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Biomes For Geography
Biomes For Geography
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transmittal in whole, or in part, other than in accordance with provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 is prohibited
without the written authority of Sydney Distance Education High School.
© Sydney Distance Education High School, NSW Department of Education
Outcomes 5
Key Inquiry Questions: 6
Introduction 6
Glossary: Words to Know 7
Glossary 8
Part 1: What are Biomes? 11
The Link between Rainfall and Biomes. 16
Recognising the Biomes 19
Optional Activities 20
Appendix 1 23
When you see this icon it means you will have to complete an activity.
This icon lets you know that the question gives you the opportunity to
demonstrate your knowledge and understanding at a higher grade.
This icon lets you know that you are learning a skill to help you with
literacy, numeracy or learning how to learn.
By completing this unit, students are working towards achieving the following
outcomes.
• Explain processes and influences that form and transform places and
environments GE5-2
• Analyse the effect of interactions and connections between people, places and
environments GE5-3
The focus of this set is learning about the different features of biomes and the
factors that control their distribution.
This is an important topic. If our natural world isn’t healthy, we can’t be either. It is a
simple as that.
The video introduces this topic. If you can’t watch the video please read through the
transcript in Appendix 1.
Down
A biome is a large area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which are
adapted to that particular environment.
Abiotic elements include water, air, soil, temperature, and solar energy.
The climate and geography of a region determines what type of biome can exist
in that region.
Activity 2
1. Define a biome by unjumbling the words in the box below. Write your
sentence in the space under the box. (Hint: look for the capital letter to start
your sentence and full stop to finish it.)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
• tundra
• deserts
• coniferous forests
• deciduous forests
• rainforests
• grasslands
• marine and freshwater environments.
Each biome is made of many ecosystems. The ecosystems are made of groups of
communities.
These have adapted to the small differences in climate and the environment
inside the biome.
2. Why are there different biomes in the world? What do you think controls
where these plant communities and the animals that depend on them live?
3. Read this explanation of why there are different biomes in the world. Fill in
the missing words using the words from the box below.
All living things are linked to their environment. Any change ___ one part of an
environment, like an increase or decrease of a ___________ of animal or plant,
causes change ___________ other parts of the environment. The Earth includes a
________ variety of living things, from complex plants and animals____ very simple,
one-celled organisms. Large or small, ____________or complex, no organism lives
alone. Each depends in __________ way on other living and nonliving things in its
surroundings.
4. Geographers are scientists. They use technical words. Technical words make
the meaning of the sentence clearer.
Replace the phrases written in every-day language with the technical words
that mean the same thing for the passage below.
The world has many different biomes. This is because groups of plants and
animals ________________change to suit _______________________ to
what an area is like __________________________________________.
The most important things _________ controlling where biomes are found
_______________________________________ are:
It works best on ipads but you can use it on your computer too.
BiomeViewer: https://bit.ly/2LbnTBA
If you need help with BiomeViewer watch the video BiomeViewer on your USB
drive.
Write the name of a place you investigated, its biome and an animal or plant that
lives there.
Place
Biome
Plant or animal
Key
Key
Study the two maps. Look closely at the keys. In the precipitation map the different
colours show the average rainfall per year. Each colour block is a rainfall zone.
1. Use the information in the two maps on the previous page to complete these
questions.
a) Which part of Australia has the highest rainfall? Circle the correct regions.
* Far north Queensland near Cairns
* Central Australia near Alice Springs
*Western Tasmania
c) Desert vegetation grows in areas that get from 100-300 mm of rain per
year. True/False
d) Open forest is found in areas that get more than 600 mm of rainfall per
year. True/False
• Trace the map of Australia. Use the Vegetation Map and tracing paper to
trace the distribution of desert vegetation in Australia.
• Use the Rainfall Map and tracing paper to trace the area where rainfall is less
than 200 mm per year.
• Transfer your map into the space on the next page.
Title: _____________________________________________________
• In Australia open forests are found on the eastern coastal areas, south west
coast of Western Australia and in the northern coast of the Northern Territory
True /False
We have learnt that a biome is a large area of distinctive plants and animals.
Different biomes are adapted to the climate and conditions of their location.
Rainfall and temperature are the most important factors that control where the
biomes occur.
Match the photo of the biome with its correct name. Draw a line from the name to
the correct biome. The Biome finder has example photos of different biomes if you
need help.
Tropical rainforests
Deserts
Savannah
Chaparral
Coral reefs
___________________________________________________________
Activity 5
1. If you play Minecraft you will recognise some of the biomes below.
If you know any other Minecraft biomes write their names below and add a brief
description.
2. Read the description of the Minecraft desert biome and fill in the table below.
An example of a dry biome in Minecraft is the desert. It’s just as dry and barren as
you imagine, and you won’t find any animals wandering around like you will in the
other biomes (but hostile creatures will come out at night, so you still need to take
shelter at dusk). There is sand, sand, and more sand, with cacti spattered about
the map. The only variation is hills, essentially giant sand dunes that break up the
Conditions (circle one): 1. lush and wet 2. humid and fertile 3. dry and barren
Something interesting:
If you have ever played Minecraft, you will have a pretty good idea of what a biome
is. If not. Don’t worry you will learn all about it over the next four weeks.
Sustainable Biomes is all about the world we live in, how it supports us, how it is
changing, and what we can do to protect it.
This is an important topic. If our natural world isn’t healthy, we can’t be either. It is a
simple as that.
And it is not just physical health that our world looks after. We need our natural
world to keep us happy and balanced.
Scientists have only just discovered that forests release chemicals that make us feel
good. Of course, people have known about the restorative effects of forests for
thousands of years.
This first topic takes a look at all the amazing places in the world. You will learn to
use apps that help you explore different places right from your room. You will learn
some of the technical language that geographers use to communicate clearly.