![](media/image1.png){width="0.5834645669291338in" height="0.75in"}Life
Science

*Middle School Ecology*

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height="7.227777777777778in"}

# The Biosphere 2 {#the-biosphere-2 .unnumbered}

1.  **Ecosystems**

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a.  **Oh, Deer!** A game utilized to assist students in seeing\
    the plan of nature in order to understand the need to\
    protect Earth's resources. 3

b.  **Where Do I Belong?** A lesson to introduce students to\
    ecosystems, habitats, and niches of living things. 6

c.  **Parts to a Whole** An activity to allow students to\
    distinguish between the characteristics that make up\
    an individual, a population, a community, and an ecosystem. 9

d.  **Move Over, Please!** A project that allows students to\
    see what happens when a plant population is too dense. 13

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2.  **Food Chain/ Food Web**

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a.  **What's Cookin'?** Students will learn the basics of food\
    chains and food webs through various ways such as\
    whole class activities, journaling, oral discussions, and\
    small group activities. 15

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3.  **Biomes**

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a.  **Biomes!** An activity that introduces the characteristics\
    of six biomes (desert, tundra, ocean, grasslands, forest,\
    and rainforest). 22

b.  **Desert Biome**

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1.  **Why's It So Hot?** An activity to introduce students\
    to the various features of the desert. 26

2.  **Scenic Sculpture** An activity using salt dough to\
    reconstruct desert landforms. 31

3.  **How Do They Survive?** An experiment to show the\
    differences in temperature on the surface, below the\
    surface of the desert, an in microhabitats. How do\
    plants and animals survive? 36

4.  **Great Deserts of the World** An activity using the world\
    map to identify and locate the major deserts of the world,\
    even the often forgotten Chihuahuan desert!!!! 40

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Biosphere

Biosphere is defined as the system of living things and their
environment. Within a biosphere we have ecosystems, which focus on the
habitat and the interrelationships between the plants and animals. In
this unit students will participate in a game designed to allow them to
see the plan of nature in order to help them understand the need to
protect Earth's resources. Students will learn to distinguish the
identifying characteristics of ecosystems, habitats, and niches of
living things. In the lesson, ***What's Cookin'?***, students will learn
the basics of food chains and food webs.

In this unit six biomes (a large region on the Earth that has a certain
climate and certain kinds of organisms) will be identified. If you were
to travel along the surface of the Earth from one latitude to another,
you would also move from one biome to another. Each biome is described
in terms of its climate and its living things. The plants and animals
that survive in a biome are adapted to the conditions in that biome.

Particular attention will be paid to the characteristics of the Desert
biome. Deserts cover roughly one-third of the Earth's land surface. Yet
deserts aren't all dryness and desolation. This unit will provide
activities that allow students to create various desert formations and
participate in the development of microhabitats. Students will also
identify the great deserts of the world and design brochures that will
identify the distinguishing characteristics of each desert.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Oh Deer!**

> ***How does our world affect us?***

**Summary:** This lesson is designed to introduce students to the basic
needs of survival and how changes in an ecosystem can affect animal
life.

**Duration:** 1 class period

**Setting:** Outside

**Vocabulary:** limiting factors, habitat, drought, fire, deforestation,
uncontrolled hunting, population

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC1-E2, SC2-E1, SC3-E1,
SC4-E1, SC4-E2, SC4-E5, SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6,
SC6-E7, SC11-E2, SC11-E3, SC11-E4, SC11-E5, SC11-E6, SC11-E7, SC11-E8,
SC14-E1, SC15-E2, SC16-E1, SC16-E2, SC16-E3

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   identify and describe food, water, and shelter as the three
    essential components of habitat.

-   define limiting factors and give examples.

-   recognize that fluctuations in wildlife populations are natural as
    ecosystems constantly change.

-   create a line graph depicting the population cycles as the Oh Deer
    game is played.

