In this project, students were paired with one other student in the class and required to teach the class about a biome of their choice. This project allowed for flexibility and creativity, as students were only expected to choose a geographical location where this biome was present and create a visual display of the biome in order to teach the class about the components of the selected biome, including climate, species, etc. (as seen in the project description below). As you look at the products, observe the care and attention to detail that students devoted to these assignments. Prior to this project, students were taught by a teacher who used mostly lectures, which were supplemented by vocabulary worksheets, and students were asked to teach the class on occasion using powerpoint presentations or posters.
After I distributed the project descriptions and gave a brief overview of the project, students were eager to begin, asking where they could find various materials and wondering if they could create games or sculptures. Students were told, "The sky is the limit" and, as a class, they created two games, two sculptures, and one advertisement. Students were then required to take notes all presentations, including the remaining biomes that I presented using a powerpoint presentation. In some cases, students left out information in their presentation that I deemed important about the biome, and so I was prepared to ask questions of the pairs and fill in patches of missing information when necessary.
After I distributed the project descriptions and gave a brief overview of the project, students were eager to begin, asking where they could find various materials and wondering if they could create games or sculptures. Students were told, "The sky is the limit" and, as a class, they created two games, two sculptures, and one advertisement. Students were then required to take notes all presentations, including the remaining biomes that I presented using a powerpoint presentation. In some cases, students left out information in their presentation that I deemed important about the biome, and so I was prepared to ask questions of the pairs and fill in patches of missing information when necessary.
Student Work: Mountain biome project, focusing on an Alaskan mountain.
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Above are the student biome projects. The left is a display created for the mountain biome, a sculpture based off of a mountain in Alaska, which was accompanied by an informational poster. The image on the right is the spinner created for the presentation of tropical desert biomes, using a game about Australia as a method to present the material to the class. Below is a student-constructed advertisement, explaining the benefits of vacationing in the Chaparral Biome.
Included below is the biome project description and rubric that were given to students at the start of the project.
