School Project Ideas for a Biome
A biome is a scientific model for a region on the planet Earth where animals and plants exist in a particular climate. Determined by latitude, the biome is as much an exploration in geography as it is science. To create a biome, a student can focus on one type of climate and natural environment and reproduce the conditions. The biome project should indicate what type of weather conditions, terrain and biodiversity (animals, plants and organisms) exist in the region.
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Effect of Climate Change
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Current scientific findings on climate change will impact the student's choice of conditions and biodiversity in a biome project. A biome made by a student in the 1980s when many contemporary parents and teachers were in school would look totally different in the 21st century. For example, global warming has resulted in warmer ocean temperatures around the world and significant melting of polar icecaps. Students should think about the effect of climate change on their chosen biome.
Museum Websites
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Many science organizations offer exploratory websites that explain the modern scientific classifications of biomes. The University of California Museum of Paleontology has identified the biomes of the world as freshwater, marine, desert, forest, grassland and tundra. Another great resource for teachers, parents and students wanting a detailed description of biomes is found at Teachers Domain. See the link below for details about the world's biomes.
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Animals
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What types of animals live in the biome? Students can pick a few or a lot of animals (including insects, fishes and other organisms) that would live in the same climate. For example, in the tropical rainforest, two organisms would be the golden lion tamarin and the toucan. If the student has to prepare a written report about the biome model, he should research the population of animals living today and which animals are threatened by environmental factors such as climate change.
Plants
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The plants living in the biome change with the seasons. Even in water environments many plants live, including algae and seaweed varieties. When a student studies a biome, he can explore relationships between animals and plants which depend on each other for survival. Through this introductory look at the food chain and the scientific concept of interdependence, students learn about the precious balance of biodiversity in a single biome.
Topography
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The weather conditions have contributed over millions of years to the current topography in each biome. In designing a biome, the student should consider what types of terrain are present. Mountains, rivers, lakes, vegetation, rocks, sand and other natural formations affect what kind of biodiversity survives in the climate of the region.
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