**Background**

There are many factors that influence the number of plants and animals
in a habitat. Climate is an extremely important variable that influences
both the diversity of species and the number of plants and animals an
area can support. Another important variable is limiting factors.
Limiting factors are resources, such as food, water, shelter, and
nesting sites, that are in short supply and restrict the population
sizes of living organisms. These factors serve to balance the number of
plants and animals that can survive in an area at one time.

Other limiting factors like disease, predation, and competition for
resources can also impact populations. If any of the limiting factors
change the plant and animal populations change as well. Some changes may
cause the population to increase while others may cause the population
to decrease.

For example, if there are more plants than usual in an area, populations
of animals that eat that plant may increase. If one animal's population
increases, the population of animals that eat that animal might also
increase. Increases in population are not always good. A population
could grow too large for the environment to support. Other changes in
limiting factors can cause a population to decrease. If a population
becomes diseased, the population may decrease and the population of
animals that eat the diseased animal will also decrease. In nature,
populations usually balance themselves.

Predator and prey relationships also play an important role in animal
populations. If the balance between predator and prey is changed,
populations are changed. The deer population in some areas has grown too
large because there are very few natural predators. Mountain lions and
wolves are the natural predators of deer. Wolf and mountain lion
populations have decreased due to over-hunting and habitat loss. This
loss of a natural predator for the deer, along with other factors, has
led to overpopulation of deer in some areas.

**Materials**

None

Prep

Have two parallel lines on the playground or classroom floor 10 to 20
yards apart.

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Ask the students what living organisms need in order to
survive. List their ideas and discuss the basic needs: food, water,
shelter, and space. What kinds of things limit the population growth of
animals? List ideas and discuss these limiting factors: drought, fires,
deforestation, and uncontrolled hunting. Now we are going to play a game
to see how these needs and limiting factors affect the wildlife in the
environment.

# *Activity* {#activity .unnumbered}

1.  Divide class into groups by counting off by fours. All the students
    who share a number meet at a different location in the room (best if
    played outdoors because of the space needed).

2.  Have two parallel lines marked off on the playground or floor about
    10 to 20 yards apart.

3.  Have all the Ones meet at one of the parallel lines. The Ones
    represent deer. The other students will stand on the opposite line
    and represent the components of the habitat: food, water, shelter,
    and space. The deer will go out and search for one of the components
    of habitat.

4.  Explain the signals needed for the game. Here are the signals for
    the deer and the habitat components (they will be the same for
    both).

    a.  Food -- clamp your hands over your stomach

    b.  Water -- put your hands over your mouth

    c.  Shelter -- hold your hands together over your head

    d.  Space -- hold your arms straight out at your sides

> Have the students stand on the appropriate lines facing away from each
> other and decide which component they will represent (or be looking
> for). Students cannot change what they are or what they are looking
> for during the round; they may change before beginning the next round.
> If the deer finds the habitat component it is looking for it takes the
> student back to the deer line. This represents that the deer has
> survived and reproduced. If the deer fails to find the component it is
> seeking it dies and becomes part of the habitat side. (As the game is
> played keep track of the number of deer after each round- this will be
> used to make a line graph showing population trends corresponding to
> environmental factors.) Continue this process for a total of fifteen
> rounds.

5.  After the fifteen rounds discuss the activity and what the students
    concluded about the environment's impact on animal populations.
    Discuss that increases and decreases in the animal population are
    natural. In the beginning the herd grows, then some must die as the
    habitat is depleted.

6.  Review with students what limiting factors are: drought, fire,
    deforestation, uncontrolled hunting. Play the game again including
    some of the possible limiting factors. (Be sure to keep count of the
    number of deer and the conditions that were involved in each round,
    so the students can see the relationship between the limiting
    factors and their effect on the population.)

    a.  If there is a drought no student on the habitat side can choose
        water as their symbol.

    b.  If there is a fire no student on the habitat side can choose
        food or shelter as their symbol.

    c.  If there is deforestation no student on the habitat side can
        choose shelter as their symbol.

    d.  If there is uncontrolled hunting have 4 or 5 students become
        hunters (determine an appropriate hand signal to use).

