Author: labuser

Habitat Unit plan

Cullowhee Valley School
Edited By: Kelley Haney

Calling all Explorers in the Cullowhee Area!

Calling all explores in the Cullowhee area! The Cullowhee area sits in the midst of a lush, green valley that is surrounded by the temperate deciduous forest of the Appalachian Mountains. Western North Carolina is but one of a few biomes that make up the continents of the world. A biome is a major regional or global community that is characterized by the dominant forms of plant life and prevailing climate. These include tropical rain forest, coniferous forest, grassland, tundra, temperate deciduous forest, desert, and for the purposes of this unit, aquatic biomes. Throughout this unit we will explore various habitats within each of these biomes. Habitats of similar climate make up a biome. A habitat is the place where an animal or a plant species lives.
Before our journey can begin we must learn what we are looking for. This will be done through an online exploration of the biomes around the world. Our habitat exploration will begin in our own backyard. We will explore the habitats that lie right outside our window in the temperate deciduous forest. Explorers, don’t forget your log books. We will take a look at what makes up the habitats we find through the use of digital cameras and document our findings. Throughout our journey we will discover what it takes for an animal to survive and we will find out if our animals have what it takes to survive the stresses of their environment. Our journey does not end here. Next, we will journey where no explorers have gone before. We will journey to the place where imagination and learning meet. You will get the chance to create your own animal using KidPix, but you are responsible for the survival of that animal in its habitat. As our journey comes to an end, we will see the devastating effects of many factors on habitats throughout the world. You, as a habitat explorer will be challenged to make a difference by emailing our state and/or national representatives with your concerns over the dangers of habitat destruction.
Pack your bags Habitat Explorers and get ready for a fun-filled journey that is getting ready to take off!
Sources:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome
http://library.thinkquest.org/11922/habitats/habitats.htm

Ms. Kelley Haney 5th Grade Teacher

Secondary Story Headline

Here are some books that I thought you all might enjoy reading and looking at as we begin to think about biomes and habitats.
Books of Interest
Call of the River—Writing and Photographs Selected & edited
By Page Stegner
Forest Animals: Questions and Answers About
By Michael Chinery
The Island
By Gary Paulsen
A River Ran Wild
By Lynne Cherry
Endangered habitats
By Jenny Tesar
Habitats
By Peter Riley
Kids Easy-To-Create Wildlife
Habitats
By Emily Stetson
I See A Kookaburra! : Discovering Animal Habitats Around The World
By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Volume 1, Issue 1

February 2006

Special points of interest:
Habitats are places where animals and plants live.
Biomes are regional or global communities that are characterized by the basic vegetation forms and climate.
This newsletter is calling all 5th grade explorers in the Cullowhee area.

Inside this issue:

Pictures about unit	2
Previous student work from this unit	3
Summary of Assessment procedures for this unit	4

Credit: Kelley Haney
Habitats are not only on land, but are in the water, freshwater and saltwater. Habitats exist in the tidal flats shown to the right in the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet outside of Anchorage, Alaska.

This is the sight that most of us are probably more used to seeing here in the Appalachian Mountains. A trickling stream quietly makes its way to its final destination. However, that is not the only habitat in this photograph. Can you guess what the other habitat pictured here is?

Credit: Kelley Haney
Many habitats are waiting to be discovered. Just as each rainbow is a precious jewel waiting to be found, so too are the habitats that lie in the neighborhoods and communities around each of us. What habitats can you find in this picture that was taken in southern Alaska? There are at least three so look hard! Think about the photographs above and the habitats mentioned in those.

Credit: Kelley Haney
This is a glacier lake named Portage Glacier Lake. It lies just outside Anchorage, Alaska. Not only is a water habitat shown here, but a mountain habitat is also pictured here. On the mountains above this lake reside Doll sheep.

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Cullowhee Valley School
Edited By: Kelley Haney

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Habitat Unit plan