What Biomes Give Us?

Overview

In this first lesson of the Biomes and Food Futures unit, students investigate how biomes provide resources that support human wellbeing. Using the ingredients of a Big Mac as a starting point, they trace products to biomes, classify resources as renewable or non-renewable, and form an evidence-based geographical viewpoint about whether exploiting biomes is necessary for human survival.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• explain how biomes provide food, fibre, timber, medicine, water and carbon storage
• distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources
• use geographical evidence to explain the value of biomes to people
• evaluate the viewpoint that exploiting biomes is necessary for human survival
• understand the Research-based Task, command terms and marking criteria for this unit

Success criteria

• I can explain why biomes are valuable to people.
• I can distinguish between renewable and non-renewable resources and justify my classification.
• I can identify evidence from a resource and use it to support a geographical viewpoint.
• I can explain what command terms such as describe, explain, analyse and assess require me to do.

Curriculum links

• Human wellbeing and development: explaining how the features and characteristics of places and environments change over time.
• Processes and interactions: analysing how human activities transform people, places and environments.
• Environmental management: assessing approaches to managing and protecting places and environments.
• Geographical tools: applying tools to acquire, organise and process geographical information.
• Science environmental sustainability: analysing the impact of human activity on the natural world.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Hook: Big Mac biomes. Teacher displays the Big Mac ingredients hook and asks, “How many different biomes helped make this meal?” Students identify likely ingredients, predict their origins and discuss whether one place could supply everything. Invite several responses without correcting them initially.

2. 8–18 min · Direct teaching: what biomes provide. Teacher uses the biome resource teaching slides to define a biome and introduce food, fibre, timber, medicine, freshwater and carbon storage, linking each resource to examples such as grasslands, forests, freshwater systems and tropical biomes. Students annotate a simple resource table and complete a quick think-pair-share: “Which resource is most important for human wellbeing, and why?”

3. 18–25 min · Renewable or non-renewable? Teacher models classification using timber and coal, clarifying that renewable resources can replenish when managed sustainably, while non-renewable resources form extremely slowly and are finite. Students classify five examples on the differentiated Biome Resource Value worksheet and justify one decision using the sentence frame: “This resource is ___ because…”.

4. 25–42 min · Independent investigation. Teacher distributes the differentiated Biome Resource Value worksheet and explains the three levels: Support includes a pre-populated resource list, visuals and sentence starters; Core requires independent classification and justification; Extension asks students to rank resources most at risk from bushfire-driven biome loss. Students identify the biome connected to each resource, classify it, explain its value, and respond to: “Is exploiting biomes necessary for human survival?” Circulate, question reasoning and check that students use evidence rather than opinion alone.

5. 42–52 min · Evidence discussion and viewpoint. Teacher displays the evidence discussion and viewpoint prompts and conducts a structured pair exchange. Students share one claim, one piece of worksheet evidence and one qualification, using: “Biomes are valuable because…”, “Evidence for this is…”, and “However, exploitation can…”. Select contrasting responses to compare how scale, sustainability and human needs affect conclusions.

6. 52–58 min · Research-based Task briefing. Teacher uses the Research-based Task and criteria slides to explain the upcoming task: students will research how a selected biome provides resources, how human activities have changed it over time, and which management approach could improve sustainability. Explicitly teach command terms: describe means state features; explain means give reasons and links; analyse means break information into parts and relationships; assess means make a judgement using evidence. Students highlight the criteria: geographical knowledge, reliable research evidence, explanation of change and impacts, assessment of management, and clear geographical communication.

7. 58–60 min · Exit check. Teacher displays the plenary and exit questions. Students submit three brief responses: one valuable biome resource, its renewable or non-renewable status with a reason, and a justified answer to whether exploiting biomes is necessary for survival.

Resources

• the Biomes and Food Futures lesson deck
• the differentiated Biome Resource Value worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Whiteboard and markers
• Student exercise books or digital note-taking space
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Research-based Task overview and marking criteria included in the slide deck
• Optional local biome photographs for discussion

Assessment

• Listen for accurate biome-resource connections during the Big Mac hook and check classifications during the teacher circulation.
• Collect or scan the worksheet, focusing on evidence-based justifications and the distinction between renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Use the exit check to identify misconceptions and whether students can form a supported geographical viewpoint. Revisit weak command-term understanding before the next lesson.

Differentiation

• Support learners receive the worksheet version with a pre-populated resource list, labelled visuals, a word bank and sentence starters. Read key instructions aloud and allow speech-to-text or oral responses where appropriate.
• EAL/D students may use labelled images, partner rehearsal and the frames “Biomes provide ___ for people because ___” and “This resource is renewable/non-renewable because ___”.
• Students requiring additional support can complete fewer examples with teacher conferencing and a partially completed model.
• Advanced learners rank resources most at risk from bushfire-driven loss, justify their ranking using risk, ecosystem recovery and human dependence, and identify a limitation in their viewpoint.