Curated OER
Living in the Desert
Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...
Curated OER
Our Desert Backyard
Students make observations of their own backyard. For this environment lesson, students keep records of the plants and animals they see in their home or school yard. Students make notes of how the weather and environment changes over...
Curated OER
Deserts
Students do various activities to explain where the United States' desert region lies in relationship to the state in which they live, become familiar with plants and animals in the Sonoran desert, and make a story map of Roadrunner...
University of New Mexico
New Mexico Land of Enchantment
Third graders research Native American Cultures surrounding New Mexico. They analyze the history and geography of the state. They play a guessing game that incorporates the indigenous plants and animals of New Mexico. In groups, learners...
Curated OER
The Desert Alphabet Book
Young scholars explore world geography by researching a science book with their classmates. In this desert identification lesson, students utilize a U.S. map to locate the geographical locations of deserts. Young scholars create an oral...
Curated OER
Deserts: How Do You Define One?
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located. Students...
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival activity, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic...
Desert Discoveries
Sonoran Desert ABC's
Third graders make alphabet cards that depict the wide variety of life forms found in the Sonoran Desert. A terrific lesson that combines language arts, visual arts, and life science all into one wonderful package. Each of the cards has...
Desert Discoveries
Built for the Desert
The saguaro cactus has an amazing ability to survive in a harsh environment. Learners identify the many adaptations for desert life that the saguaro employs. They look at each part of the saguaro and determine what role it plays in the...
Curated OER
Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail
Learners draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or animal in...
Curated OER
Desert Water Keepers
Third graders identify ways that cactus plants survive in the desert. They distinguish between water acquisition and water conservation and create their own plant that could survive in a desert climate.
Curated OER
Creating a Pollinator Garden
Students build a pollination garden. In this pollination instructional activity, students read directions and build a pollinator garden that will produce flowering plants for pollinator organisms to use in pollination of other plants.
Desert Discoveries
Who Depends on the Saguaro?
Young scientists design a picture of a saguaro cactus that shows the cactus and some of the animals and plants that interact with it. There are many of these special relationships between plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert. Your...
Curated OER
Day and Night in the Desert
Pupils illustrate scenes showing day and nighttime activities in the desert. They include plant and animal life including predators and prey.
Curated OER
Baa, Ram, Ewe....Sheep Tales
Students compare real and make believe animal behaviors by drawing and comparing them. In this real and make believe animals lesson plan, students compare the animal behaviors, express how colors create a mood in artwork, and investigate...
Curated OER
The Living Environment
Fourth graders make a chart of animals and plants that live in either the desert, the ocean, or the tundra. In this environment lesson plan, 4th graders work in groups to discover characteristics needed for these animals to live in that...
Curated OER
Animals Around Us
Students view and discuss a Discovery Channel video that compares the animals found in four different habitats. They compare and contrast the characteristics of forests, deserts, wetlands and grasslands then choose one to depict in a...
Curated OER
The Unique Rain Forest
Students explore the unique Rain Forest. For this Rain Forest lesson, students watch a video about the dangers the Rain Forest faces. Students create a Rain Forest mobile. Students choose plants or animals from the...
Curated OER
Mesozoic Murals
Students create a mural of one of the Mesozoic Periods. In this geologic timeline instructional activity, students will research the plants and animals that lived in the Mesozoic Era in order to create a mural to scale that represents...
Curated OER
Hands On Biome-Building
Students create a desert biome to understand the abiotic and biotic factors of that biome. In this desert biome lesson plan, students include elevation, precipitation, temperature, plants, and more.
Curated OER
Force of Habitat
Students examine the Nevada state quarter and discuss the Great Basin and the desert habitat. They draw a desert animal and write a sentence about its attributes and how they help the animal to survive in its habitat.
Curated OER
Hands on Biome--Building
Students create a model biome. In this ecology instructional activity, students use materials to create a model biome. There is an extension activity that allows students to write about plants and animals and their specific biome.
Curated OER
Adaptation Scavenger Hunt
Fourth graders recognize the specific adaptations of living things and relate them to survival within the animals environment. They study common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how they have adapted to the environment...
Curated OER
Temperature in the Sun or Shade of the Desert
Third graders use thermometers to measure the air temperature in several
places around the school and then return to the classroom to record the data. They create a bar graph and discuss their findings about the air temperature in the...