Sharing the Planet
Grade 3
Central Idea:
Biodiversity within biomes relies on maintaining the interdependent balance of organisms within a system.
Key Concepts
Form
- What is each biome like?
- How would you describe each biome to someone?
- What are the key words used to describe each biome?
Causation
- What threatens biomes?
- How can we preserve biomes?
- What are people doing to make sure the plants and animals in biomes are protected?
Connection
- How do the plants and animals in each biome co-exist?
- Why do particular plants and animals thrive in particular biomes?
Related Concepts
Do you know what these concepts are all about?
- adaptation
- classification
- interdependence
- biodiversity
- foodchains
- cycles
- threats
Resources for Research
Biomes Website
Click here to visit this website (below) to find out more information on different biomes.
To Plant Or Not To Plant?
This is a quiz to see how much you know about the conditions in different biomes. You will be given a description of a plant and you are asked to choose the best location (biome) for this plant in order for it to grow and flourish.
Click here to test your skills!
BrainPop
Visit the Brainpop website on the computer or iPad. After you log in, do a search for BIOMES. The options (below) will come up. Take a look at the biomes that are interesting to you or ones you would like to learn more about.
Videos to Watch
Introduction to Biomes
Click here to go the How Stuff Works playlist of Biomes videos. The videos below are 1-3 minutes long each and give an overview of different kinds of Biomes.
Kids Do Ecology - Biomes Page
Would you like to know what the weather is like in different biomes around the world? How about the types of plants and animals that live in these biomes? Here you will find all sorts of information about the world's biomes. Come and check out this website!
Animal Characteristics Game
This is a great website with a game that tests your knowledge of the characteristics of different animals.
To get ready to play this game, you will need to visit this website to learn about the characteristics of different animals.
Now what? What are YOU interested in learning more about?
Question Ideas for Research
- Coniferous Forest: How is a conifer different from a broadleaf tree? Why?
- Temperate Deciduous Forest: Why do the leaves lose their color?
- Desert: Describe adaptations of desert plants.
- Grassland: How is the height of the grass related to its root system?
- Rainforest: Compare the layers in a tropical rainforest and the plants that live there. How is a temperate rainforest different from a tropical rainforest?
- Shrubland: Why are fires so frequent in the shrublands? What adaptations do plants in shrublands have because of this?
- Tundra: Why are the trees short in the Tundra?
- Research other biome types - there are 14 recognized biomes on Earth.
- Research animal life in each biome.
Is there another question you would like to research?
How are you collecting your research?
Have you tried Popplet on the iPads? Popplet is a great way to show connections between ideas and to add text, pictures, and drawings to show what you know. Give it a go!