Bretten Allen

Biomes and Resources Unit Lesson 1

Class Context:
Grade: 3rd, 25 students
Language Backgrounds: Majority native English speakers, native Spanish speakers
learning English
WIDA Levels:

One student is at a beginning level, they do not speak very much and when they do it is
in short sentences and in social settings. Academic language is difficult but does know some
content vocabulary. Country of origin is Peru.
The other student is at an expanding level, speaking much more frequently and with
minimal errors when in social settings. This student has a more in depth knowledge of academic
language and does participate in learning groups. Country of origin is Mexico.
# of ELs: 2
# of students with IEP: 3
Neighborhood/Community: Upper middle class to middle class, Woods Cross/Bountiful
area, and there are a lot of new and big houses being built.

Lesson Topic: Biomes

Essential Questions:
What resources do humans need to live?
Why would people choose to live in each of the different biomes?
How do people live in each of the different biomes?

Standards:
Common Core State Standards: Social Studies Third Grade
Standard 1 - Students will understand how geography influences community location
and development.

DESK Standards
Explore Relationships between human settlements and the physical environment
o Major world ecosystems/biomes
o Natural resources
o Natural vs man-made features
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Objectives:
Content:
Determine the relationships between human settlement and geography.
Describe how various communities have adapted to existing environments and how
other communities have modified the environment.
Analyze ways cultures use, maintain, and preserve the physical environment.
Language:
Express thoughts and ideas orally regarding the resources humans use.
Participate in discussion about similarities and differences of biomes.
Express important facts in writing.

Materials:
YouTube Access
Projector
Biomes of the World Map colored (1 copy)
Biomes of the World Map uncolored (26 copies)
Kids Discover Spotlight: Biomes article (26 copies)
Colored pencils
Paper

Vocabulary: Biome, grassland, desert, scrubland, tundra, deciduous forest, taiga/coniferous

forest, and tropical rain forest, natural resource, consumer.
Unit Plan: This unit is introducing the different biomes and their attributes. It also involves the
different resources that come from the individual biomes and how humans use them. The big
goals of this unit are for students to be able to list and describe the biomes, give thoughts on
why humans would want to live in each of the biomes, define what a natural resource is,
describe what happens when too many resources are taken up, and what we can do to save
important resources. This lesson is the first one of the unit so it is primarily focused on learning
about each biome and their important qualities. A book will be shown, discussion regarding
biomes with be done, a whole group reading activity, and then a small group activity of creating
graphic organizers.
Procedures Adaptations Rational/Source
Teacher: Review key Write vocabulary words on the white board and Systematic vocabulary
academic vocabulary have the class say them aloud in a chorus. instruction leads to
that directly relates to higher academic
the lesson. achievement for ELLs,
especially for content
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specific words.
(Wright, 2010, pg 160)
Teacher: Read the Display a recording of the book being read on the Use multimedia in
book If I Ran the Rain overhead. lessons to provide
Forest by Bonnie (example: visual supports.
Worth from the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LPhlt66BnQ (SIOP, pg 83)
characters of Dr. Seuss. 2:12-3:50)
Teacher: Ask students Think/pair/share Wait time. Some ELL
what they learned students may be able
about the tropical Circle the room to assist in conversation with to configure the
rainforest biome. those who are struggling to find the right words or majority of what they
who do not have prior knowledge on the subject. want to say in English
but need extra time to
recall new vocabulary.
(Wright, 2010, pg 156)
Teacher: Ask students Think/pair/share Wait time. Some ELL
what other biomes students may be able
they know about and Circle the room to assist in conversation with to configure the
to give some details those who are struggling to find the right words or majority of what they
about them. who do not have prior knowledge on the subject. want to say in English
but need extra time to
recall new vocabulary.
(Wright, 2010, pg 156)
Teacher: Transition to Review vocabulary and new content. Provide repeated
Phase II exposure to words and
concepts. (SIOP, pg 83)
Teacher: Hand out
color by number world
biome map and have
students color it in.
Teacher: Read about Project a copy of Kids Discover Spotlight: Read-alouds. Give
Tropical Rain Forest, Biomes article on the overhead and hand out students access too
Tundra, one to each student. Read out loud while students texts that are beyond
Taiga/Coniferous follow along. their current ability
Forests, Grassland, level. Model fluent
Desert, and Deciduous reading and oral
Forests. production of English.
(Wright, 2010, pg 197)
Teacher: Form a whole Discuss pictures, interesting facts, and other parts Productive talk moves.
group discussion on that there are questions about. Revoicing, repeating,
the article. reasoning, adding on,
and wait time are all
ways that the teacher
can facilitate
meaningful discussion
and assist ELL students
in getting their point
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across. (Wright, 2010,

pg 158)
Teacher: Transition to Review vocabulary, new content, and summarize Provide repeated
Phase III discussion. exposure to words and
concepts. (SIOP, pg 83)
Teacher: Have students Have students work in small groups to provide Graphic organizers are
create a graphic peer support and continue to scaffold for those helpful for ELLs
organizer about what who need it while walking around the room. because they cover
they have learned Students can write and/or draw. the main ideas and key
using the distributed facts represented
materials. visually with a few
words. Can
demonstrate their
comprehension.
(Write, 2010, pg 208)
Teacher: Have each ELL students my choose which fact they would Graphic organizers are
group come up to like to present, using their graphic organizer. Can helpful for ELLs
present on one of the be done by orally communicating their fact, because they cover
biomes. showing what they have written, or showing what the main ideas and key
they have drawn. facts represented
visually with a few
words. Can
demonstrate their
comprehension.
(Write, 2010, pg 208)