> Discuss the results of the game with the use of limiting factors and
> their results on the wildlife population. Be sure that the students
> understand that humans can be a limiting factor on population growth.

***Wrap Up:*** Have the students describe what they learned from the
game. They should also construct two line graphs depicting the
population cycle of both games and describe why the populations
increased and decreased during the games.

Assessment

Teacher observation, participation, line graphs and explanations.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Where Do I Belong?**

> ***What is an ecosystem?***

**Summary:** This lesson introduces students to ecosystems, habitats,
niches, and interactions among living things.

**Duration:** 1 class period

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** ecology, habitat, niche, ecosystem, abiotic factors,
biotic factors, biome, predation, population, community, predator, prey,
competition, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, producer, consumer,
decomposer

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC1-E2, SC2-E1, SC3-E1,
SC4-E1, SC4-E2, SC4-E5, SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6,
SC9-E1, SC10-E2, SC11-E1, SC11-E2, SC11-E3, SC11-E4, SC11-E5, SC11-E7,
SC12-E2, SC14-E1, SC16-E1

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   define ecology and relate ecosystems, communities, populations,
    habitats, and niches to one another.

-   define producer, consumer and decomposer.

-   describe a food chain, food web, and energy pyramid.

-   compare competition, predation, commensalism, mutualism and
    parasitism.

**Background**

The biosphere is the part of the Earth that contains all living things.
Each ecosystem that we study is part of the biosphere. A system is a
group of things that interact with one another. The organisms that make
up the living part of an ecosystem are called biotic factors. An
organism depends on other biotic factors for food, shelter, protection,
and reproduction. Nonliving things that we find in an ecosystem are
called abiotic factors. Abiotic factors have an effect on the type and
number of organisms living in an ecosystem. Some abiotic factors include
soil, water, temperature, and sunlight.

All populations living in an area make up a community. A population is a
group of individuals belonging to the same species whereas a community
is made up of all the populations of living things in a given area. A
community cannot be considered apart from their physical environment.
Communities are made up of species that are intimately linked through
feeding relationships. Food chains and webs of desert species, for
example, emphasize the remarkable adaptations of desert organisms and
the interdependence of species. Animals in every habitat must solve two
important problems: 1) finding enough food for themselves and 2) making
sure they don't become food for others.

Communities and their physical environment are called ecosystems. An
ecosystem is a community of interlocking parts, which act upon each
other in life's grand plan. It contains a balanced mix of living things
and non-living materials that interact in order to form a self-contained
ecological unit. In an ecosystem there is a one-way flow of energy
through living things and a cycling of nonliving materials. Plants and
animals are parts of most ecosystems and so are other living things
called microbes. Plants use the sun's energy to produce food which, in
turn, animals consume to get their energy. Most ecosystems also have
three nonliving parts: soil, water, and air.

By studying an ecosystem we can see how communities are influenced by
their physical surroundings. A stream, for example, depends on supplies
of carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, water, and energy. At the same time,
populations alter their physical environment. Stream animals reshape the
stream by digging into its banks. Even by dying, a stream animal changes
the characteristics of its environment by contributing organic matter to
the streambed.

Within each large ecosystem, smaller ecosystems can be found, for
example, a decaying tree in a forest. As the tree decays, it returns to
the soil and recycles minerals in a series of processes. Fungi and
lichens or decomposers permeate and then soften the bark. Insects, such
as termites or beetles, attack the heartwood. In turn, animals feed on
the insects. Waste materials from the animals are deposited on the
ground providing a rich fertilizer for the soil.

Limiting factors control animal population sizes in a given area of
habitat. Limiting factors are resources, such as food, water, shelter,
and nesting sites, that are in short supply and restrict the population
sizes of living organisms. These factors serve to balance the number of
plants and animals that can survive in an area at one time. As a result,
a balance is maintained with the environment. Only a certain number of
animals and plants can thrive in a limited space --when there are too
many animals the resources are depleted and the animals and environment
suffer. Climate is another extremely important variable that influences
both the diversity of species and the number of plants and animals an
area can support. Interactions between organisms on different levels of
the food chains also influence the number of plants and animals found in
an area. Thus, the populations of predator and prey species are closely
linked. Predators provide an important check on the population size of
their prey and reduce the risk that the prey population will increase to
the point that it will exceed the available food.

