Earth’s

Biomes

Taiga Forest, Yosemite National Park, USA

YEAR 5
SRING TWO
NAME:
CLASS:

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 Lesson You will learn: Learning Review
Question
What are the The world has many
different biomes
Earth’s Biomes are large
biomes? ecosystems
Biomes have distinct
climatic conditions, flora
and fauna

What affects The different factors that

affect an ecosystem
an ecosystem? Rainfall, temperature and
sunlight affect an
ecosystem
Human activity affects an
ecosystem

What is the The characteristics of the

tundra
tundra? Where the tundra is found
The flora and fauna that
inhabit this biome

What is the The characteristics of the

taiga
taiga? Where the taiga is found
The flora and fauna that
inhabit this biome

What is the The characteristics of the

savanna
savanna? Where the savanna is
found
The flora and fauna that
inhabit this biome

How are How biomes are

threatened by climate
biomes being change
damaged? How biomes are
threatened by human
activity
What the future might hold
for Earth`s biomes

LESSON ONE: WHAT

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LESSON 1: What are the earth’s biomes?

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 Map: World Biomes Map (Source: Pearson Education)

Planet Earth has many different climates, plants, animals and landscapes. Look at the
vocabulary list on your Knowledge Organiser.
1 (a). What is a biome?

1 (b). Use the map to complete the table:

Place Biome

Northern Russia

Egypt

Central Australia

Eastern USA

UK

India

Along the equator

1 (c). Where is the taiga (coniferous forest) located?

Above the Below 30* Above 30*

equator South North

2 (a). Use the map to label each photograph with the name of the biome.

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 (Hint: found in central USA)

(Hint: found in southern Spain and Italy)

2 (b). Which biomes are these characteristics referring to?

This biome has 4 distinct seasons. This means that most of the plants and
trees shed their leaves for winter and grow their leaves again in the Spring.
The temperature range can be very high, but this biome needs a lot of
rainfall. The UK has this biome.
This biome experiences a large temperature variation. It does not receive
much rainfall and so does not have many big plants or trees. The plants
that do survive have adapted to be able to retain heat and moisture,
despite the extreme conditions. This biome is found in northern Canada
and northern Russia.

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This biome does not have 4 distinct seasons; it exists where there is heavy
rainfall all year round and where the temperatures are consistently high.
This biome covers about 6% of the Earth’s land surface. This biome has the
world’s highest biodiversity. Some trees can reach up to 85m tall. This
biome is found near the equator.

Biodiversity = the number of different species of plants and animals.

This biome has distinct wet and dry seasons. The wet seasons received a
huge amount of rain, but the dry season brings very hot temperatures and
water is scarce. This biome has wildlife and plants that have adapted to
these extremes, but animals often have to migrate long distances each
year in pursuit of water and food. This biome can be found in southern and
eastern Africa.
This biome is at home in colder areas and the trees often have needles
instead of leaves. The temperature range can be very high and this biome
is able to make the most of the limited sunshine by not shedding the
needles. This is the world’s biggest biome. This biome is found in northern
Canada and most of Russia. It is also found in some mountainous regions,
where temperatures are cooler.
This biome has very extreme daily variations in temperature. Temperatures
soar during the day but plummet at night as there are usually no clouds to
trap the heat. The lack of clouds also means that there is very little rain,
and so few plants and animals are able to survive here. This biome covers
about 20% of the world’s land surface.

The global pattern of biomes is controlled by climate. The diagram below shows how
the climate supports a certain type of biome.
Key information:
Warm air rises because it is less dense, whereas cold air sinks because it is denser.
Hot air balloons use this principle: by heating the air inside the balloon, it becomes less
dense than the surrounding air, so it rises.

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Diagram: Global Climates and Biomes

Use the diagram to answer the questions:

2 (a). Why is tropical rainforest usually located near the equator?

2 (b) Why are hot deserts usually located at 30ᵒ North and 30ᵒ South, and cold deserts
located at the Polar Caps?

Refer to page 3 and complete the Learning Review

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LESSON TWO: What affects an ecosystem?

Retrieval Practice

1. What is a biome?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

2. Where would you find a desert biome?

 India
 Europe
 Russia
 North Africa
 Japan

3. Northern Russia is a tundra.

True / False

4. Why is tropical rainforest located near the equator?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

5. Which biome has extreme daily variations in temperature?

____________________________________________________________________

Glossary

Term Definition
Precipitation Any form of water falling from the sky, such as rain, ice or hail.
Atmosphere A Layer of gas surrounding the planet.
Elevation The height above sea level.
Latitude The distance north or south of the equator, usually measured in
degrees.
Ecosystem The plants and animals living in an area that interact with each
other and their environment.
Unbalanced Something that is uneven and not as it should be.

