For Educators

Biomes Compare and Contrast

During this activity, students will choose two biomes that most interest them to compare and contrast. Students will use a graphic organizer to help collect, sort, and process information related to their biomes of choice. They will use their notes to write broadly to compare and contrast their biomes before choosing a partner with whom they can share their writing.

C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards:

Grades 3-5	D2.Geo.10.3-5 – Explain why environmental characteristics vary among different world regions.
Grades 6-8	D2.Geo.10.6-8 – Analyze the ways in which cultural and environmental characteristics vary among various regions of the world.

Common Core State Standards:

4th Grade	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 – Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.10 – Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
5th Grade	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2 – Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.10 – Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Grades 6-8	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.2 – Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
	CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.10 – Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Downloads

Venn Diagram

Supports

Objectives:

Students will be able to define and describe characteristics of biomes including climate, landforms and features, animals and plants, and threats to survival.

Students will be able to write broadly to compare two biomes of their choice.

Materials:

• Building Blocks of Geography series, specifically Climate and Biomes

• Scratch paper

• Pencils

• Blank Venn Diagram (1 per student)

• Writing Paper (1 per student)

• Optional: Compare and Contrast Supports

Differentiation Considerations:

Consider providing students a copy of the Compare and Contrast Supports document to aid them in writing their compare and contrast paragraphs. This document includes such supports as sentence frames, text evidence terms, and signal words. Look over this document and consider your students’ strengths and needs to help you determine which support(s) would best benefit them. Consider providing one support to start and adding more as needed.

Procedures:

Begin by explaining that students will choose two biomes that interest them to compare today. Students can choose from the following biomes highlighted in the Building Blocks of Geography Climate and Biomes text: tropical rain forest, temperate forest, taiga forest, savanna, prairie, desert, tundra, ice, salt water, and fresh water.
Provide students a blank Venn Diagram to complete with information related to their biomes of choice. Students should use their prior knowledge combined with information from the Climate and Biomes text to complete their Venn Diagrams. Students should include information about the climate, landforms and features, animals and plants, threats to survival, and any other unique or interesting information they want to add.
Once students have completed their Venn Diagrams, they will write at least one complete paragraph to compare the biomes they chose to study. See the Differentiation Considerations section for information regarding writing supports.
After students have finished their writing, have them partner with a peer of their choice to share it. Partners should practice their active listening skills and provide one another with at least one compliment and one area for growth related to their writing.