Food Chains, Biomes, and Ecology Study

The 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.

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

7. Watch All About Food Chains by Schlessinger Media
8. Read Scavengers and Parasites in the Food Chainby McGinty
9. BBC Earth:  Life – episode Challenges of Life
10. Read Decomposers in the Food Chain by McGinty
11. Watch Magic School Bus Meets the Rot Squad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-Y_rWCpAA
12. Watch Bill Nye Food Webs http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8451
13. Play Food Chain Checkers http://www.windows2universe.org/teacher_resources/checkers_20march.pdf

1. Watch Ecosystems with Dr Science  DVD 22 minutes TWM Media Group

2. Read Polar Regions– Biomes of the World by Allaby
3. Watch High Arctic Life on the Land http://www.nfb.ca/film/High_Arctic_Life_on_the_Land
4. Fun with Permafrost pg 97 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World: Activities on Biomes from Pole to Pole
5. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 2 Seal Island approx 45 minutes
6. Habitat Game http://www.switcheroozoo.com/games/habitatgame.htm
7. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 White Wilderness
8. Polar Bears pg 103-105 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World:
9. Watch Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole
10. Watch Planet Earth:  Ice Worlds
11. Watch Life on Ice http://www.nfb.ca/film/Life_on_Ice

12. Read Deserts – Biomes of the World by Allaby
13. Sand art activity – pg 73 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
14. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Desert
15. Camel activity pg 82 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
16. Watch Magic School Bus All Dried Up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBubSKgoC3I
17. Transpiration activity pg 74-75 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
18. True Life Adventures Volume 2:  The Living Desert DVD approx 45 minutes
19. Hot Desert Plants pg 76-77 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
20. Bill Nye Deserts http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8374
21. Cold Desert Plants pg 86-87 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
22. Watch Planet Earth: Deserts

23. Read Oceans – Biomes of the World by Allaby
24. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 – Mysteries of the Deep
25. Watch Cries from the Deep http://www.nfb.ca/film/Cries_from_the_Deep
26. Melting Ice and Salinity and Freezing point of water experiments http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/ends/further_experiments.shtml
27. Watch Water Life:  The Big Blue
28. Watch Planet Earth:  Shallow Seas
29. Watch Planet Earth: Ocean Deep

30. Wetlands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
31. Importance of wetlands experiment http://www.netplaces.com/kids-environment/the-air-and-water/the-importance-of-wetlands.htm
32. Watch Magic School Bus Hops Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3w-Y_rWCpAA
33. Watch Bill Nye on Wetlands http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8365
34. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 Prowlers of the Everglades

35. Fresh Water – Read Eye Wonder: Rivers and Lakes by Holland
36. Watch Bill Nye: Lakes and Ponds http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8380
37. Watch Bill Nye: Rivers and Streams http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=8383
38. Watch Planet Earth:  Fresh Water
39. Watch True Life Adventures, Vol. 1 Wonders of the Water Worlds
40. Watch Freshwater World http://www.nfb.ca/film/Freshwater_World

42. Read Mountains – Biomes of the World by Allaby
43.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fwRGmx_f4s
44. Watch True Life Adventures Vol. 3 Olympic Elk approx 45 minutes
45. http://www.rcn27.dial.pipex.com/cloudsrus/pressure.html Mountain air pressure experiment
46. Watch Planet Earth: Mountains
47. Watch Planet Earth: Caves

48. Biome Project Step #1 – Choose a Biome

49. Read Temperate Forests – Biomes of the World by Allaby
50. Watch Biomes of the World in Action : Coniferous Forests
51. Pinecone hunt.  Find pinecone seeds pg 39-40 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
52. Watch True Life Adventures Vol. 3:  Bear Country
53. Pine tree needle hunt.  Examine the needle bundles pg 42 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
54. Watch Bill Nye: Forests http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=7886
55. Watch Biomes of the World in Action: Deciduous Forests 
56. Broadleaf Trees experiment pg 28-29 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
57. Watch The Changing Forest http://www.nfb.ca/film/Changing_Forest
58. Leaf Colors experiment pg 34-35 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
59. Watch Planet Earth Seasonal Forests

60. Biome Project Step #2 – Research the animals that live in chosen biome

61. Read Tropical Forests – Biomes of the World by Allaby
62. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Rainforest
63. Rain Forest Soil Activity pg 10-11 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
64. Magic School Bus in the Rainforest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjwuolxVH8M
65. Watch Planet Earth:  Jungles

66. Biome Project Step #3 – Visit the zoo and take pictures of animals that live in your chosen biome

67. Read Temperate Grasslands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
68. True Life Adventures, Vol. 2 The Vanishing Prairie approx 45 minutes
69. Dig up a piece of grass, take it inside and examine the parts.  Pg 53 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World
70. Watch Planet Earth: Great Plains

71. Biome Project Step #4 – Combine and choose the pictures and create a slideshow movie with short description of chosen biome.

72. Read Tropical Grasslands – Biomes of the World by Allaby
73. Watch Biomes of the World in Action DVD – Grasslands
74. Dig up a clump of grass for indoor experiment – pg 62-63 Janice VanCleave’s Science Around the World:
75. True Life Adventures Vol. 3 The African Lion approx 45 minutes

76. Biome Project – Complete and show to others

77. Watch The Enduring Wilderness http://www.nfb.ca/film/Enduring_Wilderness
78. Read Global Warming by Seymour Simon
79. Watch National Geographic: Masters of the Arctic Ice 52 minutes
80. Bill Nye Biodiversity http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=7699