Provide real world examples in order to develop a concept map or chart outlining the locations and characteristics of the chaparral.
Explore the vegetation and life within this environment, and the precarious balance needed to maintain that life.
Introduce the new vocabulary and definitions, reiterating them throughout the lesson.
Keep to the basic information with activities to allow practice with the new content material.
Listen to this 4-minute podcast to discover what the chaparral biome is, where you can find it, and what kind of life it supports. You can scroll down to see visuals and text that reinforce what you are learning in the podcast.
Information in this podcast was compiled from the following sources:
Kids do Ecology. (2004). World Biomes: Chaparral. Retrieved from http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/chaparral.html
Blue Planet Biomes. (2000). Chaparral. Retrieved from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm
Tobin A.J. &Dusheck J. (1998). Asking About Life. Orlando, FL: Saunders College Publishing.
The chaparral is a type of biome that exists only in small areas on the western portions of some continents. It is characterized by its "Mediterranean" climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
This map shows the tiny portion of Earth's surface
covered by chaparral.
The chaparral biome has many names. In California, it is called "chaparral", but on other continents it may be called the "maquis", "mallee", "matorral" or "fynbos."
This photo was taken in the maquis of Corsica in Europe.
The mallee of Australia is featured in this picture.
In South Africa, hikers enjoy their time in the fynbos (pictured here).
Photo credits:
Hikers in the fynbos by hamper at http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/691288
Maquis of Corsica by Markus Schweiss at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Macchia01.jpg
Mallee by Gnangarra at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_johnston_gnangarra.jpg
Source: Chaparral. [Map]. Retrieved from http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/k4/biomes/Boverview7.html
Animals in the chaparral have many adaptations. Plant-eaters can handly the shrubby, spiny brush and may use the shrubs as cover from predators. Meat-eaters like bobcats can cover large amounts of ground in search of food.
Quails are ground-dwelling birds for whom the chaparral's
shrubs provide important cover.
Bobcats hunt rabbit and other ground-dwelling animals.
They can cover large amounts of territory in order to
find food.
Photo credits:
Quail: by mikebaird at http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=3513102&searchId=d98d4c477791d07ecf696e396b856f93&npos=19
Bobcat by Linda Tanner at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bobcat_having_caught_a_rabbit.jpg
Many of the plants in the chaparral have adapted to store water by producing thick bark or waxy coverings that prevent evaporation. They have also adapted to protect themselves from animals that may be interested in eating them. Many of the plants that grow there, like the scrub oak pictured below are spiny or have thorns.
Source: Photo by Pixeltoo at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leaves_of_California_Scrub_Oak.JPG
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