A giant biome project was not in my repertoire this year. I wasn’t in the mood to grade posters, dioramas or presentations. So, I decided to have students get a little competitive and creative. The beginning of the project was individual- they had to keep their biome a secret. They of course had to gather data: temperature, climate, annual rainfall etc. I also had them discover their biomes human risk factor, biodiversity and flora and fauna. With a little bit of geography and physical maps added in. They spent three days gathering their evidence. Then, I put a twist on it.
They had to create a character- their biome had to be personified and I gave them a profile they needed to complete about their ‘biome character.’ Questions: What is your favorite meal- spicy or mild? (Temperature) What is your career? (Niche) Where do you live? (Latitude) etc. Then I had them write a corny ‘pick up line’ and draw a profile picture. The later could only be used as a last resort- if they did not identify their biome.
Then every student was given a table number (pairs) and one was designated as the R-rotator and the other S-Stay putter. Then they were given 90 seconds to ask as many questions about the biome of their partner. Then the roles reversed. 3 minutes later they confirmed or denied their identity. They went through 8 rounds of ‘speed dating.’ At the end I had them ‘mingle’ – they found two people they hadn’t talked to and asked two questions to see if they could identify them too.
There was an A rotation and a B rotation so some of the students did not interview one another. Then lastly, I had students find their partner (the same biome as them) if they hadn’t already. They compared notes. This was a fun way for them to be competitive, active listeners and speakers. I walked around and listened to their conversations. They were very engaged and were trying to trick their ‘opponent’ by providing very cryptic information. It was a fun day.
Tomorrow as a closure activity, students will complete a quick survey of the difference between the main biomes: forest, desert, grassland, marine, fresh water, taiga, and tundra. Todays were much more specific: dry desert, cold desert, temperate rain forest, savannah, marsh and swamp just to name a few. This made it challenging to identify them. The speed also kept them on target and focused. They were determined to get them all correct, so they really needed to pay attention.
This activity- speed dating could be used for almost any topic where there are a lot of examples. Body systems, Elements on the Periodic Table, Genres of literature, even Mathematical Shapes. It is easy to set up, easy to grade and it lends itself to one class period and some time to reflect. It is engaging for students and teacher friendly. All you need is a timer, a student organizer and some gumption. Things will go wrong- they did for me. Students will go to the wrong table, students will be absent, and students won’t have their assignment done. But- they will have their research, and that will allow them to proceed.
It didn’t get super loud, students followed directions. They asked a particular set of questions I provided, or they chose their own prompts. They had a good time trying to hide the truth, only to have to share it in the end. It was very interesting to watch them cooperate with one another and interact with those they don't normally speak to. Finally, it was very collaborative and pressure free, because they could use their organizer as a safety net. This allowed my ESL students to feel comfortable in the activity.
I was worried things would not go as planned. I fretted over it. But, in the end it didn’t go exactly as planned- it went better, because they adapted, I adapted. They activity was meant to be like a giant dichotomous key, leading every student to an answer. They figured this out and even commented to each other, "This is like a dichotomous key, pretty cool." It proved to me that all my classes are motivated, adventurous and down-right excited to try new things. This was the first time I have done this and it definitely wont be my last.
Thank you to the teachers who created the base of this lesson- I used yours as inspiration. My students are 7th graders and thus it needed a bit of tweaking from a high school lesson to a junior high one. But, I was inspired by those who came before me, like all educators. I salute you.
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