BIOMESJessica Holder

Content Area: Science Grade Level: 3rd

Summary: The purpose of this instructional PowerPoint is to inform the students about biomes of the world.

Learning Objective: Students will gain full knowledge about the biomes of the world and their inhabitants.

Content Standard: 0307.5.2 Investigate the connection between an organism’s characteristics and its ability to survive in a specific environment.

Accomplishment: Understand the differences between biomes and the characteristics of organisms that must survive in them.

BIOMES What is a biome?

A biome is a distinct place in the world in which specific groups of plants and animals live. The climate and geography of a region are huge factors in determining the type of biome found there.

THINK AND SHARE Can you think of what types of biomes

there are? Share these with the person sitting next

to you.

TERRESTRIAL BIOMES Terrestrial biomes are land biomes. There are several types of Terrestrial

biomes in the world. Some of the most popular include:DesertGrasslandsRainforestTundraTaiga

DID YOU KNOW? There are two types of Deserts:

Hot and dry (Sand)Cold (Snow)

The desert is characterized by very little plant and animal life.

Animals that live in Deserts must have the ability to burrow underground in order to survive.

DESERTS Hot and Dry Temperature of 20 to

25 degrees Celsius Precipitation: <15cm/yr Plants include

Turpentine Bush and Prickly Pears

Animals include Borrowers, Mourning Wheatears, and Horned Vipers.

Cold Temps of -2 to 4

degrees Celsius in Winter and 21 to 26 in Summer

Precipitation: 15-26cm/yr

Plants are deciduous with spiny leaves

Animals include Antelope, Ground Squirrels, and Jack Rabbits.

GRASSLANDS Grasslands are large rolling terrains of grasses,

herbs, and flowers. Plant life includes Buffalo Grass, Crazy Weed,

Goldenrod, and Wild Indigos. Animals include coyotes, bison, wild turkey,

Canadian geese, and crickets. There are two types of grasslands:

Tall-grass: humid and wet (Pampas) 25-60in of rain per year

Short-grass: very dry with hot summers and cold winters (Steppes) 10-30in of rain per year

DID YOU KNOW? More than half the world’s plants and

animals are estimated to live in tropical rainforests.

70% of the plants are trees, many of which serve medicinal purposes.

A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world.

This is where 40% of the earth’s oxygen comes from.

RAINFOREST A rainforest is a tropical wet climate

made up of tall trees. The avg. temp. of the rainforest is 68-93

degrees Fahrenheit with anywhere from 50-260 inches of rainfall per year.

There are several hundred species of trees as well as 2,500 species of vines and various other plants found across the rain forest.

Animals in the rain forest have loud vocalizations, are bright in color and distinct in pattern and have a diet heavy in fruits.

TUNDRA The tundra is a vast and treeless land. Average temperatures are -70 degrees

Fahrenheit. Plants include mosses, heaths, and

lichens. There are only about 6-10 inches of

precipitation each year in the form of snow.

Caribou, polar bears, foxes, and wolves make up some of the animal life.

TAIGA The Taiga is very cold and is made up of

needle-leaf trees. It is often referred to as the Boreal

Forest. The winter temperature is about -65 to

30 degrees Fahrenheit and averages 20 to 70 degrees in the summer.

The yearly precipitation is 12-33 inches. Plants of the Taiga include Pine, White

Spruce, and Douglas Fir. Animals in the Taiga include lynx,

bobcats, snowshoe rabbits, finches, and crows.

INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY Follow the link below to access a fun

activity. InteractiveWhiteboardActivity.doc

SUMMARY There are several biomes in the world. Each biome differs by location, climate,

and species life. The plants and animals must be able to survive in a specific biome.

For more information on these biomes you can go to this website. http://

www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

QUESTION OF THE DAY? Which of these biomes would you like to

visit? Why? Don’t forget your exit card.

What is something you learned today?What is something you need help

understanding?