Forestry
Name:______Date:______
PROJECT: CREATE A MINI-ATLAS ABOUT BIOMES OF THE WORLD
Assignment:
Develop a worksheet of one or two pages that can be used for each of the 8 major biomes to create an atlas of the 8 biomes of the world. Each biome's worksheet must contain the following (a sample format included in this packet):
· A place for a title
· A world outline map. A blank outline is included in the packet.
· A place to draw a vegetation profile
· A climograph for the biome. A practice climograph is included included in the packet.
· A rectangle or block that can be used to illustrate a soil profile
· Headings and places to record data for at least 2 other aspects of biomes that you deem important for that biome
Information Resources:
· Go to the Virtual Geography Department Project (Dept of Geology/Radford University):
http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html
· Library Resources
Project Outcomes:
1. Create a Title Page
2. Prepare eight 1-page worksheets--one for each biome:
o Color the distribution area of the given biome on the world map.
o Draw a vegetation profile that shows the structure (layering) of the vegetation and identifies all important, characteristic growth forms
o Fill in the climograph to characterize the regional climate
o Color and label the horizons of the characteristic soil order. Name the soil.
o Fill in all other relevant information called for on your worksheet.
Note: It is important that you do these graphics yourself (and do not simply photocopy or print them off from elsewhere). This is how you will learn where each biome is and what it is like. You may use computer graphics programs to draft original illustrations or do them by hand.
3. Make a final, cumulative world biome map that shows all the biomes together.
4. Prepare and include a Table of Contents
5. Add a back page to the atlas.
6. Bind the atlas
After completing this project, students will:
· Know the global distribution pattern of eight major biomes.
· Know the structural characteristics of the vegetation of each biome.
· Be able to correlate major soil orders with biomes.
· Understand how various morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral characteristics of plant and animal species are adaptive in particular environments.
· Know the global distribution pattern of taxonomic diversity.
· Understand the difference between ecological and biogeographical distribution.
· Understand the difference between structure and species composition of biological communities.
· Be able to compare structure and species composition in different biomes and in different expressions of the same biome and provide some explanations for differences and similarities.
· Be able to predict the types of vegetation, animals, and taxonomic diversity to be found at randomly selected points on the earth.
Other Geographical Concepts addressed by the project:
· Spatial patterns of life on earth
· Spatial interactions of living and non-living systems
· Spatial consequences of earth history (time, plate tectonics, and climate change) on life on earth
Study Hints
1. Read and check frequently the Introduction to Biomes (http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/intro.html) page.
2. Read and check frequently the objectives of the module found at the top of this page.
3. Based on numbers 1 and 2, decide what it is you need to know and list the kinds of information that you need to know for each biome.
4. From time to time check that you are learning the appropriate information. Test yourself, using the outline you prepared in number 3.
5. Do the project in a systematic way.
6. Prepare and ask questions of your classmates and instructor about concepts or facts that you don't understand or can't find.
Atlas Self Evaluation Sheet
Scoring Standard Name:______
You must achieve a rating of at least “yes” on each criterion to demonstrate competence.
Scoring Guide
Criteria / Rating / Comments1. Has a cover. / Yes No
2. Creates a scene on the cover page that draws people to it – Be creative! / Yes No
3. Atlas includes at least 1 page for each of the 8 biomes. / Yes No
4. Atlas includes a title on each biome page. / Yes No
5. Atlas includes a world map on each biome page with the biome’s location colored in and identified. / Yes No
6. Atlas includes a vegetation profile showing forest stratification (or vegetation stratification.) / Yes No
7. Atlas includes a climograph showing the regional climate for each of the eight biomes.
. / Yes No
8. Atlas includes a labeled soil horizon that is characteristic of the soil order found in each biome. Include the soil name for each. / Yes No
9. For each biome, the atlas includes at least 2 other aspects of the biome that you think defines the biome. / Yes No
9. Atlas includes a cumulative world biome map (larger scale) that shows (in color) all of the biomes together. / Yes No
10. Atlas includes a table of contents. / Yes No
11. Atlas includes a back page. / Yes No
12. Atlas is bound. / Yes No
13. Student presents one of the biomes during small group discussion and answers questions posed by at least 2 students. / Yes No
14. Student asks at least 1 question of another student during small group discsussion. / Yes No
11. Atlas is neat and presentable. / Yes No
12. Atlas is creative and interesting. / Yes No
Teacher Initials______Date______
Atlas Peer Evaluation Sheet
Scoring Standard Name:______
Student must achieve a rating of at least “yes” on each criterion to demonstrate competence.
