Social Studies Lesson
Exploring Biomes of the World
Utah Core Curriculum
Social Studies - 3rd Grade
Standard 1
Students will understand how geography influences community location and development.
Objective 2
Describe how various communities have adapted to existing environments and how other
communities have modified the environment.
a) Describe the major world ecosystems (i.e. desert, plain, tropic, tundra, grassland,
mountain, forest, wetland).
Vocabulary: Social Studies language students should know and use: latitude, longitude, north, south,
east, west, continents, ocean, equator, desert, plain, tropic, tundra, grassland, mountain, forest,
wetland, (Introduce and integrate vocabulary words throughout the lesson and discussions.)
Preparation:
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Preview Websites and images.
Download Google Earth.
Set up Glogster accounts.
Cue Set:
Kids Know It Network: Biomes Movie
http://www.kidsknowit.com/interactive-educational-movies/free-onlinemovies.php?movie=Biomes
Procedures:
Use Websites to discuss and show pictures of the biomes. Use Google Earth to take the
students on a tour around the globe to look at the different biomes. Make sure the grid lines
are on so that a discussion of latitude, longitude, north, south, east, west, and equator can be a part
of the discussions.
Desert Description and picture: http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm
Video: Click on Desert at http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
Google Earth: Fly to North Edwards, California. This is in the Mojave Desert. Explore the
environment.
Bing Images: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Desert&go=&qs=n&sk=&sc=86&form=QBIR
Great Plains Description and picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQKwzhEXLEo
Google Earth: Fly to Kansas City, Kansas.
Google Images: http://www.google.com/search?q=great+plains&hl=en&client=firefoxa&hs=K7d&rls=org.mozilla:enUS:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=tichTu_oG5HXiAKQs_CsAw&v
ed=0CFgQsAQ&biw=1021&bih=985
Tropical Rain ForestDescription:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/animals/Rfbiomeanimals.shtml
Video: http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3456041241/
Google Earth: Fly to Peru. Zoom in to view the forest and the Amazon River.
Bing Images:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=tropical+rainforest&qs=IM&sk=IM3&pq=tropical+&sp
=4&sc=8-9&form=QBIR
Tundra Description: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/tundra-biome-tundra-plants-and-animals.html
http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Alaskan+Tundra
Video: Click on Tundra at http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
Google Earth: Fly to Antarctica and North Pole. Zoom out to show the land in the arctic circle
that is tundra.
Also use the example in the Biomes of the World: Biome Map
http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/
Bing Images:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=tundra+biome&qs=IM&sk=&pq=tundra+&sp=1&sc=87&form=QBIR
Grassland Description: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/grassland/grassland.shtml
Video: http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/tropicalsavanna.html
Google Earth: Fly to Kenya, Africa.
Bing Images:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=grasslands+biome&go=&qs=n&sk=&sc=816&form=QBIR
Mountain Description: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Mountains
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rocky_mountain.htm
Video: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2167288/rocky_mountains_the_old_fall_river_road/
Google Earth: Fly to Ben Lomond Mountain, Cache National Forest.
Google Images: http://www.google.com/search?q=mountain+biome&hl=en&client=firefoxa&hs=c9z&rls=org.mozilla:enUS:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=SzwhTsOTBcPWiAKE0Mm9Aw
&ved=0CFYQsAQ&biw=1021&bih=985
Forest Description: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Temperate+Forests
Exploring the Eel River Valley, The Redwood Forest:
http://sunnyfortuna.com/explore/redwoods-temperate-rain-forest.htm
Video: Click on Forest at http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
Google Earth: Fly to the Redwood Park Association, California. Drag the orange man down to
the road, U.S. 199, and you can see the trees.
Google Images: http://www.google.com/search?q=redwood+forest&hl=en&client=firefoxa&hs=iK0&rls=org.mozilla:enUS:official&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-z4hTpmANJHZiAKflTBAw&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1021&bih=985
Wetland Description: http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/wetlands/index.htm
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1MTN4_EtT8
Google Earth: Fly to Albert River, Burketown QLD, Australia. There are some nice pictures to
click on that show beautiful pictures of the river.
Explore Australia, Burketown:http://www.exploreaustralia.net.au/Queensland/GulfSavannah/Burketown
Images:
Streams and Rivers: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Stream+%26+River+Ecosystems
Swamps: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Swamps
Marshes: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/page/Marshes
Assessments:
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Quiz included with the Biomes Movie
Glogster Biome Report- Students will work with a partner to create a Glogster on an
assigned Biome. They will include a description, at least one location, examples of
animal and plant life, links, and pictures of the biome they are covering. This lesson will
be place on Mrs. Galbraith's Class Blog so that the students will have easy access to all
links needed for creating their report.
Closure: Students will share their Glogster Biome Report with the class.
Resources:
Biomes of the World: Biome Map http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/
Biomes:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/
http://www.thinkscience.org/coolscience.html#Biomes
http://pbskids.org/eekoworld/index.html?load=environment
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/ecosystems.html&edu=mid&back=/search/se
arch_navigation.html
http://www.mbgnet.net/
http://www.worldbiomes.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Plains
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/biomes-of-the-world/
Biome Wiki: http://biomes7.wetpaint.com/
Glogster: http://www.glogster.com/
Google Earth:
http://resources.primarysource.org/googleearth
Download: http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/agree.html
Kids Know It Network: Biomes Movie
http://www.kidsknowit.com/interactive-educational-movies/free-onlinemovies.php?movie=Biomes
Mrs. Galbraith's Class Blog: http://blog.weber.k12.ut.us/cgalbraith/