1. Jessica Holder

2.  Content Area : Science  Grade Level : 3 rd  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.

3.  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.

4.  Can you think of what types of biomes there are?  Share these with the person sitting next to you.

5.  Terrestrial biomes are land biomes.  There are several types of Terrestrial biomes in the world. Some of the most popular include:  Desert  Grasslands  Rainforest  Tundra  Taiga

6.  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.

7.  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.

8.  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

9.  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.

10.  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.

11.  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.

12.  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.

13.  Follow the link below to access a fun activity.  InteractiveWhiteboardActivity.doc InteractiveWhiteboardActivity.doc

14.  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 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

15.  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?