Biomes (WebQuest) Lesson Plan Introduction Lesson topic: Introduction to Life Science: Biomes Length of Lesson: 4 days (during

ng the 45 minute History block) VA Standards of Learning LS. 9 The student will investigate and understand how organisms adapt to biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem. Key concepts include a) differences between ecosystems and biomes; b) characteristics of land, marine, and freshwater ecosystems; and c) adaptations that enable organisms to survive within a specific ecosystem. Context This series of instruction would occur as a review and culmination of our Ecosystems unit. Global Themes The globe is composed of diverse interdependent systems. An understanding of how these relationships are organized is requisite to sustainability practices and global citizenship. Content Objectives Students will: Distinguish biomes by their associated flora, fauna, and abiotic factors. Recognize the dynamic nature of ecosystems and identify the means for preserving and protecting biotic diversity. Assessment Aligned to Objectives Formative- Day 1: Students will research an assigned biome and identify the distinguishing characteristics. Students will assess the five most important features of their assigned biome and describe these features in a Glogster. Formative- Day 2: Students (Animal and Plant Specialists) will identify animals and plants indigenous to an assigned biome. Students (Animal and Plant Specialists) will record common adaptations of plants and animals within their assigned biome. Students (Climate Experts) will describe the climate of an assigned biome. Students (Conservationists) will list the major threats to their assigned biome. Students (Conservationists) will describe the changes that have occurred in their biome over time. Students will devise strategies to preserve their assigned biome. Students will summarize their research to other group members. Students will organize the information into a cohesive script. Formative: Day 3 Students will compose a list of the structures and resources needed within their biome to sustain the habitat. Students will construct a sustainable biome within Minecraft. The biome will include structures and flora specifically introduced to conserve the habitat of their endangered species. Summative: Days 4-5 Students will: Construct a sustainable biome with appropriate flora, fauna, and abiotic features. Compose a script describing the animals and plants as well as the nonliving components within their assigned biome. Propose the means for preserving and sustaining an assigned biome. Present a video tour of their biome

Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation For this webquest/unit review, the teacher should reserve the computer lab for students to work independently doing research on Days 1 and 2. Students will need individual IPads to work in Minecraft on Day 3 For the daily anticipatory sets, the teacher will need to pull up the attached Biomes SmartBoard activities All of the daily deliverables, Google Docs, and the Glogster pages are linked to the webquest at: http://biomelesson.weebly.com Post-it notes for Closing Activities Giant Post-it notes labeled with the names of the 6 terrestrial biomes and posted around the room Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 1: TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 The teacher will pull up the Biome or minutes Not activity on the smartboard. The teacher will instruct students to work with their group to determine whether the labels on the Smartboard are names of Biomes or not. The teacher will read each label and instruct students to stand up if the title is the name of a biome. Students will stay seated if it is not. Lesson Development The teacher will introduce the Webquest by reading aloud the Introduction and Task and reviewing the requirements. Refer to Process: Day 1 on the Webquest. Closure 10 minutes

STUDENT ACTIONS Students will work in their table groups to determine whether the labels listed in the Smartboard activity describe biomes or not. As the teacher reads each label, students will stand if the label is a biome or remain seated, if it is not a biome.

See Process: Day 1

The teacher will distribute post-it notes. The teacher will instruct students to write one fact that they learned from their research that day. Students should choose a fact that is specific to their biome or a characteristic of their biome without giving away the name of their biome. They could write the fact as a fill-in-theblank, for example ________ is the largest biome in the world The teacher will collect the post-its. The teacher will redistribute the post-it notes randomly. The teacher will instruct students to read their new post-it, determine which biome they think is being described. Students should find the described biomes giant post-it in the classroom and post their fact.

Students will record one fact from their daily research concerning their biome without giving away the name of their biome. Students will write the fact on a post-it note and turn in the post-it note to the teacher. Students will receive a peers post-it note fact. Students will read the new fact and determine which biome is being described. Students will find the appropriately labeled giant postit in the classroom. Students will post their facts beneath the name of the biome and share why they believe the fact describes said biome with a

The teacher will instruct students to share their fact with a partner who is posting a fact to the same biome page. Students will explain why they chose that biome.

partner.

