Biome Webquest

Biome Journalism You and your colleagues at the Vibrant Planet, a multimedia broadcast consortium, have been selected for a news assignment that will take you around the world. So put on your traveling shoes, pack your suitcase, and grab your camera. The Vibrant Planet has posted lagging sales. It wants to boost newspaper readership, TV viewing, and sales of cds and videos by generating media releases on the effect of global warming and human intervention on various biomes of the world. You and your colleagues at the Vibrant Planet, a multimedia broadcast consortium, have been selected for a news assignment that will take you around the world. So put on your traveling shoes, pack your suitcase, and grab your camera. The Vibrant Planet has posted lagging sales. It wants to boost newspaper readership, TV viewing, and sales of cds and videos by generating media releases on the effect of global warming and human intervention on various biomes of the world.

Your group has been hired to research this pressing matter, predict the future of our planet and generate a multimedia presentation. Your team has been selected because each of you has special talents. Collectively, you know how to sell the story with words, pictures, and sound. You have three weeks to meet your deadline

Your Task Working as a group, develop an in depth presentation on the status of your biome You may create newsletters, videos, or other animated presentation. –Your presentations will be reviewed by our Partners in Education (in other words, your peers). Working as a group, develop an in depth presentation on the status of your biome You may create newsletters, videos, or other animated presentation. –Your presentations will be reviewed by our Partners in Education (in other words, your peers).

PROCESS Each team will be assigned a biome by the teacher. It is the team's job to research the biomes and gather facts and information about that biome. Each member of the team will become an expert in a particular aspect of the biome. Team members will save their information to their jump drives and the server. They will their daily files to their team members. Each team will be assigned a biome by the teacher. It is the team's job to research the biomes and gather facts and information about that biome. Each member of the team will become an expert in a particular aspect of the biome. Team members will save their information to their jump drives and the server. They will their daily files to their team members.

Team Roles Ecologist: Animal/Plant Expert. Prey- predator relationships, food webs. Biosphere specialist: Biotic, abiotic and limiting factors Meteorologist/Geographer: Weather, Map and Area Expert Sociologist: Man’s Impact Ecologist: Animal/Plant Expert. Prey- predator relationships, food webs. Biosphere specialist: Biotic, abiotic and limiting factors Meteorologist/Geographer: Weather, Map and Area Expert Sociologist: Man’s Impact

PROCESS Discuss with your team which role each of you will assume. Remember that you are all responsible for learning about the biome, but your role reflects an area of particular focus that you will research. Discuss with your team which role each of you will assume. Remember that you are all responsible for learning about the biome, but your role reflects an area of particular focus that you will research.

Biomes Tropical Forest Savanna Desert Polar & Mountain Ice Chaparral Tropical Forest Savanna Desert Polar & Mountain Ice Chaparral Temperate Grassland Temperate Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (Arctic & Alpine) Freshwater & Marine Temperate Grassland Temperate Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (Arctic & Alpine) Freshwater & Marine

Product As a group the team will create a newsletter, video or multimedia product that showcases the biotic and abiotic interactions within their biome, the impact of mankind on the biomes, and an assessment of the future viability of ecosystems within the biome. Use the rubric to help prepare your presentation. As a group the team will create a newsletter, video or multimedia product that showcases the biotic and abiotic interactions within their biome, the impact of mankind on the biomes, and an assessment of the future viability of ecosystems within the biome. Use the rubric to help prepare your presentation.

SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: What part of the world will you be traveling to as an on-the-spot reporter? What kinds of plants and animals live in this biome? What factors effect their survival? What’s for dinner? Describe the food web. What adaptations have organisms made to live in this biome? What's the weather like? How has man effected the viability of the ecosystems in this biome? What part of the world will you be traveling to as an on-the-spot reporter? What kinds of plants and animals live in this biome? What factors effect their survival? What’s for dinner? Describe the food web. What adaptations have organisms made to live in this biome? What's the weather like? How has man effected the viability of the ecosystems in this biome?

Evaluation-Page 1 Needs work (3 point) Adequate (7 points) Excellent (10 points) Content Biome/ecosyst ems/habitats Information lacking or inaccurate Accurate information, lacking in depth Accurate, relevant information substantiated and show interrelationships Biosphere-Air, Soil and Water Information lacking or inaccurate Accurate information, lacking in depth Accurate, relevant information and demonstrates understand of interactions Energy flow Not addressedEnergy flow general or vague Energy flow is specifically addressed at multiple levels. Human impact Information lacking or inaccurate Accurate information, lacking in depth Accurate, relevant information Creativity Newsletter is inaccurate, uninteresting, or merely demonstrates cut- paste Newsletter has some interesting features Accurate, relevant information which demonstrates reflection and/or transformative thinking

Images Images absentImages are not relevant, sparse or not sized Image are relevant to the information presented and have been sized appropriately. Format-Page Newsletter lacks multiple pages. Pages not linked. No navigation table Multiple pages. Navigation table present but links not working Multiple pages correctly linked. Format Major errors in layout, grammar Some spelling or grammatical errors No spelling or grammatical errors, format is easy to read Timeline/per individual Element not submitted Elements consistently late Elements submitted on time. Fact sheet/per individual Fact sheet turned in but information not extensive Fact sheet turned in, extensive research Fact sheet turned in, extensive research with sources accurately cited. Presentation Project is missing 2: ed, printed, saved to server. Project is missing one: ed, printed, saved to server. ed, printed out and saved to server. Total 40 (team)+10 individual (individual)=50 total