KS2 Geography: A Close Look At Developing Experts’ ‘Biomes’ Unit

Our Year 3 ‘Biomes’ unit is among our most exciting KS2 units. Allowing pupils to expand their knowledge of world geography, this unit introduces them to the different biomes located around the world. 

This unit covers the following National Curriculum Attainment Target: ‘Describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts’.

What lessons are included in the unit? 

Every unit in our KS1 and KS2 geography curriculum contains six lessons. In biomes, these are: 

1.What is a biome? 

In this lesson, pupils learn to locate different biomes on a world map and explore unique climate conditions. They use this knowledge to annotate a map in their main activity. 

2. What is a vegetation belt? 

This lesson explores vegetation belts: large areas of land where particular conditions allow certain plants to thrive. For their activity, pupils sort plants into rainforest, desert, grassland and tundra vegetation belts. 

3. Where are deserts located around the world? 

This is a great lesson for tackling misconceptions, as pupils learn that deserts aren’t necessarily hot, but are always very dry. They explore the world’s most famous deserts and examine living things found in each one. 

4. Are all forest biomes the same? 

Some of the world’s biggest biomes are forests, but there are actually three different types: tropical, temperate and boreal. For their activity, pupils separate the characteristics of these different forests. 

5. What is tundra? 

In this lesson, pupils explore where tundra biomes can be found on the Earth and how certain species are specially adapted to live there. For their activity, pupils label and describe the climate in the tundra, using a world map. 

6. Assessment: Why are different biomes important for plants, animals and nature? 

Every sixth lesson in our geography units allows pupils to bring together all the knowledge they’ve gained in the previous five lessons. This lesson explores the natural resources found in each biome and why they are so important for life on Earth.

What else is provided in the unit? 

As with all our science and geography units, every lesson contains a full presentation, handout, keywords, activity guide films, a teacher mastery, embedded AfL questions and a summative quiz. Every unit includes a knowledge organiser for you to print out or display on a screen. 

What makes this unit engaging?  

This unit features some amazingly detailed videos and images. Designed to transport your pupils across the world, every lesson sparks curiosity through carefully curated slides and thoughtfully designed resources. Pupils will learn about places near and far; virtually travelling the globe by exploring each biome, one by one. Whether you’re looking at zebras in the savanna or lichens in the tundra, pupils receive a fully immersive experience in our biomes unit. 

If you’d like to sign up for a free two-week trial of our geography curriculum, head to www.developingexperts.com today.