Grasslands

Grasslands

Studying grassland ecosystems in KS3 Geography is a great opportunity to help students understand biome characteristics, human-environment interactions, and global environmental challenges. Through exploring this ecosystem, students get to know about different types of grassland, such as the temperate grasslands found in the Prairies, for example, and the tropical grasslands of the famous African savanna. Students also get to know about the different climate conditions associated with the various types of grassland - such as moderate rainfall, seasonal temperature variations, and fire-adapted ecosystems.

Biodiversity and adaptations are an exciting field of study for students. Grasslands support diverse species of flora and fauna. Some popular examples of fauna include migrating herds of bison in North America, wildebeest in Africa, and burrowing animals like prairie dogs in North America compared to meerkats in Africa. In this ecosystem, plant adaptations also offer unique insights into the nature of the region - grasses are deep-rooted to survive intense grazing, drought, and fires - making them resilient in extreme conditions.

Of course, grasslands pose an interesting point of investigation for the intersection of human use and impact, along with environmental challenges and sustainability. Agriculture and farming are important to indigenous communities as well as big business. Cattle ranching and crop production are important not just for regional economics, but also for global food supply and security. And where there is an economy, there are people who build infrastructure in order to survive - but at what cost to the grassland ecosystem?

Nevertheless, deforestation and land degradation from unsustainable practices pose a serious threat to ecosystems through soil erosion, desertification, and loss of biodiversity. Changes in climate, such as rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns also affect grassland ecosystems and the human activities that run in parallel with it.

This KS3 Ecosystems: Grasslands module will enable students to:​

• Describe the characteristics of grasslands
• Describe the biotic and abiotic factors of grasslands
• Understand the unique global distribution of grasslands
• Describe the landforms found in grassland regions 
• Enumerate the various environmental issues related to grasslands
• Understand grasslands better through a case study of the Serengeti