Scoring Guide
Criteria / Rating / Comments1. Has a cover. / Yes No
2. Creates a scene on the cover page that draws people to it – Be creative! / Yes No
3. Atlas includes at least 1 page for each of the 8 biomes. / Yes No
4. Atlas includes a title on each biome page. / Yes No
5. Atlas includes a world map on each biome page with the biome’s location colored in and identified. / Yes No
6. Atlas includes a vegetation profile showing forest stratification (or vegetation stratification.) / Yes No
7. Atlas includes a climograph showing the regional climate for each of the eight biomes.
. / Yes No
8. Atlas includes a labeled soil horizon that is characteristic of the soil order found in each biome. Include the soil name for each. / Yes No
9. For each biome, the atlas includes at least 2 other aspects of the biome that you think defines the biome. / Yes No
9. Atlas includes a cumulative world biome map (larger scale) that shows (in color) all of the biomes together. / Yes No
10. Atlas includes a table of contents. / Yes No
11. Atlas includes a back page. / Yes No
12. Atlas is bound. / Yes No
13. Student presents one of the biomes during small group discussion and answers questions posed by at least 2 students. / Yes No
14. Student asks at least 1 question of another student during small group discsussion. / Yes No
11. Atlas is neat and presentable. / Yes No
12. Atlas is creative and interesting. / Yes No
Peer Evaluator Initials______Date______Teacher Initials_____
Poster Rubric
Name:______Date______
Scoring Guide
Criteria / Rating / Comments1. Has a cover. / 4 3 2 1
2. Creates a scene on the cover page that draws people to it – Be creative! / 4 3 2 1
3. Atlas includes at least 1 page for each of the 8 biomes. / 4 3 2 1
4. Atlas includes a title on each biome page. / 4 3 2 1
5. Atlas includes a world map on each biome page with the biome’s location colored in and identified. / 4 3 2 1
6. Atlas includes a vegetation profile showing forest stratification (or vegetation stratification.) / 4 3 2 1
7. Atlas includes a climograph showing the regional climate for each of the eight biomes.
. / 4 3 2 1
8. Atlas includes a labeled soil horizon that is characteristic of the soil order found in each biome. Include the soil name for each. / 4 3 2 1
9. For each biome, the atlas includes at least 2 other aspects of the biome that you think defines the biome. / 4 3 2 1
9. Atlas includes a cumulative world biome map (larger scale) that shows (in color) all of the biomes together. / 4 3 2 1
10. Atlas includes a table of contents. / 4 3 2 1
11. Atlas includes a back page. / 4 3 2 1
12. Atlas is bound. / 4 3 2 1
13. Student presents one of the biomes during small group discussion and answers questions posed by at least 2 students. / 4 3 2 1
14. Student asks at least 1 question of another student during small group discsussion. / 4 3 2 1
11. Atlas is neat and presentable. / 4 3 2 1
12. Atlas is creative and interesting. / 4 3 2 1
Teacher Initials______Date______
Agriculture Course Simplified Scoring Scale
Score / Description4.0 / In addition to Score 3.0, performance, in-depth inferences and application that go beyond what was taught.
3.0 / No major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and/or processes (simple or complex) that were investigated by the student using information provided by the instructor and information sources found by the student.
2.0 / No major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes but major errors or omission regarding the more complex ideas and processes.
1.0 / With help, a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes and some of the more complex ideas and processes.
0.0 / Even with help, no understanding or skill is demonstrated.