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 Factors that affect a biome Source https://factors-influencing-biomes-maria.weebly.com/key-points.html

-Temperature and Precipitation

Temperature and precipitation are very important physical factors that

influence the characteristics and distribution of biomes. Differences in
temperature or precipitation determine various aspects of the biomes, like
plants. Biomes with low precipitation and extreme temperatures have short
growing seasons and poor soil. Therefore, fewer kinds of plants and animals
are going to grow and live with these conditions, an example of this would
be a desert biome or a tundra.

1. What aspect of the biome can be affected by temperature or

precipitation?

___________________________________________________________________________

-Elevation

Elevation is the height of land above sea level; this has a significant impact
on biomes. The change occurs because the atmosphere becomes thinner
at higher elevations, which means that the temperature is lower. Elevation
affects precipitation, because when clouds filled with moisture they rise
and cool, which forces them to release rain or snow (precipitation).

2. What happens to the temperature as you increase the elevation?

____________________________________________________________________________

-Ocean Currents

Ocean currents are a physical factor that are in constant movement,

affecting the weather. Ocean currents can help to moderate the
climate. For example, these currents transfer heat from the tropics to the
Polar Regions, influencing local and global climate. This heat keeps much of Northern
Europe significantly warmer than other places equally as far north. Ocean currents are also
important for food chains and reproduction of marine organisms and marine ecosystems.

3. How is Northern Europe kept warmer than other northern regions?

___________________________________________________________________________

-Latitude

Latitude is one of the main factors that affect biomes, particularly where
they are located in relation to the Equator. For example, biomes located in
the high latitudes, farthest from the Equator like taiga and tundra receive
the least amount of sunlight and have lower temperatures. Biomes located
in the middle latitudes, between the poles and the Equator, such as temperate deciduous
forest receive more sunlight and have moderate temperatures. The biomes at the equator
receive the most sunlight and therefore have higher temperatures, but also receive high
amounts of rainfall, which is why we see tropical rain forests and tropical grassland.

4. How are biomes at the equator different from other biomes?

_________________________________________________________________________

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 Human activity that affects an ecosystem
Humans also rely on ecosystems to -
provide them with fertile soil, minerals, -
nutrients, fish and game (wild animals
that are hunted for meat).
Human waste enters other natural
ecosystems, where it can cause them
to become unbalanced. Sometimes
all of this waste can build up to harmful
levels. Examples of human waste that
can affect ecosystems are:
- Household waste
- Industrial Waste
Agricultural waste
Gases produced when fossil fuels are
burned
Humans sometimes harvest plants
and animals from natural ecosystems
and this can unbalance them. For
example, harvesting timber can lead
to soil erosion and loss of habitat,
while harvesting fish from the oceans
can lead to species to become
threatened, as well as unbalancing
the food chain.

5. Why do humans rely on ecosystems, and how are we damaging

them?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

6. Using the images above, describe what impact throwing plastic

away might have on an ecosystem.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Refer to page 3 and complete the Learning Review.

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LESSON THREE: What is the tundra?

Retrieval Practice
1. Draw a line on the map where you think the equator is.

2. Give one example of human waste.

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. What is precipitation?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. What type of biome would you find at the equator?
A) Tundra
B) Savannah
C) Coniferous Forest
D) Tropical Rainforest

5. What causes Northern Europe to have a warmer climate than

other northern regions?
__________________________________________________________________

Glossary

Term Definition
Permafrost Moisture that sinks into the ground from rain and snow, it’s
usually frozen year round.
Diversity A range of different things, E.g. flora and fauna.
Flora The plants of a particular region
Fauna The animals of a particular region
Environment The surroundings in which a person, plant or animal lives.

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What is the tundra?
This map shows the regions of the world where tundras
can be found.

Using the pictures above, and the following geographical terms,

explain what you think the tundra is like.
Temperature Snow Animals Rainfall Cold
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

The characteristics of a tundra.

The tundra biome is the coldest of all
biomes; it is also one of the biggest. The
tundra covers about one fifth of the land
on earth. The tundra biome is located in
the Arctic Circle, which is an area of land
that surrounds the North Pole, but this is not
the only place we can find freezing cold
temperatures. In Antarctica, and other
cold environments, there are areas that
form part of a tundra biome as well. The
tundra biome is one of the driest places on
earth; it receives
very little rainfall
(less than ten
inches a year.)
Winters in the tundra are long and the
summers are short. In winter, the
temperature can reach as low as -50°F. In
the summer the temperature rises which
causes the snow to melt. The moisture
from the melted snow sinks into the
ground, which is called permafrost.

