Topic: Wildlife of the steppe

Supplementary material for use in lessons in the group of natural sciences (nature, biology, chemistry, geography, physics), additional classes, science clubs. It can serve as a resource for expanding knowledge, preparing students for science competitions.

Target group

5th‑grade students of elementary school (geography).

Core curriculum

Grade V Geography

IV. Landscapes of the world: humid equatorial forest and temperate forest, savannah and steppe, hot and ice desert, taiga and tundra, Mediterranean, high altitude Himalayas; zonation and climatological vegetation in the world.

Pupil:

3) presents the main features and compares the known landscapes of the world and recognizes them in descriptions, films and illustrations;

4) recognizes plants and animals typical of the landscapes;

General aim of education

Students recognize and name the organisms typical of the steppe.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• discuss the adaptation of steppe plants to living in a temperate continental climate;

• to recognize steppe animals;

• indicate adaptation of animals to live in the steppe.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • brainstorming.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers;

• large sheets of paper with a continental outline, glue, scissors, crayons.

Lesson plan overview

Before classes

• Before the lesson, the teacher asks students to look for pictures of plants and animals found in the steppes in colorful magazines and online.

Introduction

• The teacher gives the topic, the goals of the lesson in a language understandable for the student, and the criteria of success.

Realization

• The teacher asks students to read the abstract themselves, paying particular attention to the illustrations.

• The teacher presents and discusses the photo gallery. Students analyze the illustrations and answer the teacher's questions.

• Teams receive their own work - a map of the world. The task of each team is to make a collage of photos depicting the wealth of life on the steppes.

• The teacher presents and discusses the interactive illustration. He then divides the students into groups and recommends that each of them carry out an in‑depth analysis of one of the points presented in the diagram, based on available sources of information (e.g. internet, atlas or encyclopedia). Students present the results of work in groups. Each team ends their presentation with the wording of the conclusions.

Summary

• The teacher asks students to carry out the recommended interactive exercise themselves.

Homework

• Listen to the abstract recording at home. Pay attention to pronunciation, accent and intonation. Learn to pronounce the words learned during the lesson.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Wildlife of the steppe

At the temperate latitude on both hemispheres there are large, woodless areas – steppes. They are dominated by perennial grasses and herbaceous plants that have adapted to survive the hot, dry summer and cold winter. The most diverse vegetation is present on meadow (grass) steppes, on black soils in Eastern Europe and in North America. Rainfall on these steppes are slightly higher than on continental steppes in Asia. Apart from grasses that grow up to 2 metres tall, tulips, hyacinths, irises, pasqueflowers and pheasant's eyes also bloom there in spring. Plants store rainwater in bulbs and tubers that allow them to survive draughts. Other plants have thick, long roots and draw water from deeper layers of the soil.

In steppe regions with a more arid climate, soils are poorer and vegetation is more scarce. Grasses are dominated by feather grass characterised by thin, arid, hard and bristle‑like leaves and beautiful, white and long inflorescences. Such steppes can be found in Central Asia and South America.

Steppes can also be found on highly salinated soils. Grass is sparse and arid, whereas other plants often have barbed leaves. They can also have a bitter taste, like wormwood for instance, so animals don’t want to eat it. Such type of steppe is called a wormwood steppe and can be found primarily on the border with saline semi‑deserts in Central Asia.

Grasses and other herbaceous plants growing on the steppe are the primary source of nutrition for many herbivorous animals. The steppe is where large ungulates live. Due to the absence of any shelter, they have to run very fast (saiga antelopes and gazelles). Other animals live in herds large enough that predators no longer represent such a huge threat (bisons, horses). There’s also many herbivorous mammals that often build burrows in soft ground and use them to hide from predators. These mammals live in large colonies (e.g. prairie dogs, groundhogs or sousliks) where some of the animals stand guard and warn the herd of any impending danger. Other critters live on their own or in small family group (mice, hamsters).

Predatory mammals are small, which allows them to come close to their victim without being spotted. They mainly include wolves, coyotes and foxes. Predatory birds that inhabit the steppe include, for instance: buzzards, hawks and kestrels as well as larger but rarely seen eagles and vultures. Due to the absence of trees, all of them have to build their nests on the ground and are also at risk of being attacked by other predators. Other birds that inhabit the steppe, like partridges, quails and bustards, also have trouble with finding shelter.

On the other hand invertabrates, especially insects (ants, grasshopper, locusts) and arachnids, are very numerous. Reptiles can be found quite rarely (turtles, snakes, lizards)

• Due to the climatic conditions on the steppe, grasses and herbaceous plants are able to grow there, but trees can be found only near rivers.

• Vegetation on the steppes has adapted to draw water from the deepest layers of the soil.

• Animals that inhabit the steppes are large, fast‑running ungulates or small critters that live in burrows.