Biodiversity: Past and Present
An Inquiry Unit for Multiage 5/6 Students
Created by Diana Dell
What will I learn?
What is the assignment?
How will I be evaluated?
What vocabulary words do I need to
learn?
How can I organize my research?
How should I prepare for the test?
What print resources are available?
What will I learn?
At the
completion of the unit you will be able to:
1.
Describe the climate and location of each of the major
biomes on the Earth.
2.
Identify types of plants and animals that are supported by
the different biomes.
3.
Identify the special adaptations that allow organisms to
live in their habitat.
4.
Classify organisms as producers, consumers, decomposers,
scavengers, herbivores, carnivores and/or omnivores.
5.
Interpret information presented in a food chain or web.
6.
Give examples of environmental issues that lead to the
endangerment and extinction of plants and animals.
7.
Cite theories concerning the extinction of dinosaurs.
8.
Describe the process of fossilization including necessary
conditions.
9.
Relate the location of a fossil to the time period the
organism lived.
10.Create a board game based on
the knowledge you gained in this unit.
What is the assignment?
You will be assigned a partner. You and your partner will choose a biome to
research in detail. You will then
develop a board game to share with the class.
1. Explore as many
Internet sites and print resources as necessary to complete the research organizer.
2. Use the information that you learned to help
you create a board game. See “How will I be evaluated? for detailed
information concerning the board game project.
3. Prepare for the test. See “How should I prepare for the test?” The study guide must be signed by a parent.
What print resources are available?
Silver Burdett Ginn Science Discovery Works
(the turquoise textbook)
Unit D
What’s to Eat? and Eat or Be Eaten- Pages D18- D22
The Cycle of Food- Pages D29 – D31
Earth’s Biomes and Water EcosystemsPages
D48 – D55
Variety in Ecosystems and the Challenge of Biodiversity- Pages D58- D62
(the lime green textbook)
Unit C
The ABCs of Animal Needs – Pages C8 – C11
Parts That Help the Most – Pages C18 – C23
Behavior for Survival- Pages C28 – C30
Home
Let
the search begin!
See a
map of the world's biomes.
Learn
where the earth’s land ecosystems are located.
Explore
the biomes and the animals that live in each one.
To return to the biome key,
scroll to the bottom or top of the page and click on “Biome Key” or use the
back button on your browser. To learn
about the animals that live in a particular biome, click on the animal link at
the bottom of the page. Then click on
the name of an animal to learn about its habitat, niche, and adaptations. You will also find a food web for each of
the biomes. Pictures and short videos
are provided for many of the animals.
At the Wild Habitat you can learn
and play games about animals. Test your knowledge with fun quizzes on The Wild
Habitat! The bobcat simulation will bring you into the life of a female bobcat.
You have to make the right decisions to live successfully!
The Amazon rainforest is one of
the world's great rainforests. With these games, you can virtually visit the
Amazon, learn about its rainy climate and find out who else lives there.
Learn interesting and bizarre facts about animals' habitats,
defenses, locomotion, and senses. Look at cool photos and discover such things
as where beavers like to hang out and what bullfrogs like to eat!
Endangered! Study a World at Risk.
Tour the American Museum of
Natural History to learn about the dangers animals like tigers face today. You
can also learn about the effect deforestation has on fish, or the impact global
warming has on coral. What can be done? Find out here.
Read this
article to learn important information about fossils.
Read
scientific theories about the cause of dinosaur extinction with a poetic
twist. Make sure you take the elevator!
The halls
of this museum are crawling with fun dinosaur facts! Get the
lo-down on dinosaurs, the Ice Age, and what fossils can tell us about ancient
animal diets. Play on-line dinosaur games and watch animation. Here, life
before, during and after dinosaurs is alive and real.
Collecting
Fossils in California
Got your pick-ax handy? You’re
going digging for dinosaur fossils. This site tells you where and how to find
fossils of plants, shells, sharks' teeth and more! Who knows, maybe you'll make
the next BIG discovery!
Play a
game to help you learn!
Test your knowledge.
Match the dinosaur description with the dinosaur name.
Review the
basic principles of ecology.
Test your knowledge of
the major land ecosystems.
Test your
knowledge of terms relating to feeding relationships among organisms!
Here's
your chance to find out what you know about the world's diverse plants, animals,
and natural places! For each question, select all the correct answers.
Travel
around the world! This quiz highlights
the amazing diversity of life around the world and how scientists survey and
map ecoregions.
Are you ready
to take the test?
Do not take the test until you
have permission!