The study of biomes is an important part of the Montessori curriculum, as it helps children understand the diversity of life on Earth and the interconnectedness of all living things. Biomes are large areas of the Earth with similar climates and plant and animal life. With our new materials, Biomes Puzzle Maps, children can see how the Earth is divided into biomes, regardless of political borders. Our puzzles contain major biomes such as tropical rainforests, deserts, grasslands, temperate forests, mountains, wetlands, and tundra.
As with many of our Montessori-aligned materials, our large puzzles can be accompanied by a variety of materials that children can use to learn about biomes. These materials may include:
Research Cards: Our research cards can be used in various ways. For example, a child might read the research cards before working on a puzzle to learn more about the topic of the puzzle. Or, a child might read the research cards after working on a puzzle to review what they have learned.
Task Cards: The task cards can ask children to identify the different biomes on a puzzle, describe each biome’s characteristics, or compare and contrast the different biomes. They can also serve as instructions so children can work on the puzzles at their own pace. The task cards can help you provide children with the appropriate level of challenge.
Control Chart for Puzzle Map: Children can use the control chart to organize the puzzle pieces outside the frame. They can also superimpose the puzzle pieces on the control chart. This practice is ideal for beginners!
Control Chart (included with the Task Cards): This control chart is included with the set of task cards. It can be used as a visual reference while using the task cards.
Blank Control Chart (included with the Task Cards): This blank chart is also included with the set of task cards. It is reproducible and can be colored and labeled. This allows children to internalize the knowledge and save a copy of their work.
Learning About Biomes from Around the World
Our set of Biomes Puzzle Maps includes a puzzle for each continent except Antarctica. All puzzles measure 22.5″ x 17.5″ and fit in our standard Puzzle Maps Cabinets.
The North American biome puzzle includes the temperate forests, grasslands, mountains, tundra, wetlands/aquatic environments, tropical forests, and deserts of North America. Children can learn about the different types of trees that grow in temperate forests, the animals that live in the grasslands, and the adaptations that plants and animals have made to survive in the desert.
The South American biome puzzle includes information on the climate, plants, and animals in various biomes: tropical forests, temperate forests, grasslands, wetlands, deserts, and mountains of South America.
The European biome puzzle includes information about the climate, plants, and animals from Europe’s temperate forests, grasslands, tundra, aquatic environments, and mountains. Children will observe similarities with North American biomes, and different with biomes in the southern hemispheres, which contain more diversified biomes.
The Asian biome puzzle includes information about the climate, plants, and animals from the tropical forests, grasslands, tundra, deserts, and mountains of Asia. Children can observe that the continent is covered with tundra, temperate forests, and grasslands towards the north, whereas the land contains more tropical forests towards the equator.
The African biome puzzle includes information about the climate, plants, and animals from the tropical forests, grasslands, deserts, and mountains of Africa. Children can learn about deserts, which are home to a variety of plants and animals that have adapted to survive in these harsh conditions, grasslands with scattered trees and shrubs, and temperate forests, which are home to a variety of trees and animals, including many that are found nowhere else in the world.
The Oceanian biome puzzle includes information about the climate, plants, and animals from tropical forests, temperate forests, deserts, grasslands, and aquatic environments of Oceania. This includes the tropical forests in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands and temperate forests in New Zealand and Tasmania. Oceania’s biomes are also a valuable source of food, water, and medicine for people in the region.
Our Biome Map Puzzles are valuable to any Montessori classroom. They are a great way for elementary students to learn about the world’s different biomes and develop several important skills. For more innovative materials, make sure to visit our website regularly at www.alisonsmontessori.com.
