Module 21: Biomes Around the World- Science 3 - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module, students will learn to identify biomes: desert, rainforest, tundra, grasslands, wetlands, and forests, describe the animals that live in these three biomes, and describe the adaptations the animals made to their environments. They will draw conclusions about the environment of an aquatic ecosystem and apply knowledge of biomes and habitats to create a home for a polar bear.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 Classifying Biomes 1 None
2 Classifying Biomes 2 None
3 Aquatic Biomes None
4 Project: Polar Bear Zoo small box (shoe box or tissue box)
glue
scissors
crafting supplies (your choice)

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Classifying Biomes 1
  1. Identify three biomes: desert, rainforest, and tundra.
  2. Describe the animals that live in these three biomes.
  3. Describe the adaptations the animals made to their environments.
2 Classifying Biomes 2
  1. Identify additional biomes: grasslands, wetlands, and forests.
  2. Describe the animals and adaptations they have in these biomes.
  3. Illustrate and describe characteristics of the local biome.
3 Aquatic Biomes
  1. Draw conclusions about the environment of an aquatic ecosystem.
4 Project: Polar Bear Zoo
  1. Apply knowledge of biomes and habitats to create a home for a polar bear.

Module Key Words:

Key Words
biome
ecosystem
environment
animals
aquatic ecosystem
water

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
1 Classifying Biomes 1 6 Desert, Rainforest, Tundra Assignment
2 Classifying Biomes 2 6 Create a Biome Assignment
3 Aquatic Biomes 6 Pollution in an Ocean Assignment
4 Project: Polar Bear Zoo 2 Polar Bear Zoo Project

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Classifying Biomes 1 After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what a biome is and describe what they learned about the desert, rainforest, and tundra biome.
2 Classifying Biomes 2 After completing this lesson, ask your student to describe what they learned about the grassland, wetland, and forest biome.
3 Aquatic Biomes After completing this lesson, ask your student to describe what they learned about aquatic biomes.
4 Project: Polar Bear Zoo Before your student begins their project have them review the directions and make sure they understand what they are supposed to do. When they are done have them double-check the directions to make sure they completed all required tasks.

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title Question
Classifying Biomes 1
  1. What is a biome?
Classifying Biomes 2
  1. What are the characteristics of a grassland, wetland, and forest biome?
Aquatic Biomes
  1. What are aquatic biomes?
Project: Polar Bear Zoo
  1. What biome is best for a polar bear?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title Video Question

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

  • What is the main idea?
  • What are three things new you learned?
  • How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

# Book Author Lexile Level
1 The Magic School Bus: All Dried Up: A Book About Deserts Joanna Cole
2 Deserts Gail Gibbons
3 The Magic School Bus in the Rain Forest Joanna Cole
4 Nature's Green Umbrella Gail Gibbons
5 Life In A Wetland Doris Dumrauf
6 Tundra Peter Benoit
7 Grassland Globetrotting Laura Perdew and Lex Cornell
8 Tall, Tall, Tree Anthony D. Fredericks and Chad Wallace

Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

# Outing