Materials

Science magazines

Science textbook

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Draw a connections web on the board. Start by writing an
animal's name on the board and circling it. Ask the students to name
things that are connected to the animal (interactions with other
organisms, food, shelter...). Draw lines to the other factors until the
web is very complex. Point out that the web has abiotic and biotic
factors. Explain that this web on the board is not even a fraction of
the interactions happening in a natural ecosystem. Define ecosystem,
abiotic factors, and biotic factors.

# *Activity* {#activity-1 .unnumbered}

1.  Habitat vs. Niche- ask students to define the terms habitat and
    niche. What do you think your habitat or niche is. Explain the main
    differences and similarities of the two terms. Stress that a niche
    is much like an occupation, or the organism's role, while the
    habitat is its home.

2.  Describe an Animal's Habitat and Niche---hand out several science
    magazines. Tell the students to pick out any organism from the
    magazine (it can be a plant, animal, insect, reptile...). What do
    you think this animal's habitat is? Its niche? Do you think it has
    any relationships with other organisms? If so, what kinds?

3.  Introduce the Five Specific Interactions- List the five types of
    interactions on the board and give an example of each (predation,
    competition, parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism).

4.  Students will now write a paragraph involving a predator (mountain
    lion, coyote, fox, snake, etc...) through the eyes of its prey
    (mouse, insect, deer, etc...). Discuss what each student wrote.

***Wrap Up:*** Have the students create an animal that does not already
exist. Draw a picture of the animal and define its habitat and its
niche. They must also describe two specific interactions it has with
another living organism (predation, commensalism, mutualism, or
competition).

**Assessment**

Collect the students' pictures. Did the students define the animal's
habitat and niche? Did the students describe two interactions the animal
has with another organism?

### Extensions {#extensions .unnumbered}

***Materials needed:*** 2-liter bottle, sand, aquatic plants, gravel,
scissors, ruler, water, fish (1 goldfish or guppy per student), fish
food

1.  As a class, brainstorm and discuss factors needed for an ecosystem.
    Inform the students they are going to be creating an ecosystem in a
    2-liter bottle. Each student will be given a 2-liter bottle, sand,
    gravel, aquatic plants, water, and eventually one fish to add to
    their ecosystem.

2.  Have students draw a plan for their ecosystem and get it approved by
    you before they begin constructing their ecosystem. Students must be
    sure that the ecosystem is safe for the fish.

3.  After the plan has been approved the students can start constructing
    their ecosystems. Students should be able to explain how the fish
    will be able to survive in the ecosystem, and what they (students)
    must provide in order for the fish to survive.

***Materials needed:*** 5 cm soil, jar, water, aquatic plant, 1 cup
mixed bird seed

Have students observe and describe succession (the series of changes
that naturally take place in a community over time) by conducting the
following experiment using soils, water, seeds, a plant, and a jar.
First, place 5cm of soil in a jar and fill with water to a depth of 7.5
cm. Place the uncovered jar on a windowsill, allowing the contents to
settle overnight. Plant an aquatic plant in the jar. As time passes, do
not replace the water that evaporates from the jar. Once or twice a
week, have students add three or four seeds (use mixed birdseed) to the
jar. As long as water remains in the jar, the seeds should germinate and
then die. Continue adding seeds even after the water evaporates; this
evaporation is a metaphor for a warming, drying climate. As the water
evaporates, the aquatic plant will die, but the birdseed may find the
environment suitable for growth. When seedlings begin to sprout start
adding water to represent rainfall. Have students illustrate what they
saw happen to their pond. What did they learn about environmental
change?

