family moving

Dude, You Gotta Move

a Problem-Based Learning Project about Biomes

The Problem:

The banner headline of your town's paper seems impossible. Local soil testing has discovered a serious problem. The soil of your community is heavily contaminated with a toxic chemical. The only answer is that everyone must move.

"It's Love Canal or Chernobyl all over again," your mom whispers to your dad. "At Centralia, Pennsylvania the government forced the people to move out of the town," your dad replies.

The government says they will pay to move everyone just once. You must all agree to go to the same new biome. The scientists think that a different biome (from the one you live in now) will be your best chance to survive.

Which biome do you think would be best?

Step 1 -

Each member of the group identifies what they know about biomes. worksheet doc or pdf

Step 2 -

Identify what you need to learn about biomes. worksheet - doc or pdf
Be specific. Make a list. here are some examples on other subjects.
Assign the group member who is to find the specific answers/information.

Everyone will be researching information.
Learn how to research elementary | middle school & high school

Step 3 -

1. As a group - Discuss your findings on individual biomes.
2. Use a decision matrix to sort through your choices. (hint: a spreadsheet makes a handy form)
3. Decide on a new biome and list the reasons for its selection.

Step 4 -

Create a project/report to explain your choice and support its selection.
Be sure to show the pros and cons of the biomes.
In your presentation, show your choice as compared to at least 1 other biome.

Take credit and give credit

introduction sheet - doc. or pdf.

Online Resources: I have collected a set of valuable sites for researching biomes. I suggest you use them first. Use them to harness the Internet to fill in the missing facts. You may also use print resources and video based information. If you use a resource not listed here, document it in your cited works (bibliography) at the end of your report. If a link is broken, use your online research skills to find the site/page. Copy the title of the source. Paste it in a web search engine. Search.

Read - Biomes and Ecosystems - http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/ecosystems.html Book online with 3 reading levels

Earth Floor: Biomes - http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html

NASA - Mission Biomes - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Experiments/Biome/

BluePlanet Biomes - http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

CyberZoo Biome Resources - http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/biome.html

The World's Biomes - http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php

Earth Observatory - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/

NatureWorks - Habitats http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/nwep5.htm

Introduction to Biomes - https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/

Biomes - http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/index1.html

Build-A-Prairie http://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/games/prairie/build/

The Digital Desert - http://ddl.nmsu.edu/kids/

Biomes of the World -http://www.mbgnet.net/

Habitats and Ecosystems http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html

World Biomes - http://www.worldbiomes.com/default.htm

Kids Do Eology - http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/

Eduscapes - http://eduscapes.com/nature/index.htm

World Biomes - http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/index.html

Main problem page

What you know

What you need to learn

Worksheet example

Project examples

Problem-based learning
Harness the Student Process Guides to prepare your students to be more successful problem solvers and group participants.
Check out my activity to harness this resource.

Rubric Template at Bernie Dodge site | Multimedia Project Rubric

"Behold the turtle for he does not move forward without sticking out his neck." ~ James Bryant Conant

Problem based Learning

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updated 11/2018, Posted 10/2003, FAQ