North American Biomes: An Exciting Interactive Geography Salt Dough Adventure
Explore North American biomes, climate zones, rivers, and mountains with this fun, hands-on salt dough map activity for homeschoolers.
Looking for a hands-on way to bring geography and science to life? Grab some flour and salt—we’re heading on an adventure through the climate zones and biomes of North America! Along the way, we’ll meet mountain ranges, mighty rivers, and incredible wildlife. This is a perfect project for middle and high school teens (and younger siblings can tag along too!).
What’s the Difference Between Climate Zones and Biomes?
Before we dive into mountains, rivers, and animals, let’s take a quick look at two terms that often get mixed up: climate zones and biomes. They’re related, but they’re not the same thing!
A climate zone is a region that shares similar weather patterns over a long period of time. These zones are based on:
- Temperature (how hot or cold it gets)
- Precipitation (how much rain or snow falls)
For example, the Arctic has a polar climate—cold and dry almost all year—while Florida has a tropical climate that’s warm and humid. These zones help us predict what the weather is usually like in different parts of the world.
A biome, on the other hand, is a type of natural environment found in a particular climate zone. Each biome has its own unique:
- Types of plants
- Types of animals
- Soil and water patterns
So while a climate zone tells you about the weather, a biome tells you about the ecosystem—what grows and lives there.
How They Fit Together
Think of it like this:
- Climate Zones are the big picture.
- Biomes are the result of that climate on the ground.
For example:
- A desert climate zone has very little rain, and the desert biome that grows there is filled with cactus, lizards, and dry, sandy soil.
- A temperate climate zone has four seasons, and the deciduous forest biome in that zone is full of trees that change color and lose their leaves in the fall.
That means, you could have the same biome in two different parts of the world if they share similar climate conditions!
Let’s explore the climate zones and biomes you can find in North America.
North American Biomes and Climate Zones
North America is a large and varied continent made up of three main countries—Canada, the United States, and Mexico—as well as many smaller nations in Central America and the Caribbean. It also includes Greenland, which is geographically part of North America, even though it’s politically linked to Europe.
The land stretches from icy Arctic regions in the north to tropical beaches in the south and includes everything from towering mountain ranges and vast forests to deserts, grasslands, and coastal plains. With so many different environments, North America is the perfect place to explore how land, climate, and wildlife are all connected.
Polar & Tundra Zone (Far North)
Way up in the northernmost parts of Canada and Alaska lies the polar and tundra climate zone. This area is cold—really cold—for most of the year. Winters are long and harsh, and summers are short and cool, with very little rainfall.
Because the ground is permanently frozen (something called permafrost), trees can’t grow here. Instead, you’ll find a tundra biome: this is the coldest of the North American biomes, and it’s a flat, treeless landscape covered with mosses, lichens, and small shrubs. But don’t let the emptiness fool you—plenty of animals call this region home, such as polar bears, arctic foxes, caribou, and snowy owls. Many animals in the polar regions here have thick fur or layers of fat to survive the freezing temperatures.
Subarctic & Boreal Forest Zone (Taiga)
Just below the tundra lies the subarctic climate zone, stretching across central Canada and parts of interior Alaska. It’s still cold here, but not quite as extreme. Winters are long, and summers are short but slightly warmer.
This climate supports the boreal forest, also called the taiga—the largest forest biome in the world! This region is packed with evergreen trees like spruce, fir, and pine, which stay green all year long.
Wildlife in the taiga is built for chilly weather: moose, wolves, black bears, and lynxes are common sights. You’ll also find birds like owls and woodpeckers, especially in the summer months when the forests come alive in this stretch of North American biomes.
Temperate Zone (Most of the U.S. and Southern Canada)
Much of the United States and southern Canada falls into the temperate climate zone. Here, you’ll experience four distinct seasons: cold winters, warm summers, and moderate springs and falls.
This zone is home to several different biomes, including deciduous forests and grasslands. In the east, the deciduous forests are filled with broadleaf trees like oaks and maples that change color in the fall and lose their leaves in the winter. Deer, foxes, raccoons, and owls make their homes here.
Head west to the central plains, and you’ll find vast grasslands (or prairies) covered in tall grasses and wildflowers. These open areas are home to animals like bison, prairie dogs, hawks, and coyotes.
You’ll also find two major mountain ranges running through this zone as well—the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Rocky Mountains in the west—along with major rivers like the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio.
Desert & Arid Zone (Southwest U.S. and Northern Mexico)
If you travel to the southwestern U.S. or northern Mexico, you’ll find yourself in the desert climate zone, where hot days, cool nights, and very little rainfall are the norm.