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

Parts to a Whole

*How does it all fit together?*

**Summary:** Student will be creating a visual representation that
distinguishes the relationship between an individual of a species, its
interactions with others (living and non-living) around them, and the
role of limiting factors.

**Duration:** 1 week

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** population, community, ecosystem, limiting factors,
competition, drought

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC1-E2, SC2-E1, SC2-E3,
SC3-E1, SC4-E1, SC4-E2, SC4-E5, SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5,
SC6-E6, SC9-E1, SC10-E2, SC11-E1, SC11-E2, SC11-E3, SC11-E4, SC11-E5,
SC11-E6, SC11-E7

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   be able to distinguish between the characteristics that make up an
    individual, a population, a community, and an ecosystem.

-   define the terms population, community, ecosystems, and limiting
    factors.

-   predict the effect of drought on populations of plants and animals
    in a habitat.

**Background**

All populations living in an area make up a community. A population is a
group of individuals belonging to the same species whereas a community
is made up of all the populations of living things in a given area. A
community cannot be considered apart from its physical environment.
Communities are made up of species that are intimately linked through
feeding relationships. Food chains and webs of desert species, for
example, emphasize the remarkable adaptations of desert organisms and
the interdependence of species. Animals in every habitat must solve two
important problems: 1) finding enough food for themselves and 2) making
sure they don't become food for others.

Communities and their physical environment are called ecosystems. An
ecosystem is a community of interlocking parts, which act upon each
other in life's grand plan. It contains a balanced mix of living things
and non-living materials that interact in order to form a self-contained
ecological unit. In an ecosystem there is a one-way flow of energy
through living things and a cycling of nonliving materials. Plants and
animals are parts of most ecosystems as well as other living things
called microbes. Plants use the sun's energy to produce food which, in
turn, animals consume to get their energy. Most ecosystems also have
three nonliving parts: soil, water, and air.

By studying an ecosystem we can see how communities are influenced by
their physical surroundings. A stream, for example, depends on supplies
of carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, water, and energy. At the same time,
populations alter their physical environment. Stream animals reshape the
stream by digging into its banks. Even by dying, a stream animal changes
the characteristics of its environment by contributing organic matter to
the streambed.

Within each large ecosystem, smaller ecosystems can be found, for
example, a decaying tree in a forest. As the tree decays, it returns to
the soil and recycles minerals in a series of processes. Fungi and
lichens or decomposers permeate and then soften the bark. Insects, such
as termites or beetles, attack the heartwood. In turn, animals feed on
the insects. Waste materials from the animals are deposited on the
ground providing a rich fertilizer for the soil.

Limiting factors control animal population sizes in a given area of
habitat. Limiting factors are resources, such as food, water, shelter,
and nesting sites, that are in short supply and restrict the population
sizes of living organisms. These factors serve to balance the number of
plants and animals that can survive in an area at one time. As a result,
a balance is maintained with the environment. Only a certain number of
animals and plants can thrive in a limited space---when there are too
many animals the resources are depleted and the animals and environment
suffer. Climate is another extremely important variable that influences
both the diversity of species and the number of plants and animals an
area can support. Interactions between organisms on different levels of
the food chains also influence the number of plants and animals found in
an area. Thus, the populations of predator and prey species are closely
linked. Predators provide an important check on the population size of
their prey and reduce the risk that the prey population will increase to
the point that it will exceed the available food.

Can human population be a limiting factor? The size of the human
population affects virtually every environmental condition facing our
planet. As human population grows, demands for resources increase;
pollution and waste grow as well resulting in millions of plants and
animals facing the threat of extinction. Consequently, it is evident
that human population takes its toll.

**Materials**

Poster board

Colored pencils

Markers

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** On the chalkboard make four columns with the headings:
Individual, Population, Community, and Ecosystem. Define each of these.
Explain to the students that individuals make up populations, which in
turn make up communities, which in turn make up ecosystems.

