Title Slide

Title slide should be simple

Make a little curiosity sparking phrase/statement below
the title to grab your audiences interest.
My example ecosystem is the Kalahari Desert, so my short
interest phrase is the desert that isnt. This is
because the kalahari desert is labeled a desert, but it
is also called a savannah because it supports more plant
and animal life than a normal desert. I hoped to make
the audience curious with this little statement.
See the next slide for an example.

Kalahari Desert
the desert that isnt

Map Slide:

Name of Ecosystem
Find a world map that shows the location of your
ecosystem. You may want to google the ecosystem area
and the words world map. For example I googled,
Kalahari desert world map
When you find your map, be sure to copy the url and paste
it on the bottom of your slide so you are not
plagiarizing!!
In your notes section, make some notes that will help you
speak during your presentation.

Kalahari Desert:

www.naturalhistoryonthenet.com

Fact Slide

There should be 3-5 (or more!) interesting facts about

your biome.
Pictures should accompany as many facts as possible.
If you need to use more than one slide for this you can
do so.

Kalahari Facts:
The desert gets its
name from the Tswana
word Kgala: "the
great thirst", or
Kgalagadi, Khalagari,
or Kalagare, meaning
"a waterless place.

Kalahari Facts:
The San Bushmen have
lived in the Kalahari
for approximately twenty
thousand years and are
considered to be the
oldest culture in the
world. A small group of
these people still
follow the traditional
lifestyle as huntersgatherers, as their
tribe has done for
thousands of years.

Abiotic Factors:

Make slides for at least two abiotic factors that are

most important to your ecosystem.
Each slide should have an explanation of the importance,
and a meaningful picture to help students understand.

Abiotic Factors - Water

The Okavango Delta
Every year, approximately
11 cubic km (11 Trillion
liters) flows through the
Okavango Delta. 60% goes
to plants, 36% evaporates,
2% soaks into aquafirs,
and 2% flows into Lake
Ngami.

Abiotic Factors: Wind

Strong winds create
dust storms in the
dry season and bring
moisture from the
oceans during the wet
season.

Food web:

Food web containing 12 UNIQUE pictures of organisms that

live in your ecosystem. (12 minimum - more are welcome!)
Organisms should be connected using arrows showing the
flow of energy.
Organisms should be organized into trophic levels
including:

Producers
Primary consumers
Secondary consumers
Detritivores (decomposers) - or scavengers

Kalahari Food Web

Water or Carbon Cycle

You may cut and paste a water or carbon cycle into your
presentation- however, the cycle should represent your
ecosystem. If you are doing a desert ecosystem, your
water/carbon cycle should reflect that.
You also need to write an explanation of the cycle in
your ecosystem, and explain the important details. For
example:, in the desert, water spends a good deal of time
within plants, and evaporation happens very quickly. Your
explanation should be SPECIFIC to your ecosystem.

Desert Water Cycle

Water is an extremely important
abiotic factor in the desert. A
desert is defined by having very
little precipitation. When
precipitation does happen it
evaporates and runs off quickly.
Animals and plants need to have
adaptations to obtain and
preserve water.

Plant/Animal Adaptation Guidelines:

If you are working alone, you may chose either a plant or animal to create a slide for.

Chose a plant or animal that is unique to your type of

ecosystem. Preferably, you will chose one that lives in
your specific ecosystem.
Try searching, your ecosystem unique animal/plant, for
example: kalahari desert unique animal
You must have a picture of your specific animal or plant
WITH its scientific name (Genus species)
You must label and detail at least two specific
adaptations that your organism has to live in its
environment.

Hoodia Cactus - Hoodia gardonii

The Hoodia Cactus is able to survive
in the harsh Kalahari Desert due to its
ability to store water for long periods
of time.

The Hoodia Cactus has spiny

skin to protect it from animals
looking for the juicy inside of the
cactus.

The African Bullfrog- Pyxicephalus adspersus

The African Bullfrog has adapted to
the dry Kalahari Climate by burying
itself during the dry season, and
returning to the surface during the
wet season.

Human Impact Guidelines:

Each partner will do a unique human impact of your
ecosystem. Your slides need:

What human impact you are discussing, ie: Global Warming

(CO2 emission), logging, trash dumping, urban
development, etc.
HOW has this factor affected your ecosystem.

Climate Change in the Kalahari:

Climate change is affecting
the people of the Kalahari by
reducing the amount of water
available. Some people will
have to return to hunting and
gathering instead of farming
because there is not enough
water. Also, scientists have
discovered that some species
are no longer living in the
area.

Hunting - Americans love their trophies

Scientific American
reports that the African
Lion (Panthera leo) could
become extinct by the
year 2050. And yet,
approximately 600 lions
are killed each year in
trophy hunts by
American citizens.

What can we do?

The Kalahari Desert is a unique and vibrant ecosystem. We
can help preserve this ecosystem by reducing our Carbon
emissions - which will reduce the effects of global warming.
We can also pass laws to prevent the game hunting of an
endangered African Lion.

Ms. Wittenburg & Myself