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Habitats and Biomes

Class Title: Habitats and Biomes
Audience: 3rd grade
Offered: 4th Quarter
Length: 1 hr. 50 minutes (if time allows, students will look around in the Exploration Hall)

Preparing for this Class:

1. A large portion of this class is outside so students and teachers should dress for the weather. We will be outside in drizzle or light rain.
2. A working knowledge of some terminology such as habitat and biome is helpful.
3. In case of inclement weather, alternate activities will be held inside.

I. Class Description

Students will be inside the classroom for an introduction to habitats and biomes.  We will review the five essential items that habitats provide for each living organism and review various types of biomes in the U.S.  We will also consider three different areas (or environments) found within Quarry Hill Park: our pond (representing the Freshwater Biome), our forested areas (representing the Deciduous Forest Biome), and our prairie areas (representing the Prairie/Grasslands Biome).  Students will then spend the rest of their time rotating through 2 activities:

Environment Walk: (A hike over the bridge and along the pond, on a forest trail and through a portion of a prairie.)  Students will observe plants, animals and signs of animals in each of these locations. We will also discuss a predator and prey animal from each location. The goal is to help synthesize one of the unit's Big Ideas that many organisms share an environment and interact because their habitats overlap. During this hike, we will also discuss the differences between a habitat, an environment and a biome and talk about their relative sizes.  

Environment Posters:   Students will focus on large poster photographs of a pond, a prairie and a forest. Each student will receive a magnetized photo of an animal and consider which of the three environments would most likely contain the best habitat for the animals. Each student will then place his/her animal picture on the environment poster he/she has selected. The group will discuss where animals have been placed and propose changes to better fit animals with their most desirable environment. The group's discussion will focus on adaptation examples that best fit animals in certain environments.

II. Correlation to MN Science Standards

1. Describe a natural system in Minnesota, such as a wetland, prairie or garden, in terms of the relationships among its living and nonliving parts, as well as inputs and outputs. (5.4.2.1.1)
2. Identify common groups of plants and animals using observable physical characteristics, structures and behaviors. (3.4.1.1.2)
3. Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others. (2.1.1.2.1)
4. Describe ways in which an animal's habitat provides for its basic needs. For example:Compare students' houses with animal habitats. (1.4.2.1.2)
5. Recognize that animals need space, water, food, shelter and air. (1.4.2.1.1)
6. Observe a natural system or its model and identify living and nonliving components in that system. (0.4.2.1.1)

III. Science Vocabulary (*denotes a Quarry Hill vocabulary word)

Habitat Deciduous Predator Biome

Environment Evergreen Resource Prey

Organism Grassland Physical characteristics Stewardship

Climate Limb Survival characteristics Camouflage

After completion of one of these programs please fill out and submit our evaluation form. You may fill it out and submit it online, or print it out and mail it to Quarry Hill Nature Center. Thank you for your time!