This looks like resources and lesson sequence for 3rd grade
<http://smithbiome.weebly.com/>written by a teacher.
I've used this Santa Barbara site
<http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/index.html>with elementary kids.
Looks like Toronto PL
<http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/kidsspace/genCategory15850.html> has
some vetted sites.
Possibly this Berkeley site
<http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/> is at the right
reading level.
I'd love to know what you end up deciding as I'm doing a workshop for K-12
science teachers in a district later this year using biomes (their
request). In turn I can let you know what I end up doing...
best,
debbie
NoodleTools / NoodleTeach
On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 12:31 PM, MaryAnn Scheuer <greatkidbooks@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Hi Jeff and BAISL colleagues
We've had good success using & promoting TrueFlix books for grades 3-5,
both for research reports and for nonfiction reading units. They have a set
that are specifically looking at biomes--you can also find these as print
books, but the online access have even more features. Deserts, by Peter
Benoit (Children's Press / Scholastic, 2011) starts with looking how nature
makes a desert, and then looks at man-made deserts and how people and
cities have changed the deserts of the world. The final two chapters look
at how people and animals adapt to life in deserts.
Other features I've really noticed teachers and students liking include:
unlimited student access (no checkout required) for the unabridged books,
read-aloud feature with pretty good speech, and good nonfiction text
features.
Each TrueFlix book also comes with recommended websites. Below, I'll paste
the list of recommended sites about deserts.
Hope this is helpful --
Mary Ann Scheuer
Berkeley Unified School District
Great Kid Books
Digital Desert Library <http://ddl.nmsu.edu/>
Materials for the study of the geological and environmental features of
deserts, with emphasis on the Chihuahuan Desert. With classroom activities,
games, and teacher resources. From New Mexico State University's College of
Agriculture and Home Economics.
77DegreesSouth Website - Welcome to the Dry Valleys!
<http://huey.colorado.edu/77DegreesSouth/>
Fun online journal from the McMurdo Dry Valleys--"one of the most extreme
deserts on the planet." Written for students by members of the McMurdo Dry
Valleys Long Term Ecological Research Program (known as the Stream Team).
Animal Planet : Map of World Biomes
<http://web.archive.org/web/20130210014912/http://animal.discovery.com/guides/mammals/habitat/map.html>
This interactive map leads to information about the world's biomes. From
the Animal Planet TV channel.
Africa: Life in the Sahara
<http://web.archive.org/web/20140702221306/http://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/africa/exhibit/sahara/>
Why is this desert so important to Africans? How do people survive its
harsh, dry climate? Answers to these and other questions about the Sahara
are provided on this page of an online exhibition on Africa mounted by the
California Academy of Sciences.
Arizona Desert Plants <http://www.azgfd.gov/video/DesertPlants.shtml>
A video introduction to the desert plants of Arizona, including the
jojoba, the prickly pear, and the ocotillo. From the Arizona Game and Fish
Department.
Desert Bloom <http://www.bbc.com/programmes/p00lx461>
This video segment from the BBC documentary series 'The Private Life of
Plants' shows how desert plants spring to life as the desert rains begin.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Education - Learn Online
<http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/online_fun.php>
A variety of information, for students, about the environment and wildlife
of North America's Sonoran Desert and deserts in general. From the
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (in Tucson, Ariz.).
Greatest Places: Namib Page
<http://www.greatestplaces.org/book_pages/namib2.htm>
Part of an online companion to OMNIfilm's 'The Greatest Places'
(maintained by the Science Museum of Minnesota), this page is devoted to
the Namib Desert in Africa. Among other things, it includes a map, a video,
and notes on the Namib prepared by Prof. Cecil Keen, Univ. of Minnesota.
The 10 Driest Places on Earth
<http://www.livescience.com/30627-10-driest-places-on-earth.html>
An image gallery of the places on Earth "where rain rarely falls, and in
some cases hasn't fallen in millions of years." From LifeScience, an online
magazine published by Purch, Inc.
What's It Like Where You Live? DESERTS
<http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/index.htm>
All about deserts for younger students: types, locations, plants, and
animals. With pictures and diagrams. From the Missouri Botanical Gardens.
Saguaro National Park <http://www.nps.gov/sagu/learn/index.htm>
The National Park Service Web site devoted to Saguaro National Park.
Includes a Q&A guide to the unique saguaro cactus, photos and panoramas of
Sonoran Desert landscapes, and information on numerous desert animals.
Kalahari: The Great Thirstland
<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/kalahari-introduction/2789/>
PBS 'Nature' documentary and its companion Web site explore the natural
world of the Kalahari Desert. Includes video segments featuring the African
bullfrog, the tropical fish eagle, and other animals.
Biomes and Ecosystems - Windows to the Universe
<http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/ecosystems.html>
Primer on biomes and ecosystems; for "Beginner," "Intermediate," and
"Advanced" levels. (Also discusses pollution that is sending many
ecosystems out of balance.) From Windows to the Universe (University
Corporation for Atmospheric Research).
Desert vs. Tundra
<http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/slm/student/baileya/dropin4.htm>
Visit the two sites listed on this page and write down the characteristics
of the desert and the tundra. Then using the Venn diagram, document the
similarities and differences of each biome. (From the McDaniel School
Library Media Program.)
On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 11:04 AM, Junia Ziblay <jziblay@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Jeff,
We had the same issues locating resources for our 5th grade biome project
and ended up using the CIA factbook:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/
Otherwise, the students tried a variety of databases (World Book online)
that were unsatisfactory.
I’ll let you know if I come up with any other resources and would be
grateful for any ideas.
With gratitude,
Junia
*Junia Ziblay Librarian Marin Primary & Middle School 20 Magnolia Avenue
Larkspur, CA 94939 www.mpms.org <http://www.mpms.org/> tel: 415.413.9086
<415.413.9086> fax: 415.924.9351 <415.924.9351> jziblay@xxxxxxxx
<jziblay@xxxxxxxx>*
From: <baisl-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of jeff chang <
jchang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: "baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Monday, March 21, 2016 at 5:35 PM
To: "baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <baisl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [baisl] environmental articles for 5th grade
Hi All,
I'm working on an interdisciplinary project with the 5th grade team and
am having a hard time finding 5th grade level articles. I've mostly been
looking at Newsela and Time for Kids.
Specifically we're looking at different biomes
taiga
tundra
deciduous forest
rain forest
savannah/grassland
polar marine
desert
and trying to find articles where there is human conflict over the land.
For example, an article about arctic oil drilling perspectives for the
polar marine biome would work.
Right now I'm looking for articles about desert conflict and am not
finding any that are 5th grade appropriate. Any ideas where to look?
Thanks!
Jeff
--
Jeff Chang
Middle School Librarian
Prospect Sierra School
960 Avis Dr.
El Cerrito, CA 94530
--
Mary Ann
*what I'm reading now: Raymie Nightingale, by Kate DiCamillo *
*what I'm listening to now: **A Night Divided, by Jennifer Nielsen*
check out my blog to find new books to read with your kids!
*Great Kid Books <http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com>*
http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com
