Exploring Ecosystems: Biomes and Niches
Understanding Our Natural World Grade 6 Science
What is an Environment?
Everything around a living thing Includes air, water, soil, and other organisms Provides everything needed for survival Examples: forest, ocean, desert, your backyard
Vocabulary Match Challenge
Work in groups of 5 students Match vocabulary words to definitions Use the index cards provided Discuss your answers with teammates
Understanding Biomes
Large areas with similar climate and plants Six major biomes on Earth Each has unique characteristics Examples: rainforest, desert, grassland, tundra
What is a Niche?
"A niche is an organism's special job or role in its environment - like being nature's cleanup crew or the neighborhood's food delivery service!"
Niche Examples in Action
{"left":"Bees: Pollinate flowers while collecting nectar\nSharks: Control fish populations as top predators\nEarthworms: Break down dead material in soil\nWoodpeckers: Control insect pests in trees","right":"Provide food and shelter for ecosystem\nMaintain balance between species\nRecycle nutrients back to environment\nKeep forests healthy and pest-free"}
Think and Discuss
What would happen if all the bees disappeared from a forest biome? How would this affect other organisms? Turn and talk with your partner for 2 minutes
Understanding Populations
All organisms of the same species in an area Examples: pack of wolves, school of fish, forest of oak trees Populations can grow or shrink based on resources Multiple populations make up a community