Sydney Distance Education High School

Middle School Geography Stage 5 Course

Sustainable Biomes

Set 1: What are Biomes?

Sydney Distance Education High School

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Editor: Reena Nazareth
Version date: February 2019
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Contents

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.

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Outcomes

By completing this unit, students are working towards achieving the following
outcomes.

You have the opportunity to learn to:

• Explain the diverse features and characteristics of a range of places and

environments GE5-1

• 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

• Assess management strategies for places and environments for their

sustainability GE5-5

• Acquire and process geographical information by selecting and using

appropriate and relevant geographical tools for inquiry GE5-7

• Communicate geographical information to a range of audiences using a variety

of strategies GE5-8

The focus of this set is learning about the different features of biomes and the
factors that control their distribution.

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Introduction
Welcome Year 9 to Stage 5 Geography.

Your first topic is called Sustainable Biomes.

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.

The video introduces this topic. If you can’t watch the video please read through the
transcript in Appendix 1.

Watch the video Introduction Set 1 on

your USB.

Key Inquiry Question:

Place: What causes variation of biomes in different places on Earth?

Space: Where are the major biomes of the world?

Environment: What are the world’s major biomes?

Scale: A global biome consists of smaller ecosystems.

Change: How does change within a biome occur?

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Glossary: Words to Know
Tell your teacher how well you know these important words by marking the correct
box for you.

Word I know I can use I have seen clueless

what this this this word
word word
means
ecosystem
aquatic ecosystems
biomes
tropical rainforest
deciduous
savannah
desert
tundra
taiga
atmosphere
biosphere
lithosphere
hydrosphere
chaparral

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Glossary
atmosphere The layers of gases surrounding
the Earth.

biome A large geographical area of

similar plants and animals, that
are adapted to that particular
location.

biosphere All living things on Earth.

coniferous Forest found in colder climates.

forest (or taiga) Most trees in this forest are pine
trees.

desert A dry biome.

ecosystem plants and animals in their non-

living environment.

aquatic Water based ecosystem.

ecosystems

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chaparral A biome found in coastal areas. It
has hot summers and moist
winters and is a mix of trees,
shrubs and grasses.

hydrosphere All water on earth in different

states and locations.

lithosphere The Earth’s crust and soils.

savannah Grassy plains biome with

scattered trees and shrubs.

tropical Tropical forest biome found in

rainforest areas with high rainfall.

tundra A cold biome found close to the

poles or high in the mountains.

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 Activity 1

Complete this crossword using words from the glossary.

Down

1. All water on Earth

Across (sphere)
2. An animal walking in the
3. A dry biome snow will leave a paw _
5. The rocks and soil on Earth (sphere) ____.

7 The gases around the Earth (sphere) 6. A connected group of

plants and animals living
8. All living things on Earth (sphere) in an environment.

8. A large area of similar

plants and animals.

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Part 1: What are Biomes?

The world is home to many different biomes.

A biome is a large area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which are
adapted to that particular environment.

Biomes are made of abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) features.

Abiotic elements include water, air, soil, temperature, and solar energy.

Biotic elements include the plants, animals, and microbes.

The climate and geography of a region determines what type of biome can exist
in that region.

Activity 2

Watch the video What are Biomes? on

your USB.

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.)

environmental conditions. / is a community of / plants and animals/ similar

climate / living in an area of / and / A biome

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

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Example of Biomes

Some examples of biomes include:

• 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?

Answer this question by filling in the missing words in this sentence.

which, because, exist

Biomes ________ in different parts of the world ______________ of

variations in the conditions __________ affect plant and animal growth.

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 Title: Examples of Biomes

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.

species, simple, huge, in, biome, to, some, adapted, in

Each biome consists of many ecosystems whose communities have _____________

to the small differences in climate and the environment inside the ___________ .

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.

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 Technical words

• the availability of nutrients

• ecosystems
• availability of water
• adapt
• temperature range
• the environmental conditions of an area
• the distribution of biomes
• factors

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:

• How hot and cold it is ________________________

• How much water there is ______________________

• the type and amount of food ______________________

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BiomeViewer
BiomeViewer is a free App that lets you discover the biomes of the world.

It works best on ipads but you can use it on your computer too.

You can download it from the App Store (ipad) or go to:

BiomeViewer: https://bit.ly/2LbnTBA

Some of the things you can do with BiomeViewer:

• Search an area to find its climate, vegetation and wildlife

• Compare different parts of the world
• See climate charts (rainfall and temperature details) for any place in the world
• See beautiful pictures of the world.

If you need help with BiomeViewer watch the video BiomeViewer on your USB
drive.

Watch the video Biome Viewer on your

USB.

Did you use BiomeViewer? Yes/No

Write the name of a place you investigated, its biome and an animal or plant that
lives there.

Place

Biome

Plant or animal

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The Link between Rainfall and Biomes
This is a map showing the distribution of rainfall in Australia. This is evidence to
support the idea that environmental conditions influence the distribution of biomes.

Title: Map showing average annual (yearly) precipitation (rainfall)

Key

The map below shows the distribution of biomes in Australia.

Title: Map showing the distribution of biomes in Australia

Key

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 Activity 3

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

b) Which rainfall zone is Sydney found?

* 50- 100 mm per year
* 200-300 mm per year
* 900-1200 mm per year
* 1200-1800 mm per year

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

2. Mapping rainfall and desert vegetation

• 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.

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 • Give your map a name that describes what the map is showing.
• Fill in the key at the bottom of the map. Use appropriate colours to show the
two features (vegetation and rainfall) on your map.

Title: _____________________________________________________

• In Australia, forests grow in areas with higher rainfall. True /False

• 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

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Recognising the Biomes

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.

Watch the video Activity 4 on your USB if

Activity 4 you need help with this question.

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

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 Optional Activities
1. Show your teacher that you can use a geographical tool (BiomeViewer)
independently. Use the BiomeViewer to find another location on Earth where
you can find the rare Chaparral biome.

___________________________________________________________

Activity 5

1. If you play Minecraft you will recognise some of the biomes below.

The picture below shows a Minecraft Ocean Biome.

Example of a Minecraft Ocean Biome

If you know any other Minecraft biomes write their names below and add a brief
description.

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 Minecraft biome Description

2. Read the description of the Minecraft desert biome and fill in the table below.

Minecraft Desert Biome

In the dry biomes, there is no precipitation. Precipitation is rain, snow, hail or

any water from the sky.

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

plains-like smoothness of the desert.

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 Minecraft Desert Biome Biome features

Conditions (circle one): 1. lush and wet 2. humid and fertile 3. dry and barren

Precipitation (how much does it

fall as rain or snow?):

Animals and plants:

Something interesting:

The end for this week. Well done!

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Appendix 1
Transcript Introduction Set 1

Welcome Year 9 to Stage 5 Geography.

Your first topic is called Sustainable Biomes.

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.

What else can scientists discover?

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.

For now, enjoy this wonderful display of our natural world.

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