The New York Botanical Garden

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1 Biome Survival Grade: 3 rd through 5 th Aim: To extend students understanding about the characteristics of different biomes, and ways that these factors affect how animals are adapted to survive in these environments. Performance Objectives: Students will be able to describe animal characteristics. Students will apply critical thinking skills to identify different animals. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the different biomes of the world. Students will learn how animals are adapted to live in particular biomes. Students will strengthen questioning techniques. Materials: Copies of Earth s Biomes information and map sheets (one per student) Advance Planning: Collect or have students bring in pictures of animals. Mount these on card stock and attach a string to each one so that they may be worn around the neck. This set should include one animal card for each student, including one human card. Collect and display pictures of different biomes around the classroom. Gather the following items (per group): (backpack) bag filled with the following items (or pictures of each): rope, flashlight, binoculars, compass, Granola bar, salted peanuts, long pants, short pants, rain poncho, canteen, sunglasses, beach shoes, hiking boots, scarf, toothbrush, rubber glove, cloth glove, jacket, knife, mosquito repellent, netting, suntan lotion (sunscreen), backpack, sleeping bag, soap, tee shirt, sweatshirt or sweater, wide brim hat, winter hat, umbrella Part 1 - What Am I? Procedure: Divide the class into small groups. Place an animal picture on around each child's neck, with the picture facing out from their back. Instruct the children not to tell each other the names of the animals. Encourage students to the other members of their group questions in order to find out which animal they are such as: What do I eat? How many legs do I have? Do I live on land? Do I have fur? Remind them that they may not ask: What am I? After a student has identified which animal they are they should move their picture from their back to the front of their body. The New York Botanical Garden 1

2 Part 2 - Where Do I Live? Procedure: Distribute copies of Earth s Biomes information and map sheets to each student, and give them time to read. Direct students' attention to the pictures of the different biomes hung around the classroom. Briefly identify each biome picture and describe the weather conditions and terrain found in each region. Select one student and ask that student if they were the animal pictured on their card, in which biome they would like to live. Direct the student to stand near that biome. Elicit reasons from the student and the class why that particular biome promotes the best chance of survival for this animal. What might happen if it lived in a different biome? Direct all students to stand by the biome picture in which they would most likely be found. If they can survive in more than one biome, have them select their favorite. Have students briefly tell about his or her animal and explain why he or she chose their biome. Emphasize that animals can only survive under certain conditions. Explain how each animal is adapted to live in particular biomes. Many animals, especially humans, can survive under many different conditions in more than one biome. Part 3 - Biome Trek Procedure: Place students into small groups and distribute a bag of collected materials to each group. Pictures or cards with the names of the listed items may be substituted if the "real" materials are not available. Assign each group a different biome, indicating the month of the year (i.e. tundra in the summer or desert in November). Allow sufficient time for each group to research the relevant conditions in their assigned biome. Explain that each group represents a research party that has been stranded in a particular biome. Each group needs to select one person to trek 5 days across the terrain in order to reach civilization and get help. The person going for help may only take 12 items from the bag with them on their journey. Each group must prioritize the items in their bag and select which items they must take. Underwear and socks do not count. Shirts, pants, shoes, hats, jackets and gloves must be included in the items selected. One student in each group should be dressed in the selected clothing and carry the other items selected on their person. If "real" items are not available, students may draw a picture of a person depicted in the selected attire, and carrying the selected items. Each group should be given time to "model" their attire and equipment selected for their trek. This is an excellent time to bring in your camera and take some "interesting" pictures. Group members should explain why certain items were selected and others were left behind. Allow time for the class to ask questions. The New York Botanical Garden 2

3 EARTH'S BIOMES Biome Desert Tropical Rainforest Grassland Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Arctic Tundra Location near 30 o N and 30 o S latitudes; Africa, Asia, Australia, western North and South America near equator mid-latitudes; interior of continents mid-latitudes of Northeastern and Southeastern U.S., Europe, parts of Japan, Australia northern latitudes, south of tundra northern latitudes Climate From 10 o C to 38 o C; very hot days, cool nights, winter nights can be below freezing; less than 25 cm rainfall yearly constant 25 o C, high humidity; 200 cm yearly rainfall; damp and dimly lit forest floor due to thick canopy layer temperatures from 0 o C to 25 o C; long, hot summers; cold winters; irregular rainfall, 25 to 75 cm yearly four distinct seasons; warm summers, cold winters; 75 to 250 cm precipitation yearly; rain and snow winter as severe as tundra, summer temperatures warmer; 3-6 month growing season; cm precipitation; parts are "swampy" in summer winter temperatures below -40 o C; summer temperatures as high as 10 o C, summer nights are frosty; very cold with fierce winds; ground frozen most of the year (permafrost); dry, little precipitation; 3 months of spring and summer; summer days are sunny and long Plants scarcity of plant life; cacti, creosote bush, mesquite wide variety many species of grasses, able to grow year round deciduous trees; trees shed leaves in winter evergreen trees with cones; pines, firs, spruces, smaller plants little plant life; mosses, lichens, sedges, grasses Animals scarcity of animal life; camels, snakes, mice, birds, lizards parrots and other birds, snakes, jaguar, monkeys, tree frog, spider grazing mammals; lion, elephant, zebra, gopher, hawk jackrabbit deer, squirrels, black bears, woodpeckers; many birds migrate in winter beaver, moose, black bears, snowshoe hares, many birds little animal life; reindeer, wolves, frequent white coloration; clouds of mosquitoes in spring The New York Botanical Garden

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5 BIOME TREK SUPPLY CARDS rope binoculars Granola bar long pants short pants waterproof poncho canteen sunglasses beach shoes hiking boots scarf toothbrush rubber glove cloth glove winter coat knife mosquito repellent netting suntan lotion (sunscreen) backpack sleeping bag salted peanuts soap tee shirt sweatshirt or sweater flashlight wide brim hat winter hat compass umbrella 5

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