Objectives

• Assess a variety of ecosystems (communities of organisms and their interaction with the environment).
• 1.02 Determine the function of organisms within the population of the ecosystem: producers, consumers, and decomposers.
• 1.03 Evaluate the variety of organisms an ecosystem can support.
• 1.04 Relate the role of light, range of temperatures, and soil composition to an ecosystem's capacity to support life.
• 1.05 Evaluate the major source of energy for ecosystems (sunlight) and how it is passed from organism to organism in food webs.
• 1.06 Assess the interaction of organisms within an ecosystem.

The biome concept embraces the idea of community, of interaction among vegetation, animal populations, and soil. A biome (also called a biotic area) may be defined as a major region of distinctive plant and animal groups well adapted to the physical environment of its distribution area.

Workstations:

Scavenger Hunt

Photographs of Workstation Creation

Internet Resource: http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/temp/index.htm

Assessment:
Does your work:
_____ capture a variety of organisms specific to deciduous forests?
_____ provide examples of producers, consumers, and decomposers?
_____ show the forest’s ability to support life?
_____ assess the interaction of organisms within the forest?
_____ use both still pictures and movie clips?
_____ include a slideshow presentation?

Assessment Will Be Based On:

• Neatness throughout the assignments.
• All parts of the project should be well organized.
• You should be completely familiar with all materials and be prepared to present your work to the class.
• All written assignments must be carefully edited.
• You should have at least three different sources (books, interviews, software, etc.) for your information. Any videotaped presentations should be carefully rehearsed before they are taped.
• All group members will share the workload equally.
• Have fun following these instructions. Enjoy your success!
• The Biome Workstation Rubric developed by the class prior to this activity will be used for scoring purposes.

Created by Scott Galich and Annie Reid

Workstation: Desert – “Alone in the Desert” using Inspiration

Materials and Equipment:
Inspiration, PowerPoint, HyperStudio, books (both the big book and the smaller books)

Description:
Using the desert template have the student choose one of the links to read about by clicking on the button to pull up the notes. They will follow the written directions to create, find, or design ways to survive in the desert. They will show the results on an Inspiration template. Then as a group they are going to create a story about the time they were in the desert alone and how they survived. They are going to present this using a HyperStudio project or as a PowerPoint presentation. Once the students have completed the full assignment they will be allowed to see the book entitled “Alone in the Desert” to compare the ideas they formulated as a group with the information in the book. Finally for homework they will write a comparison of what they developed in their groups verses the knowledge they gained in the book.

Internet Resources:
None needed

Assessment:
A rubric will be created using class input. It will encompass technology, creativity, writing skills and group work habits.

Workstation: Savanna

Materials and Equipment:
DVD African Serengeti, Barcode Scanner, Pioneer 7400 DVD player, TV/Projector, Pioneer Barcode software.

Description:

• Play the DVD – African Serengeti.
• Choose segments that pertain to what the topic is.
• Write down the numbers of when the segment starts and finishes.
• Create a barcode using Pioneer Barcode program.
  

Created by Lisa Everett and Jim Hackbarth

Workstation: Tropical Rainforest

Using the Inspiration software, create the levels of a rainforest into a web. Add the animals that live in each section and the environment that they live in. Use the Imagination Express: Rainforest software to assist you in making your web. (For additional re-enforcement and perhaps for a jigsaw activity:
Writing Assignment: Choose one animal and explain why they live in their specific levels and how they obtain food and water.)

Materials and Equipment:
Computers (1 to run Imagination Express software and 1 to run Inspiration software); software - Inspiration and Imagination Express; Internet for EXTRA activities; paper & pencil (optional)

Description:
Each group of students will research the rainforest using Imagination Express: Rainforest. They will look for information pertaining to the levels of a rainforest. They will include the animals, vegetation, and climate of each level. This information will then be applied to the web, using Inspiration software. You are looking for 4 levels of the rainforest, the climate of each level, and 4 or more animals in each level on the web. (Rubric will be developed before the activity has begun.)

Internet Resources :
These websites will be for use after the activity is completed.

• http://www.ran.org/kids_action/index.html
• http://www.adveract.com/neatstuf/frog/frog.htm

Assessment:
Rubric will be developed and used by the students to determine grade on the web created.

Workstation: Travel the Taiga and Tundra – a 5th grade social studies activity integrating use of the Internet, scanner, and desktop publishing. Sample Travel Poster

Materials and Equipment:

Computer with Internet access, bookmarked sites, and word processing program.

Description:
Become a travel agent and create a magazine ad or travel poster to encourage people to travel with you on the adventure of a lifetime to the tundra or taiga. Remember: Your commission depends on the number of people you convince to book your excursion to the north.

• think about ways to catch people’s attention with your ad or poster
• how can you make your ad or poster really stand out?
  • graphics – from the Internet, hand drawn and scanned, photos
  • slogans
  • style (font, wordart, layout, colors)
  • persuasiveness
• information to include :
  • travel company slogan and logo
  • geography
  • animal life
  • plant life
  • climate
  • other interesting facts

Internet Resources: Sites to bookmark:

• All About Nature: Biomes – Habitats – Taiga Animal Printouts
• All About Nature: Biomes – Habitats – Tundra Animal Printouts
• Taiga Biome
• Tundra Biome

Assessment: rubric that includes:

• Accurate information
• Addressed 4 areas above
• One scanned image
• Slogan and logo

Assessment Will Be Based On:

• Neatness throughout the assignments.
• All parts of the project should be well organized.
• Eye appeal is important.
• You should be completely familiar with all materials which will be presented to the class.
• Poster or ad must be carefully edited.
• The work load will be shared equally by all group members.
• Have fun following these instructions. Earn a huge commission and enjoy your adventure!

Created by Kathy Bader and Cindy Waycaster as part of a MAST II workshop – 6/19/01

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Photo taken during creation of biome workstations