Homework (If applicable) Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 2: TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 The teacher will pull up the Helpful or minutes Harmful activity on SmartBoard (page 2). The teacher will instruct students to sort the actions with their table groups. The teacher will read each action and instruct students to stand up if the action is helpful to the environment or to remain seated, if the action is harmful. Lesson Development The teacher will instruct students that today, they will be working within their individual roles. While doing their research, they should keep in mind the goal, which is to develop strategies to protect their biome. See Process: Day 2 of the Webquest. Closure 5-10 The teacher will distribute new blank minutes post-it notes. The teacher will instruct students to write one fact that they learned from their research that day. Students should choose a fact that is specific to their biome and their role without giving away the name of their biome. The teacher will collect the post-its. The teacher will redistribute the post-it notes randomly. The teacher will instruct students to read their new post-it, determine which biome they think is being described. Students should find the described biomes giant post-it in the classroom and post their fact, just like yesterday. The teacher will instruct students to share their fact with a partner who is posting a fact to the same biome page. Students

STUDENT ACTIONS Students will work with their table groups to determine whether the actions listed in the Smartboard activity are helpful or harmful to the environment. As the teacher reads each action, students will stand if the action is helpful or remain seated, if it is harmful. See Process: Day 2

Students will record one fact from their daily research concerning their biome without giving away the name of their biome. Students will write the fact on a post-it note and turn in the post-it note to the teacher. Students will receive a peers post-it note fact. Students will read the new fact and determine which biome is being described. Students will find the appropriately labeled giant postit in the classroom. Students will post their facts beneath the name of the biome and share why they believe the fact describes said biome with a partner.

will explain why they chose that biome.

Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 3: TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 The teacher will pull up the Biotic and minutes Abiotic Activity/Sort in Smartboard (page 3) The teacher will instruct students to consider the features as a table group and determine whether the terms describe biotic or abiotic factors. The teacher will read each feature from the board. Students will stand for biotic factors, or remain seated if the indicated feature is abiotic. Lesson Development The teacher will instruct students that today, they will be working within Minecraft to construct their biome. Students should consider the biotic and abiotic features in the opening activity. See Process: Day 3 of the Webquest. Closure 5-10 The teacher will distribute new blank minutes post-it notes. The teacher will instruct students to write a feature from their biomes minecraft. Students should choose a feature that is specific to their biome and their role without giving away the name of their biome. The teacher will collect the post-its. The teacher will redistribute the post-it notes randomly. The teacher will instruct students to read their new post-it, determine which biome they think contains said feature. Students should find the described biomes giant post-it in the classroom and post their feature. The teacher will instruct students to share their feature with a partner who is posting a fact to the same biome page. Students

STUDENT ACTIONS Students will work with their table groups to determine whether the terms listed describe biotic or abiotic factors. As the teacher reads each feature, students will stand if the factor is biotic or remain seated, if it is abiotic.

See Process: Day 3

Students will record one feature from their work in Minecraft without giving away the name of their biome. Students will write the feature on a post-it note and turn in the post-it note to the teacher. Students will receive a peers post-it note feature. Students will read the feature and determine which biome contains said feature. Students will find the appropriately labeled giant postit in the classroom. Students will add their facts beneath the name of the biome and share why they believe the feature belongs in said biome to a partner.

will explain why they chose that biome.

Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 4: TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 The teacher will pull up the Name that minutes Biome activity on SmartBoard (page 3). The teacher will call on volunteers to click the changing images. The teacher will instruct students to determine the indicated biome with their table groups. The teacher will instruct students to write the name of the indicated biome on their individual white boards. The teacher will select the most popular answer. Students will discuss why the answer is correct/incorrect. Lesson Development The teacher will instruct students that today, they will be working with their groups to put together the video tour of their biome. See Process: Day 4 of the Webquest. Closure 10 minutes

STUDENT ACTIONS Student volunteers will take turns clicking on the changing images in the Name the Biome Activity. Students will work with their table groups to determine the name of the illustrated biome. Students will record their answers on individual white boards, and hold up their responses for the teacher to review.

