Biomes Worksheet for Middle School Science Students

Instructions

Read each section carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability. This worksheet will test your knowledge of the world's major biomes.

Part 1: Matching

Match the biome description on the left with the correct biome name on the right. Write the letter of the correct biome in the blank space.

• _____ 1. Known for its four distinct seasons and trees that lose their leaves in the fall.
• _____ 2. An extremely cold, treeless region with a layer of permanently frozen soil called permafrost.
• _____ 3. A very dry biome with little rainfall, hot days, and cool nights. Plants and animals here are adapted to conserve water.
• _____ 4. The largest land biome, characterized by its long, cold winters and forests of coniferous trees like pine and spruce.
• _____ 5. A biome dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees. It can be temperate (prairie) or tropical (savanna).
• _____ 6. The most biodiverse biome, found near the equator. It is warm and rainy all year long.

Biome Bank:
A. Tundra
B. Tropical Rainforest
C. Temperate Deciduous Forest
D. Taiga (Boreal Forest)
E. Desert
F. Grassland

Part 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences below using the words from the word bank. Each word is used only once.

Word Bank: climate, adaptation, biodiversity, freshwater, biome

A major community of plants and animals that occupies a large area is called a 1) _______________. The two most important factors that determine a biome's characteristics are its temperature and precipitation, which together describe its 2) _______________. The variety of life in a particular biome is known as its 3) _______________. An 4) _______________ is a special feature or behavior that helps a plant or animal survive in its environment. Ponds and rivers are examples of a 5) _______________ biome.

Part 3: What Biome Am I?

Read the descriptions below and write the name of the biome that is being described.

1. I am hot all year and receive more rain than any other biome. My canopy is thick with trees, vines, and flowers, and I am home to monkeys, toucans, and jaguars. What biome am I?

   ______________________________

2. You will find me in far northern regions like Alaska and Siberia. It is too cold for trees to grow, and the ground has a layer of permafrost. Polar bears, caribou, and arctic foxes are my residents. What biome am I?

   ______________________________

3. I am sometimes called a "coniferous forest." My winters are long and cold, but my summers are warm enough for my pine and fir trees to thrive. Moose, bears, and wolves live among my trees. What biome am I?

   ______________________________

Part 4: Short Answer

Choose two different biomes from Part 1. In 2-3 sentences, compare and contrast them. Mention at least one similarity and one difference related to their climate or typical vegetation.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Part 1: Matching

1. C (Temperate Deciduous Forest)
2. A (Tundra)
3. E (Desert)
4. D (Taiga (Boreal Forest))
5. F (Grassland)
6. B (Tropical Rainforest)

Part 2: Fill in the Blanks

1. biome
2. climate
3. biodiversity
4. adaptation
5. freshwater

Part 3: What Biome Am I?

1. Tropical Rainforest
2. Tundra
3. Taiga (Boreal Forest)

Part 4: Short Answer

(Answers will vary. A sample answer is provided below.)

Sample Answer: The Tropical Rainforest and the Temperate Deciduous Forest are similar because both biomes are dominated by trees. However, they are different in their climate and type of trees. The tropical rainforest is hot and wet all year with broad-leaved evergreen trees, while the temperate forest has four seasons and is known for deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the winter.