Food Chains, Biomes, and Ecology Study

biomesThe plan for our food chain, biome, and ecology study is now complete.  I compiled resources from the library and the internet to put together a study that my boys would enjoy.  The study combines books, DVDs, online videos, and activities.  I’m expecting this portion of our biology studies will take approximately 4-6 weeks.  I have linked to the books and DVDs on Amazon so you can click through and find more information about them.  Following this study we will complete a botany and zoology study.  I hope to post the completed botany study within a week.  The zoology study is still in progress.  My boys are excited to resume science studies this coming week.  They had to take a week off of science while I finished up this study.

Food Chains
  1. Read Producers in the Food Chain by McGinty
  2. Read Herbivores in the Food Chain by McGinty
  3. Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBwHOYJyoaA Magic School Bus Gets Eaten
  4. Read Carnivores in the Food Chain by McGinty
  5. BBC Earth: Life – episode Hunters and Hunted
  6. Read Omnivores in the Food Chain by McGinty
  1. Watch All About Food Chains by Schlessinger Media
  2. Read Scavengers and Parasites in the Food Chainby McGinty
  3. BBC Earth:  Life – episode Challenges of Life
  4. Read Decomposers in the Food Chain by McGinty
  5. Watch Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-Y_rWCpAA
  6. Watch Bill Nye Food Webs http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8451
  7. Play Food Chain Checkers http://www.windows2universe.org/teacher_resources/checkers_20march.pdf
Biomes and Ecosystems
  1. Watch Ecosystems with Dr Science  DVD 22 minutes TWM Media Group
  1. Read Polar RegionsBiomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Watch High Arctic Life on the Land http://www.nfb.ca/film/High_Arctic_Life_on_the_Land
  3. Fun with Permafrost pg 97 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World: Activities on Biomes from Pole to Pole
  4. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 2 Seal Island approx 45 minutes
  5. Habitat Game http://www.switcheroozoo.com/games/habitatgame.htm
  6. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 White Wilderness
  7. Polar Bears pg 103-105 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World:
  8. Watch Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole
  9. Watch Planet Earth:  Ice Worlds
  10. Watch Life on Ice http://www.nfb.ca/film/Life_on_Ice
  1. Read Deserts – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Sand art activity – pg 73 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  3. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Desert
  4. Camel activity pg 82 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  5. Watch Magic School Bus All Dried Up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBubSKgoC3I
  6. Transpiration activity pg 74-75 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  7. True Life Adventures Volume 2:  The Living Desert DVD approx 45 minutes
  8. Hot Desert Plants pg 76-77 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  9. Bill Nye Deserts http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8374
  10. Cold Desert Plants pg 86-87 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  11. Watch Planet Earth: Deserts
  1. Read OceansBiomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 – Mysteries of the Deep
  3. Watch Cries from the Deep http://www.nfb.ca/film/Cries_from_the_Deep
  4. Melting Ice and Salinity and Freezing point of water experiments http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/ends/further_experiments.shtml
  5. Watch Water Life:  The Big Blue
  6. Watch Planet Earth:  Shallow Seas
  7. Watch Planet Earth: Ocean Deep
  1. Wetlands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Importance of wetlands experiment http://www.netplaces.com/kids-environment/the-air-and-water/the-importance-of-wetlands.htm
  3. Watch Magic School Bus Hops Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-Y_rWCpAA
  4. Watch Bill Nye on Wetlands http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8365
  5. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 Prowlers of the Everglades
  1. Fresh Water – Read Eye Wonder: Rivers and Lakes by Holland
  2. Watch Bill Nye: Lakes and Ponds http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8380
  3. Watch Bill Nye: Rivers and Streams http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8383
  4. Watch Planet Earth:  Fresh Water
  5. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 Wonders of the Water Worlds
  6. Watch Freshwater World http://www.nfb.ca/film/Freshwater_World
  1. Read Mountains – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fwRGmx_f4s
  3. Watch True Life Adventures Vol. 3 Olympic Elk approx 45 minutes
  4. http://www.rcn27.dial.pipex.com/cloudsrus/pressure.html Mountain air pressure experiment
  5. Watch Planet Earth: Mountains
  6. Watch Planet Earth: Caves
  1. Biome Project Step #1 – Choose a Biome
  1. Read Temperate Forests – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Watch Biomes of the World in Action : Coniferous Forests
  3. Pinecone hunt.  Find pinecone seeds pg 39-40 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  4. Watch True Life Adventures Vol. 3:  Bear Country
  5. Pine tree needle hunt.  Examine the needle bundles pg 42 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  6. Watch Bill Nye: Forests http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=7886
  7. Watch Biomes of the World in Action: Deciduous Forests 
  8. Broadleaf Trees experiment pg 28-29 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  9. Watch The Changing Forest http://www.nfb.ca/film/Changing_Forest
  10. Leaf Colors experiment pg 34-35 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  11. Watch Planet Earth Seasonal Forests
  1. Biome Project Step #2 – Research the animals that live in chosen biome
  1. Read Tropical Forests – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Rainforest
  3. Rain Forest Soil Activity pg 10-11 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  4. Magic School Bus in the Rainforest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwuolxVH8M
  5. Watch Planet Earth:  Jungles
  1. Biome Project Step #3 – Visit the zoo and take pictures of animals that live in your chosen biome
  1. Read Temperate Grasslands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. True Life Adventures, Vol. 2 The Vanishing Prairie approx 45 minutes
  3. Dig up a piece of grass, take it inside and examine the parts.  Pg 53 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
  4. Watch Planet Earth: Great Plains
  1. Biome Project Step #4 – Combine and choose the pictures and create a slideshow movie with short description of chosen biome.
  1. Read Tropical Grasslands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
  2. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Grasslands
  3. Dig up a clump of grass for indoor experiment – pg 62-63 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World:
  4. True Life Adventures Vol. 3 The African Lion approx 45 minutes
  1. Biome Project – Complete and show to others
  1. Watch The Enduring Wilderness http://www.nfb.ca/film/Enduring_Wilderness
  2. Read Global Warming by Seymour Simon
  3. Watch National Geographic: Masters of the Arctic Ice 52 minutes
  4. Bill Nye Biodiversity http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=7699

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