Module 9: Biomes Around the World- Science 2 - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module, students will learn to identify the characteristics of deserts and tundras, make observations about the different animals that live in deserts and tundras, and differentiate between a biome and a habitat. They will learn to identify the characteristics of forests and make observations about the different animals that live in the forest. Students will learn to Identify the characteristics of grassland and aquatic biomes and make observations about the different animals that live in grassland and aquatic biomes.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 Biomes: Desert and Tundra None
2 Biomes: Forests None
3 Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic None
4 Project: Biome Diorama shoebox or small box
magazines
crafting supplies (your choice)

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Biomes: Desert and Tundra
  1. Identify the characteristics of deserts and tundras.
  2. Make observations about the different animals that live in deserts and tundras.
  3. Differentiate between a biome and a habitat.
2 Biomes: Forests
  1. Identify the characteristics of forests.
  2. Make observations about the different animals that live in the forest.
3 Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic
  1. Identify the characteristics of grassland and aquatic biomes.
  2. Make observations about the different animals that live in grassland and aquatic biomes.
4 Project: Biome Diorama
  1. Identify the characteristics of various biomes.
  2. Make observations about the different animals that live in the different biomes.

Module Key Words:

Key Words
biome
habitat
desert
tundra
forest
rainforest
grasslands
aquatic
grassland

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
1 Biomes: Desert and Tundra 6 Desert and Tundra Biome Characteristics Assignment
2 Biomes: Forests 6 Forest and Rainforest Assignment
3 Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic 6 Grassland and Aquatic Biomes Assignment
4 Project: Biome Diorama 2 Biome Diorama Project

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Biomes: Desert and Tundra After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain what a biome is and the characteristics of a desert and tundra biome.
2 Biomes: Forests After completing this lesson, ask your student to describe the rainforest and forest biomes.
3 Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic After completing this lesson, ask your student to explain the characteristics of a grassland and aquatic biome.
4 Project: Biome Diorama After your student reviews the directions for this project, ask them to explain the requirements of the project and the rubric before they begin. When they are finished have them review the requirements and rubric again, to make sure their project meets all of the requirements.

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
Biomes: Desert and Tundra
  1. What can you find in a desert or tundra biome?
Biomes: Forests
  1. What are the different types of forest biomes?
Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic
  1. What can you find in a grassland or aquatic biome?
Project: Biome Diorama
  1. How do animals thrive in their specific biomes?

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
Biomes: Desert and Tundra Journey to the Driest Places
  1. What does a desert and tundra biome have in common?
Biomes: Forests Journey to the Forest
  1. How is a rainforest different from a forest?
Biomes: Grassland and Aquatic Journey to the Grassland and Aquatics
  1. What did Mikell and Elias learn about grassland biomes?
  2. What did they learn about aquatic biomes?

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 Many Biomes, One Earth Sneed B. Collard III and James M. Needham
2 Desert Biomes Around the World M. M. Eboch
3 Marine Biomes Around the World Philip Simpson
4 Grassland Globetrotting Laura Perdew
5 A Walk on the Tundra Rebecca Hainnu
6 Forest Magic: A Guidebook for Little Woodland Explorers Sarah Grindler
7 A Walk in the Rainforest Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini

Module Outing:

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

# Outing
1 Many zoos design their habitats to simulate the biome the animals are originally from, take your student to a local zoo, and as they observe the animals see if they can recognize any features of their habitats that resemble their original biome.