See Process: Day 4

The teacher will instruct students to spend 5-10 minutes doing a Gallery Walk of the giant post-it notes throughout the room. The teacher will instruct students to read the facts and features in each biome. If a student believes that a fact/feature has been misplaced, he/she may remove the contested post-it note and hold on to the post-it until the gallery walk is complete. The teacher will instruct students to return to their seats. The teacher will ask if anyone found a fact or feature that may have been misplaced. Students will share the fact/feature and explain which biome they believe the fact describes. The

Students will walk around the classroom reading the Biome Post-it Notes and facts. Students will remove facts which seem out of place. Once the gallery walk is complete, students will share any post-it notes that they felt were misplaced. Students will discuss the appropriate biomes described by the contested facts/features.

teacher/class will share ideas and determine where the fact/feature belongs; perhaps the fact/feature could describe more than one biome.

Teaching and Learning Sequence Day 5: TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 The teacher will pull up the Biome Map minutes in SmartBoard (page 5). The teacher will instruct students to create a key for the map, identifying each biomes location on the globe. The teacher will ask volunteers to identify each color on the map and explain their answer(s). The teacher will reveal the correct key. Lesson Development The teacher will instruct students that today, they will be presenting their final projects/videos. See Process: Day 5 of the Webquest. Closure 5-10 minutes

STUDENT ACTIONS Students will work with their table groups to create a key for the color-coded biome map on the Smartboard. Volunteers will identify individual colors as illustrating a specific biome. Students will check their answers.

See Process: Day 5

The teacher will instruct students to complete the reflection form in Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/a/richmond.edu/ document/d/11Kv6B5TIKqnMJKebIn HHYv6jdXA49x973T8rPcddHK8/edit The teacher will instruct students to write the 3 Things they Learn while the groups are presenting. Students should write praise and ideas for improvements after every group has presented their video.

Students will complete a reflection form after viewing each presentation. Students will reflect on the work of their peers, as well as their own project.

Lesson Organizer Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional Content Prior Knowledge: Students have learned the meanings of the terms: biomes, ecosystems, and habitats. Students have learned that biomes are ecosystems where several habitats overlap. Students have learned that there are terrestrial and marine biomes. Students have learned the difference between biotic and abiotic factors. Students have learned that animals and plants adapt to their environment. Students have learned the meaning of the term climate. New Content: Students will learn specific details and differences between the worlds major terrestrial biomes. Students will learn to think like ecologists as they study the climate, biotic, and abiotic features that compose a specific biome. Students will learn the dynamic nature of ecosystems and how biomes change over time. Students will learn about conservation strategies and endeavors to protect biotic diversity.

Instructional Modifications to ASSIST Students Students will use individual graphic organizers and script outlines throughout instruction as a visual tool and reference. The teacher will differentiate the roles in the Webquest and assign students accordingly. The climate experts role is slightly more reading intensive, and the conservationist role requires greater higher level thinking. Students will receive opportunities to work with their table group members in reviewing major concepts during each days anticipatory set/Smartboard activity. Students will receive an opportunity to reflect on their daily research during the

Main Events of Instruction -Day 1: Anticipatory Set: Biome or Not Introduction of Webquest Process: Day 1-students complete graphic organizer and find five facts to post in Glogster Constructing Gallery Walk with student facts -Day 2: Anticipatory Set: Helpful or Harmful Process: Day 2- students work in individual roles, post a fact on Thinglink map, complete script outline, and draft script. Constructing Gallery Walk with student facts -Day 3: Anticipatory Set: Biotic or Abiotic Process: Day 3- students work in

Instructional Modifications to CHALLENGE Students Students who are confident with the material will receive multiple opportunities to share and assist partners and group members. Roles are scaffolded, so that students who are excellent readers would make the best climate experts and students who need to be challenged with higher level thinking should be conservationists. The animal and plant expert demands some reading, however the sources are more varied and the tasks are more explicit. Students who complete the daily work early may always refer back to sites linked to the webquest. Students may also begin creating ideas and constructing in Minecraft.

construction of a gallery walk. During this closing activity, students will also receive an opportunity to consult with a partner. Students will be working with two other group members to put together the final product/video. Students will receive multiple opportunities to consult with their group members and collaborate in putting together the Glogster and video. For English Language Learners and struggling readers, assign group members who speak the same language and who are comfortable reading (scaffold seating groups).

Minecraft to construct their biome Constructing Gallery Walk with Student Facts -Day 4: Anticipatory Set: Name That Biome Process Day 4: Students put together the video tour of their biome with their script Conduct Gallery Walk, students correct any facts/features that belong in a different biome -Day 5: Anticipatory Set: Create a Key Biome Map Activity Process Day 5: Presentations Students reflect on each others work