-thinking and problem-solving my students will also be using their technology skills; students will put together an effective PowerPoint Presentation with seamless navigation.  I feel the best way for students to understand their requirements and my expectations on this project is to provide oral directions and a rubric.   

Teacher References

Images:  Microsoft Clip Art

Websites As Follows:

University of California Museum of Paleontology. Retrieved February 2, 2008, from  The world's biomes Web site: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php

 MBGnet. Retrieved February 2, 2008, Web site: http://www.mbgnet.net/

Enchanted Learning . Retrieved February 2, 2008, from Biomes Web site:   http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/

Radford. Retrieved February 2, 2008, from Major Biomes of the World Web site:     

    http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/main.html

Introduction to Biomes. Retrieved February 2, 2008, from World Builders Web site:      

    http://www.radford.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/main.html

Teachers First. Retrieved February 2, 2008, from Biomes of the World Web site:      

    http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/biomes.html

Nearctia. Retrieved February 2, 2008, from Subject Biomes Web site:      

    http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/biomes/biomes.html

Fact Monster . Retrieved February 2, 2008, from Science Web site:      

    http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0769052.html

Cyberzoo. Retrieved February 2, 2008, Web site:  http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/biome.html

World Biomes. Retrieved February 4, 2008, from Maps Web site: 6.    http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_map.htm

Son of Citation Machine. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from Landmarks Web site:

    http://citationmachine.net/index.php?reqstyleid=2&reqsrcid=39&mode=form&more= 

Blue Planet Biomes. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from World Biomes Web site:

    http://citationmachine.net/index.php?reqstyleid=2&reqsrcid=39&mode=form&more= 

WWF. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from Play the Baltic Marine Rescue Game Web site:

    http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/europe/what_we_do/baltics/howyoucanhelp/game/index.cfm 

EO Experiments. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from Mission: The Great Graph Match Web site:

    http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/graphmatch_basic.html 

Yucky Lab Activites. Retrieved February 10, 2008, from Yucky Fun and Games Web site:

    http://yucky.discovery.com/flash/fun_n_games/activities/experiments/experiment_acid_rain.html 

     Rubistar Home. Retrieved February 18, 2008, from Rubistar Web site: http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php