These dry areas may seem empty at first glance, but they’re full of life, adapted to the heat and dryness. The desert biome includes plants like cacti, yucca, and sagebrush that store water in their leaves or stems. Animals here have special ways of surviving, too—many are active only at night to avoid the heat. This region features critters such as roadrunners, jackrabbits, lizards, and coyotes.
- One of the most important rivers in this zone is the Colorado River, which carved out the famous Grand Canyon and provides water to millions of people and animals.
- Tropical Zone (Southern Florida and Coastal Mexico)
- The tropical climate zone is warm and humid all year long, and in North America, it’s mostly found in southern Florida and along the coastal regions of Mexico.
This climate supports tropical and subtropical forest biomes, which are lush, green, and full of biodiversity. In the U.S., the best-known example is the Everglades—a huge wetland ecosystem that’s home to alligators, manatees, herons, egrets, and countless other species.
The warm, wet conditions in this zone create a perfect environment for mangrove trees, ferns, and palm trees. You’ll also find tropical birds, frogs, and reptiles in these regions. You can kind of think of this stretch of North American biomes as North America’s jungle!
Highlands & Mountains (Western North America)
Mountains deserve their own mention because their climate changes with elevation, not just location. As you go higher up a mountain, the air gets cooler and thinner—even in warm regions! This creates highland climates, which can contain multiple biomes stacked on top of each other like a layer cake.
In North America, the major highland regions include the Rocky Mountains (which stretch from Canada to New Mexico), the Sierra Nevada, and the Cascade Range along the West Coast. Wildlife here includes mountain goats, cougars, marmots, and golden eagles.
Some high elevations even have snow all year round! The Continental Divide, found in the Rockies, is a cool geological feature that determines which direction rivers flow. Those east of the Rockies flow toward the Atlantic while those west flow toward the Pacific.
Hands-On Fun: Make a Salt Dough Map of North America!
Nothing helps kids visualize geography like a 3D map they can mold with their own hands. Here’s a simple recipe so your kids can craft North American biomes, along with some ideas for fun add-ons:
Salt Dough Recipe
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water (add slowly!)
- Optional: food coloring or paint (We used acrylic paint.)
Mix the flour, salt, and water until you have a firm but moldable dough with a consistency similar to Play-Doh.
Pro tip: If you make too much dough, put it in a ziplock bag in the fridge. It keeps for several weeks, so you’re ready for your next salt dough project.
How to Make Your North American Biomes Map
Start with a base:
Use cardboard from an old box—we love using pizza box lids because they’re just the right size and easy to work with.
Shape the continent:
Look at a map of North America and shape the landmass with your salt dough. We like to find a free, printable topographic or physical features map online (instead of a plain outline map) and take it to the local office supply store to have it enlarged. A copy that’s around 11” x 16” fits perfectly on a pizza box lid.
In the past, we’ve used a pencil to heavily trace the outline of the continent onto the cardboard, pressing hard enough to leave an indentation. But this time we discovered something even better…
Pro-tip #2: Use a sewing pattern tracing wheel to trace the outline of your enlarged map!
It’s not ideal for tiny details, but let’s be honest—neither is salt dough. The tracing wheel is much easier to use than a pencil and does a great job of transferring a clear, easy-to-follow outline onto the cardboard with much less pressure.
Don’t toss your tracing map just yet!
Even though we usually throw it out after tracing, hang onto it—you’ll need it again in a minute.
Make your first dough layer:
Spread a smooth, flat layer of salt dough over your map area. Let it air dry for 1–2 days or bake it in the oven at 200°F for 15–20 minutes. (Keep an eye on it!)
Add the features:
While the dough is still a bit soft, lay your original map back over the salt dough map. Use a toothpick to mark out rivers, lakes, and other features you’d like to include as part of your North American biomes.
Next, build up mountain ranges by adding extra salt dough to form ridges—this gives your map a 3D topographical look and shows elevation.
Want to label features of your North American biomes map?
If you plan to add toothpick flags or labels, you can gently insert the toothpicks now while the dough is still soft.
Final drying:
Let the whole map air dry for 1–2 more days, or bake it again at 200°F in short intervals of 15–20 minutes, checking it carefully to avoid browning or cracking.
Extend the Learning
Once your North American biomes map is completely dry, try some of the following ideas!
- Paint in the different biomes in color-coded sections.
- Add little paper animal cutouts or symbols for each biome.
- Create a key for major features: mountains, rivers, deserts, etc.
- Paint the map to show different levels of elevation, as we did. Add a key indicating elevation levels if you’d like.
This project is more than just fun—it helps your kids connect the dots between climate, geography, and wildlife. Understanding how mountain ranges affect rainfall, or why deserts are dry, lays a strong foundation for future earth science studies.
So grab your dough, roll up your sleeves, and start shaping the continent. North America is waiting to be explored—right from your kitchen table.