Changing Biomes for Food

Overview

In this third lesson of Biomes and Food Futures, students investigate how land-use decisions transform Queensland biomes to increase food production. They interpret before-and-after images, maps and data, then construct cause-and-effect explanations that consider both productivity gains and environmental costs.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• explain how people alter biomes through land clearing, irrigation, grazing, fertiliser use and infrastructure
• interpret maps, images and data showing environmental change in Queensland
• connect changes in biome features to food production and productivity
• evaluate trade-offs between increased output, human wellbeing and biodiversity

Success criteria

• I can explain how humans alter biomes to produce more food.
• I can use evidence from images, maps and data to explain change over time.
• I can describe benefits and costs of altering a biome.
• I can evaluate whether a change is sustainable, using geographical evidence.

Curriculum links

• Human wellbeing: explaining how the diverse features and characteristics of places and environments change over time
• Human wellbeing: analysing processes and interactions that transform people, places and environments
• Environmental change and management: assessing approaches to managing and protecting places and environments
• Environmental sustainability: analysing the impact of human activity on the natural world

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook: Queensland before and after. Teacher displays the before-and-after Queensland land-use images and asks, “What has changed, and why might people have made these changes?” Students silently note three visible changes, then share observations with a partner and distinguish observations from possible explanations.

2. 8–18 min · Direct teaching: altering a biome. Teacher uses the biome-change teaching slides to define biome alteration and model a causal chain: clearing vegetation → larger grazing area → increased cattle production → habitat loss and reduced biodiversity. Students annotate a quick five-part table, recording the human action, intended production benefit and possible environmental impact for clearing, irrigation, grazing, fertiliser and infrastructure.

3. 18–35 min · Evidence investigation. Teacher distributes the Queensland biome change investigation worksheet and explains the map and data-reading questions. In pairs, students interpret a Queensland land-cover or deforestation map and accompanying data, identify spatial and temporal patterns, and answer questions such as: “Where is change concentrated?”, “What evidence suggests land is being modified for food production?” and “How might productivity change as a result?”

4. 35–48 min · Cause-and-effect explanation. Teacher models how to connect evidence using “because”, “therefore” and “however”, then directs students to complete the causal-chain section of the Queensland biome change investigation worksheet. Students explain one alteration in detail, linking the human action to changed biome features, food output and at least one environmental consequence.

5. 48–56 min · Trade-off discussion. Teacher displays the trade-off discussion prompt and organises a structured pair discussion: “Should land be cleared if it increases food production?” Students use their completed evidence to state a benefit, a cost and a judgement about the change. Selected pairs share responses, while the class identifies whose wellbeing may benefit and who or what may be adversely affected.

6. 56–60 min · Plenary and exit check. Teacher revisits the plenary questions and asks students to complete the final response on the Queensland biome change investigation worksheet: “One way humans alter biomes is … This can increase food production by … but may reduce wellbeing or environmental sustainability because …” Students submit the worksheet for assessment.

Resources

• the Changing Biomes for Food slide deck
• the Queensland biome change investigation worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Queensland biome and land-use maps
• Queensland deforestation or land-cover change data
• Coloured pens or highlighters
• Whiteboard and markers
• Vocabulary support displayed on the board: biome, land clearing, irrigation, grazing, productivity, biodiversity, trade-off

Assessment

• Listen for students distinguishing observable evidence from assumptions during the image hook.
• Check pair work for accurate interpretation of map patterns, data and cause-and-effect relationships.
• Collect the completed worksheet and use the final response to assess whether students explain biome alteration, connect it to food production and evaluate a benefit and cost.

Differentiation

• Support students with sequenced before-and-after images, a partially completed causal chain and a word bank. Provide sentence starters such as: “Clearing changes the biome by…”, “This may increase production because…” and “A cost is…”.
• Give EAL/D learners labelled visuals, paired discussion before writing and explicit teaching of “productivity”, “biodiversity”, “deforestation” and “trade-off”. Read data questions aloud where appropriate.
• For students requiring additional support, reduce the investigation to one map pattern and one data comparison, and provide a completed example before independent work.
• Extension students compare two alteration strategies, rank their benefits and costs, and recommend a management approach that could maintain food production while protecting biodiversity. They must justify their judgement with at least two pieces of evidence.

Extension

• Students write a short recommendation to a Queensland land manager proposing one way to increase food production while reducing biodiversity loss.
• Students predict how the selected biome might look in 20 years if current land-use trends continue, identifying one uncertainty in their prediction.