Chapter 7: Soils and Biomes

Chapter Summary

Soils are an integral part of every terrestrial biome. Over the eons, soils and biomes have developed together. Changes in one, perhaps over hundreds or thousands of years, can and will affect the other. Just as the living portions reacts to abiotic factors, so does the soil respond to the biotic (living) material around it. This chapter highlights the links between the world's biomes and the abiotic conditions in which they exist.

Learning Objectives

Students who complete this module will know and be able to:

  • Identify biome types based on descriptions of climate and vegetation.
  • Describe the dominant factor(s) influencing the formation of soil in each biome.
  • Utilize their understanding of soil-forming factors (CLORPT) to determine which soil profile belongs to each biome.

Essential Questions

  • What's below ground in a biome? (Soil is part of the biome itself).
  • How is soil formation in each biome influenced by each of the soil-forming factors (CLORPT)?
  • How does the soil in a biome affect plant and animal life?

Big Ideas

  • Biomes are influenced not only by climatic factors (above-ground) but also by the soils that are located below-ground.
  • Climate and plant type also play an important role in soil formation ("O" in CLORPT).

Additional Teaching Materials

Educators PPT file chapter 7
Click to view

Supplemental Educators PPT file for Chapter 7 (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 19MB Feb15 21)
Click the link above to download the file to your desktop or hard drive.

Printable Materials

Below are links to the printable PDF files used in this module. Educators may choose to print them ahead of class, or download and save them to their computer for future reference.

CLORPT worksheet

Optional Student Worksheets for this chapter are provided below.

Student Worksheet in PDF for Chapter 7 (Acrobat (PDF) 60kB Nov7 21)
Student Worksheet in Word for Chapter 7 (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 25kB Nov7 21)

Teaching Notes and Tips

Students begin this lesson by viewing a slide show and maps of the World's ecosystems. They then use several online resources to connect soil formation and biomes. Students complete one of several GIS activities and consider how human and/or natural variations in climate can alter the soil and related ecosystems.

Time required : 300 minutes, or 5 class periods
Tools and Technology needed: Computers, PowerPoint.

In this module students connect biomes to soil. To complete the module, students complete a variety of readings, activities, and labs. Before beginning the module read through the lessons, and acquire needed materials and technology. Download and review the teaching materials, available videos, websites, and PowerPoint files. Print out any handouts that will be needed. In order to reduce the amount of time needed in the classroom, some activities can be assigned as homework or made optional.

Students work with an online multimedia tool to explore world biomes. Educators will want to familiarize themselves with the program before class begins. Students return to several activities from earlier modules, in order to make the connection between soil formation factors and biomes. Either reprint the worksheets from these earlier lessons or have students save and review their work.

Students work with an online GIS program in this module. Educators may choose to display the lesson or have students work at individual computers. To conclude the module, students design an investigation of their own. Some students will need additional scaffolding in order to complete the task.

Science Standards (NGSS)

Performance Expectations

HS ESS2-2
HS LS2-6



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