Home | Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Extension | Teacher Notes

Introduction  

    A famous scientist has just invented a potion to change humans into plants or animals. The potion has been tested and used by many scientists. Your class has been chosen to be the first class to make the journey into plant and animal life. Your class will need to research the environment and habitat you will be living in. The scientists have told you that you will be living in the desert for a week as a plant or animal. What will you need to know to survive?

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Task  

    When you are an animal or plant in the desert, you will have to adapt in order to survive. You will need to find out what a desert environment is like and what animals and plants in the desert do in order to survive. Once you find that information you will research an animal you would like to change into and a plant you would like to change into.

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Resources What is a desert? Types of deserts Deserts of North American and Deserts of the World Desert plant adaptations Desert animal adaptations Desert temperatures Use the following resources to get information for your report. Choose one animal and one plant to research. Desert Animal Resources Tarantula  Black Widow Spider       Lizards Western Diamondback Rattlesnake     Gila Monster  Coyote Kangaro Rat Gambel's Quail                                     Cactus Wren 1 Cactus Wren 2                                      Desert Plant Resources Prickly Pear Cactus 1  Saguaro 1    Ocotillo Barrel Cactus   Palo Verde Tree Mesquite Tree Creosote Bush    Brittlebush Top of Page

Click on the picture to hear a coyote howl.                                       Click on the picture to hear a quail call.

Evaluation

    When you have found your answers and completed your research, write a report on either your animal or plant. Use the answers to the questions you found and your research guide.

Make sure your report includes the following:

• The name of your animal or plant
• The habitat your animal or plant lives in and what that environment is like
• Ways your animal is able to survive in that environment
• The three facts about your animal or plant
• Any other interesting information you would like to add

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Conclusion

    Now that you have finished your report, you are ready to be changed into a desert animal or desert plant. You will be able to survive in a desert environment. Turn your report in to the teacher to get credit.

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  Extension

Listen to these animal sounds.

• Coyote Howl
• Diamondback Rattlesnake Sound
• Gambel's Quail Call 1    
• Gambel's Quail Call 2
• Cactus Wren Call

    Print the following pages and create a desert diorama. Put your diorama on display in the classroom. You will need a shoebox for this project.

• Directions for making a Desert Diorama 
• Desert Diorama Background 
• Desert Diorama Pieces Page 1
• Desert Diorama Pieces Page 2 
• Desert Diorama Pieces Page 3 

  Read the story Desert Cousins and write a summary telling about the beginning, middle, and end of the story.

 Test Your Knowledge  to see how much you know about certain desert animals. 

Click on this picture to hear a rattlesnake rattle.

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Teacher Notes

Use a six trait rubric to grade the reports.

State Standards covered in this Desert Quest:

• Ask questions about the natural world.
• Identify characteristics of plants and animals that allow them to live in specific environments.
• Locate, acknowledge and use several sources to write an informational report in the student's own words.

Useful web sites:

http://www.desertusa.com  Desert USA has an abundance of information on the desert environment, plants, animals, etc...

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/  This site contains "kid friendly" information about deserts.

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