Contextualization

The planet Earth is composed of a great diversity of landscapes and environments, in which life has developed and adapted in different forms and functions. These regions, known as biomes, are characterized by a main type of vegetation and by the communities of plants and animals that live in them.

A biome is a biological community, that is, fauna and flora and their interactions with each other and with the physical environment: soil, water, and air. Biomes are defined by factors such as the plants that grow in them and the animals that inhabit them. Earth is divided into a variety of biomes, including tropical forests, deserts, savannas, tundras, oceans, and many more.

Biomes play a crucial role in the sustainability of planet Earth. They are extremely important for maintaining the balance of global ecosystems and provide the basis for human life, offering services such as oxygen production, climate control, plant pollination, water purification, biodiversity maintenance, among others.

Despite their importance, many biomes are under threat due to human activities such as pollution, deforestation, urbanization, intensive agriculture, among others. A deep understanding of biomes and their functions is crucial for their protection and conservation.

For this activity, I suggest the following resources for students to base and deepen their knowledge on the subject:

• Book "Fundamentals of Ecology" by Eugene P. Odum: one of the ecology classics, providing comprehensive and up-to-date content on global ecosystems and biomes.
• Documentaries from the BBC series "Planet Earth": available on Netflix, it brings amazing images and provides a detailed view of the planet's different biomes.
• WWF Brazil website: provides information about Brazilian biomes, including their characteristics, biodiversity, and threats.
• IBGE website: brings detailed information about Brazilian biomes, with data and maps.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Building Biomes: A Collaborative Journey"

Project Objective

This project aims to deepen students' understanding of biomes at a global level, their characteristics, biodiversity, and the challenges they face due to human activities. In addition, the activity seeks to develop teamwork skills, time management, research, and oral presentation skills.

Detailed Project Description

Groups of 3 to 5 participants will be responsible for researching, building models, and presenting a specific biome to the class. Each group will be assigned a biome to study and represent. The biomes to be selected from are: Amazon Rainforest, Sahara Desert, Boreal Forest, Tundra, African Savannas, Oceans, and Coral Reefs.

Students will need to not only reproduce the biome in the form of a model representing typical vegetation and animals but also present a detailed study on its characteristics, its function in the global system, human influence on it, and possible conservation measures.

Presentations will be directed to the class and evaluated by all students and the teacher. The oral presentation should last 15-20 minutes, followed by a question round.

Required Materials

1. Research materials: books, internet access, videos, etc.
2. Model materials: cardboard, colored paper, paint, modeling clay, wooden sticks, hot glue, etc.
3. Computer or paper for report elaboration.

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 members.
2. Each group will receive a biome to study.
3. Students will research their respective biomes, including: the geo-ecological description of the biome; the characteristic flora and fauna; the interaction between biota and the physical environment; human threats to the biome; potential conservation solutions.
4. Based on the research, students will build a model representing the assigned biome.
5. Groups will make an oral presentation, explaining the characteristics of their biome, showing and explaining the model.
6. To conclude, each group must prepare a detailed project report, following the topics: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography used.

Project Deliverables

At the end of the project, each group will deliver the following:

1. Biome model: This is the physical and three-dimensional representation of the studied biome. It should depict the vegetation, animals, and, if possible, their interactions.

2. Oral presentation: Each group will have 15-20 minutes to present their biome to the class, explaining the characteristics, challenges, conservation measures, and answering questions.

3. Written report: The report will be a detailed reflection of the work done by the group. It should contain the following topics:

• Introduction: The student must contextualize the studied biome, its location on the planet, relevance and real-world applications, as well as the purpose of this project.
• Development: The student must explain the theory behind the biome, describe the adaptation of living beings, indicate the methodology used for the model construction, and finally present and discuss human impacts on the biome.
• Conclusion: The student must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.
• Bibliography: The student must indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

Students must ensure that the deliverables reflect their understanding of the studied biome. The model, presentation, and report should demonstrate a deep understanding of the biome and its importance for maintaining life on Earth and the threats it faces.