The factors affecting biome distribution
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how climate and local factors affect biome distribution.
Key learning points
- On a large-scale, climate is the main factor affecting the distribution of biomes.
- Local factors (altitude, rock and soil type and drainage) can affect local biome distribution.
- Biotic and abiotic components interact within biomes, reflecting these large-scale and small-scale factors.
Keywords
Climate - the average weather conditions (such as rainfall and temperature) recorded over a 30-year period
Altitude - the height above sea level
Drainage - the distribution, storage and movement of water in the environment
Common misconception
Within a given biome, the plants and animals are the same everywhere.
Small-scale variation occurs within global biomes due to local factors.
Teacher tip
The first learning cycle of this lesson provides opportunities for checking and reinforcing pupils' understanding of weather and climate.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Global biomes are large-scale ecosystems defined by their main type.
Q2.On which of these continents are tropical rainforests not found?
Q3.Which of these terms is used by geographers to refer to the spread of something?
Q4.The pattern of biomes is broadly latitudinal, with tropical rainforests near the and tundra nearer the poles.
Q5.Determine the biome from the following description of a biome's climate characteristics: high daytime but low night-time temperatures, plus extremely low rainfall across the year.
Q6.Which global biome would be most likely to have the climate characteristics shown in this climate graph?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Climate is the average weather conditions over a period of a minimum of years.
Q2.Why is it hotter at the Equator than at the poles?
Q3.Which key climatic factors influence the distribution of biomes?
Q4.Match these global climate zones to the biomes most likely to be found in them.
tropical rainforest
tropical grassland (savanna)
desert
temperate deciduous forest
coniferous forest
Q5.Put these biomes in the order they are most likely to be found in the Northern Hemisphere, going from the Arctic Circle to the Equator.
Q6.What local factors affect biome distribution?
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: The factors affecting biome distribution, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: The factors affecting biome distribution, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 geography lessons from the Ecosystems, biomes and the biosphere unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.