If the winters are long and the summers are short, what does that tell
you about the amount of sunlight the tundra has in a year?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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Flora and Fauna that inhabit the tundra biome.
Although the tundra biome is very cold, plants to live and
survive here. There is low diversity in organisms that live
here, but many still flourish. Tundra plants get their energy
the same way other plants do, from the sun through
photosynthesis. However, these plants have adapted to
low temperatures and low light strength.

The tundra is also home to a large number of animals. The

largest and most dangerous animal to live here is the Polar
Bear. Polar bears love to eat fresh, fatty meat. Fatty foods
might not be good for humans, but polar bears need the
energy from fat to survive the cold tundra. Seals, and
walruses trapped in open water surrounded by ice are
some of the polar bear’s favourite meals.

1. Complete these sentences:

The tundra is the coldest of all the biomes, but ______________________

________________________________________________________________________

The tundra is the coldest of all the biomes, because _______________________

__________________________________________________________________________

The tundra is the coldest of all the biomes,

so_______________________________________________________________________

2. The temperature in the arctic tundra in winter can reach as low

as -30°F.
True / False

Refer to page 3 and complete the Learning Review.

LESSON FOUR: What is the taiga?

Retrieval Practice

1. Where can the tundra biome be found?

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________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. In winter, what is it like in the tundra?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. What is permafrost?
A) The snow that falls on the ground in the tundra.
B) The water that evaporates from the ground in summer.
C) Moisture that sinks into the ground from rain and snow.

4. Both the Artic and the Antarctic are tundra biomes.

True / False

5. What is an ecosystem?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Glossary

Term Definition
Terrestrial On or relating to the earth
Hibernate The state of being asleep for winter.
Adapt To change something to suit different conditions.

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 This graph shows
annual rainfall in
climate regions.

1. Analyse the graph, how much rainfall does the Taiga biome
have per year?
___________________________________________________________________

2. How do you think the Taiga biome will be different from the
tundra biome that we studied last lesson?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Characteristics of the Taiga

Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the
largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad
band across North America, Northern Europe, and Asia.
It is usually found just below the tundra biome. It is also
found at cool, high elevations in the more mild latitudes,
for example, in much of the mountainous western region
of North America.

Long, cold winters, and short, mild, wet summers are

typical in this biome. In the winter, chilly winds from the
arctic cause bitterly cold weather in the taiga. The
length of day also varies with the seasons. Winter days
are short, while summer days are long because of the tilt
of the earth on its axis. Fires are not uncommon in the
taiga during the summer. Fires may seem destructive, but they actually help
this biome by removing old sick trees, making room for new growth.
Precipitation is relatively high in the taiga and falls as snow during the winter
and rain during the summer.

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 3. Unscramble these sentences about the taiga.
Coniferous forest also Known as taiga The
_____________________________________________________________________________
with the seasons of day also varies The length
_____________________________________________________________________________
Relatively high in the taiga Precipitation is
_____________________________________________________________________________

removing old sick trees help this biome by they actually Fires may seem destructive but

_____________________________________________________________________________

Flora and Fauna in the taiga biome?

Compared to other biomes, the taiga has less diversity in _______________. The most
common type of tree found in the taiga is the conifer. Conifers, also known as
evergreens don’t drop their _____________ in winter. The name, evergreen, describes
an important adaptation of conifers, they are always _______________. Just like the
tundra the ______________ of the taiga makes it a difficult place for many animals to
live. Many have thick coats of ___________ to protect against the cold, while other
animals hibernate during the winter. Others migrate to warmer areas in the chilly
winters. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels, small mammals like
moles; and larger wandering animals such as deer, moose, and elk. The main
________________ in the taiga are grizzly bears, wolves and eagles. These are strong
animals, in order to avoid them their prey must adapt to the ________________.
4. Insert the following words into the text above.

Plant Life Green Fur Predators Cold climate Leaves Conditions

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 5. What key characteristic do Conifers have?
____________________________________________________________________

6. What characteristic do some of the animals in the taiga have to

help them survive?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. What is hibernation?

________________________________________________________________________

8. Which of these animals would you NOT find in the taiga biome?
Circle the correct answers.

Camel Wolf Squirrel Grizzly Bear Tiger Eagle Elk

Refer to page 3 and complete the Learning Review

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LESSON FIVE: What is the Savannah?

