US Geological Survey
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
The Great Plains organization provides individuals, organizations, and governments with key information about the Great Plains environment through a resource pool of publications, reports, and government data.
University of California
Ucmp: Systematics
Scientific descriptions of conifer families. Diagrams, examples, structural features, and history.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: Taiga Animal Printouts
Colorful pictures of animals found in the taiga biome such as the arctic fox, bald eagle, gray wolf, and muskrat. Information is provided about each animal when clicked.
Palomar Community College District
Major Biomes of North America
A good review of basic terminology followed by descriptions and pictures of the North American biomes.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Creeping Vole
Creeping Voles are found in moist coniferous forests at all stages of forest succession, from old growth to recent clear-cuts. In fact, population density is probably higher in recently cut areas where more sunlight reaches the ground...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Arctic Shrew
Arctic Shrews prefer grassy clearings and marshes within coniferous forests and are never very dense in population. Mortality is high early in life. Learn more about the Sorex arcticus, more commonly known as an Arctic Shrew, in this...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Cinereus Shrew
Mainly nocturnal and rarely seen, the Cinereus Shrew is nonetheless common and widespread below the timberline in northern deciduous and coniferous forests, in both wet and dry habitats. It is also known as the Masked Shrew and the...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: White Footed Mouse
The White-footed Mouse has a very wide distribution. It is the most abundant rodent in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests in the eastern United States, and is probably equally abundant near farms. Learn more about the Peromyscus...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Southwestern Myotis
Southwestern myotis live in a variety of southwestern mountain habitats, from desert grasslands up into pine and mixed coniferous forest in the United States, and in desert and grassland in Mexico. These bats and two other myotis...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Long Legged Myotis
Long-legged myotis typically occupy mountainous or relatively rugged areas. They often live in coniferous forests, although they are sometimes found in oak or streamside woodlands, and even deserts. Learn more about the Myotis volans,...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Uinta Chipmunk
Uinta chipmunks are common in coniferous forests, especially at elevations higher than 1,800 m. They readily climb trees and shrubs to forage for seeds and often sleep in trees. Learn more about the Tamias umbrinus, more commonly known...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Least Chipmunk
The least chipmunk is the smallest and most widely distributed North American chipmunk. It occurs in a variety of habitats, from coniferous forests to meadows to sagebrush desert, feeding primarily on seeds but also eating flowers, buds,...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Gray Collared Chipmunk
Gray-collared chipmunks are found only in coniferous forests, at elevations of 1,950-3,440 m. They eat all kinds of vegetation and collect and store acorns underground or in hollow logs. Learn more about the Tamias cinereicollis, more...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: American Mammals: Eastern Small Footed Myotis
The eastern small-footed myotis is one of the smallest North American bats. It has a limited range, occurring only in eastern deciduous and coniferous forests. Learn more about the Myotis leibii, more commonly known as an Eastern...
Environmental Education for Kids
Eek!: Evergreens
Site chronicles Wisconsin's Evergreen and Conifer trees. There are descriptions of the various tree types. Additionally, site details the uses of these trees in nature. Ideal for grades 4-8.
Other
Ohio Public Library: What Tree Is It?
An online resource for tree identification by common name, scientific name, leaf, or fruit.
PBS
Nh Pbs: Nature Works: Taiga
Here you can find a great fact sheet on the taiga biome! Learn what the taiga is, where it's located, and the types of plants and animals that live there!
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Tree Identification: Compare and Contrast Deciduous and Evergreen Leaves
Learners observe differences in tree leaves leading them to an understanding of the terms deciduous, evergreen, and coniferous. Children will compare and contrast leaves and then, viewing a chart key, use what they know to help them...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Taiga
Wikipedia, an open-source encyclopedia, offers a general overview of the taiga biome. A long list of taiga eco-regions can be found, each linking to its own encyclopedia entry.
Other
Geography Tutor: Vegetation
A list of questions about vegetation regions for your students to answer.
Songs for Teaching
Songs for Teaching: Biomes
Use this site to see how many of the animals and plants that your students can remember from each biome after listening to this song.
Songs for Teaching
Songs for Teaching: Types of Biomes
Doug Eldon performs this great song which tells about the different biomes and their characteristics. Great way to begin your unit on the biomes.
Curated OER
Spruce Forest
Here you can find a great fact sheet on the taiga biome! Learn what the taiga is, where it's located, and the types of plants and animals that live there!
Curated OER
Etc: Maps Etc: Vegetation of North America, 1916
A map from 1916 of North America, Central America, Greenland, and the Caribbean to Puerto Rico showing the general distribution of vegetation types in the region. The map is color-coded to show natural vegetation in areas of ice desert,...