Topic: Wildlife of the tundra

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 call organisms typical of tundra.

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• discuss the adaptation of tundra plants to harsh climatic conditions;

• recognize selected tundra plants;

• recognize selected tundra animals;

• explain what are the reasons for the migration of animals inhabiting the tundra.

Methods/techniques

• activating

  • discussion.

• expository

  • talk.

• 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

• The teacher asks pupils to bring photos of colored magazines or printed from the Internet to the classes showing the plants and animals found in the tundra..

Introduction

• The teacher explains the aim of the lesson and together with students determines the success criteria to be achieved.

• Selected students present the illustrative material prepared by them before the lesson.
  The teacher encourages the class to ask questions to the presenters, e.g.

  • Why did you choose such examples?

  • What does this photo involve?

  • What this illustration is talking about

  • Why is this scheme important?

  • What is the graphics to tell us about?

Realization

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

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

• Students are selected into groups. Each team on sheets of paper with an outline of the continents marks the tundra areas and makes a collage of photographs showing the life of plants and animals in its area..

• Participants familiarize themselves with the content presented in the interactive illustration. Then the teacher discusses the issues with the students.

Summary

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

• At the end of the class, the teacher asks the students questions:

  • What did you find important and interesting in class?

  • What was easy and what was difficult?

  • How can you use the knowledge and skills you have gained today?

  Willing/selected students summarize the lesson.

Homework

• Develop a lap book containing issues learned during the lesson and bring your work to the next class.

• 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 tundra

Tundra vegetation faces many obstacles that makes its life more challenging. The primary problem is low temperature. It’s cold for the greater part of the year. The remaining 2–4 months are not too warm as well. A problem for vegetation is also the permafrost that prevents it from sprouting roots deep into the soil. Strong winds that break plants that protrude above the thin layer of snow also hinder plant growth.

Mosses and lichens manage fairly well in these conditions. A common species of lichen that can be found in the tundra is reindeer lichen. Grass and other flowering plants grow in the spring, including the beautiful cotton grass. Dwarf shrubs, represented by blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, grow slightly higher. In a short period of time, these plants can sprout leaves, bloom and produce fruit that mature before winter returns.

The largest plants in the tundra are dwarf trees. Their leaves and young shoots are usually covered with a delicate moss, which to a certain degree protects them against frost. Dwarf birch resembles a trailing bush with branches slightly longer than 1 metres, short and frail twigs, and small leaves. Dwarf willows also grow in the tundra, namely: arctic willow and downy willow.

For several warm weeks, the life in the tundra suddenly awakes. Vegetation grows rapidly and developw, providing large quantities of food for herbivores. The winter is very long and cold, that’s why there are relatively few animal species living in the tundra.

All mammals and birds have very thick furs or down feathers. The ones that move on land have large feet, so that they can walk on snow. For winter, many species change the colour of their feathers or fur to white or they are white throughout the entire year. Insects appear only during the summer period; they include mainly mosquitoes and flies. They are fed upon by birds and burdensome for other animals and humans.

Vertebrates include a large number of insectivorous birds that migrate there only for the summer. There is also a large population of herbivorous animal, with the most numerous being small critters called lemmings. Sousliks, mountain hares and ptarmigans – herbivorous birds that in the summer make use of the abundance of food also feed on insects – also live there. Larger herbivores include raindeers and muskoxen from North America that were successfully introduced to the tundra in Europe and Asia.
The tundra has an abundance of predators that feed mainly on lemmings, but also readily hunt birds and hares. Small predators include stoats, weasels and owls. Larger predatory birds include gyrfalcons, whereas large predatory mammals include Arctic foxes, wolves and polar bears that live on the border with the polar desert.

• Plants in the tundra are low, which protects them from being broken by the wind and low temperature.

• Plants that grow in the tundra include herbaceous plants, small shrubs and dwarf trees.

• Trees that grow in the tundra include dwarf birches and various dwarf willows.

• In the summer, the tundra has a large population of insects. Many birds migrate to the tundra during that period for the breeding season.