Retrieval Practice

1. What is a biome?

___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

2. What is the definition of the word environment?

___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

3. Which of the following animals might you find in the taiga biome?
A) Eagle
B) Tiger
C) Lion
D) Polar Bear
E) Grizzly Bear
F) Wolf

4. Is this statement true or false about the tundra biome?

- There is low diversity in organisms that live here, but many still
Flourish.
True / False

5. Complete this sentence.

The global pattern of biomes is controlled by _______________

Glossary

Term Definition
Characteristics A feature of quality belonging to a person or place.

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 1. Which of these pictures do you think shows a savannah biome?

A B C

D E F

2. Can you name what each of the other biomes might be?
A._________________________________
B._________________________________
C._________________________________
D._________________________________
E._________________________________
F. _________________________________

Where is the Savannah found?

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 3. Name two places where the Savannah biome can be located on the
map.

4. Using the pictures below and the map on your knowledge organiser
write down what the characteristics of the savanna are.

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

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 LESSONRefer
SIX: How are biomes being damaged?
to page 3 and complete the Learning Review.

Retrieval Practice
1. A grizzly bear is an example of an animal you would find in the
taiga biome.
True / False

2. Name one continent where the savanna biome can be found.

_____________________________________________________________________
3. Circle the correct statement.
A) Conifers drop their leaves in winter and grow new ones in summer.
B) Conifers are green all year round and never drop their leaves.
C) Conifers don’t drop their leaves but they turn brown in winter.
D) Conifers have brown leaves in summer and drop them in winter.

4. Which is the coldest of all the biomes?

_______________________________________________________________________
5. Write down two characteristics of the savannah biome.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Glossary

Term Definition
Fossil Fuels A natural fuel such as coal or gas.
Deforestation The action of clearing a wide area of trees.
Vulnerable In need of special care, support or protection.

How biomes are threatened by climate change.

No ecosystem or biome is safe from
climate change. Over the next 200 years
we face a difficult challenge to stop these
fragile biomes being destroyed. The
burning of fossil fuels has a huge impact
on all of the biomes because it directly
affects the earth’s temperature. If the
temperature rises even by a small
amount, this has a huge impact on the
flora and fauna in the biome. Animals and
plants that have taken thousands of years
to adapt to the conditions in which they
live suddenly face an uncertain future.
The rise in temperature also has an impact

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on the ice caps; melting ice causes sea is also a problem as more and more land
levels to rise which means that people becomes desert due to rising
living by the coast have to move in land. temperatures and slash and burn
This means new houses need to be built techniques used to clear land for farming
where flora and fauna live. Desertification and housing.

1. Which biome do you think is at the greatest risk from climate change?

_________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Why?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

3. Can you think of any ways that we could stop climate change having such a huge
impact on the earth’s biomes.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

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How biomes are threatened by human activity.
4. Link the biome to the way you think it is being damaged by human
activity.

Tundra The clearing of trees as well as using the land to farm

cattle damages the soil and turns it into a desert.

Savanna Driving off road cars kills off vegetation, which in turn
affects the animals.

Humans live in this biome and cut down lots of trees

Taiga
in order to build homes.

The burning of fossil fuels causes the earth’s

Rainforest
temperature to rise and therefore melts the ice.
caps.

Logging and deforestation cause huge amounts of

Desert
damage to this vulnerable biome.

What does the future hold for the earth’s biomes?

If something is not done urgently then
we face losing the earth’s biomes as
we know them. Not only could there
be a massive shift in the biomes, we
also face the possibility that they could
disappear completely. The burning of
fossil fuels as well as other factors is
causing the earth’s temperature to
rise. In the next 100 years, we could see
a sharp rise in the earth’s sea levels,
previously fertile land turned into
desert and the destruction of the
tropical rainforest.
There is some positive news; people
are becoming more aware of the
challenges ahead. In 2016, the Paris
Agreement saw world leaders gather
to discuss the issue of climate change.
The main aim was to keep the global
temperature rise this century to well
below 2 degrees Celsius. One hundred
and ninety five countries signed the
agreement, which is the world’s first
comprehensive climate agreement.
This is going to require huge changes
in thinking, technology and financial
resources. Some people argue this is
not enough; however, this is a step in
the right direction even if more still
needs to be done to combat the
growing problem of climate change.

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 5. In what year was the Paris agreement signed?

_______________________________________________________________________

6. What was the main aim of the Paris Agreement?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

7. How many countries have signed the Paris Agreement?

_________________________________________________________________________

8. Do you think enough is being done to combat climate change?

Give reasons for your answer.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Refer to page 3 and complete the Learning Review

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