(Review background information as necessary)

Imagine the plant and animal populations in the Chihuahuan Desert. Ask
students if they think that the area could support an unlimited number
of species. Also ask them to consider what might limit the number of
individual animals and the number of species (drought, fire, heat, and
predators). Students should consider what happens to all the populations
of plants and animals during the drought (the numbers of all decrease).
Discuss why limiting factors are important to a habitat (It controls
animal populations, thus balance is maintained with the environment.
Only a certain number can thrive in a limited space. Too many animals
will deplete the resources.).

***Activity:*** Explain to the students that there are several
ecosystems. Ask students to name some that could be found in the
Chihuahuan Desert or more specifically Carlsbad Caverns National Park
(riparian area, cave ecosystems (which can include the twilight zone,
varied temperature zone, and the constant temperature zone), desert, and
forest).

Discuss the concept of an energy pyramid. Explain that it depicts the
species of a habitat in their appropriate hierarchical levels (producer,
consumer, etc.). The pyramidal shape is formed because the energy
decreases as you move up the levels. This happens because each time an
animal eats another animal or plant, 90 percent of the energy contained
in the food source is lost due to the digestion process. Therefore, only
about 10 percent of the energy is actually transferred to the next level
of the food chain.

Explain to the students that they will be working in groups to create an
Energy Pyramid. Each group must choose an ecosystem located in our area.
They will then identify an individual species they'd like to follow
through the relationships of individual, population, community, and end
with the ecosystem.

Each team will receive poster board, colored pencils, and/or markers.
Pictures from magazines to use for the pyramid could also be an option.

***Wrap Up:*** Groups will present their Energy Pyramid to the class in
a ten-minute presentation.

**Assessment**

# Pyramid rubric {#pyramid-rubric .unnumbered}

**Extensions**

Each student should select a specific species and conduct library
research about how change in their local climate might affect their
selected animal.

Parts to a Whole

+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| # Energy                               | **Self | *        | **Co     |
|  Pyramid {#energy-pyramid .unnumbered} | Evalua | *Teacher | mments** |
|                                        | tion** | Eval     |          |
|                                        |        | uation** |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Visual:**                            |        | **/12**  |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Includes an energy pyramid colored and |        |          |          |
| labeled (consider quality and appeal). |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Energy Pyramid is visually attractive  |        |          |          |
| (fills the page, colorful, neat).      |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Illustrations distinguish the          |        |          |          |
| relationships between the individual,  |        |          |          |
| population, community and ecosystem.   |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Written:**                           |        | **/8**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Information is accurate.               |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Proper grammar, spelling, etc.         |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Presentation:**                      |        | **/8**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Presenters followed appropriate        |        |          |          |
| speaking rules (eye contact, voice,    |        |          |          |
| enthusiasm).                           |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Presentation quality, organization,    |        |          |          |
| information, and appeal.               |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Teamwork:**                          |        | **/4**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Are the efforts of each team member    |        |          |          |
| clearly demonstrated, or did it appear |        |          |          |
| to be the work of one or two?          |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Responsibility:**                    |        | **/4**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Turned in on due date and presented in |        |          |          |
| class with visual aids.                |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+

4 - no mistakes 3 - few mistakes 2 - many mistakes 1 - incomplete
(however is present) 0 - not evident or not included

Percentages: Visual \_\_\_\_\_ Written \_\_\_\_\_ Presentation
\_\_\_\_\_ Teamwork \_\_\_\_\_ Responsibility \_\_\_\_\_
Overall\_\_\_\_\_

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Move Over Please!**

***What happens when a plant population is too dense?***

**Summary:** This project explores the effects of plant population
density.

**Duration**: 2 weeks

**Setting**: Classroom/lab

**Vocabulary**: population, overcrowding

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed**: SC1-E1, SC1-E2, SC2-E1, SC2-E2,
SC2-E3, SC3-E1, SC4-E1, SC4-E3, SC4-E4, SC4-E5, SC5-E1, SC5-E2, SC6-E1,
SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC6-E7, SC11-E2, SC11-E3,
SC11-E4, SC11-E5, SC11-E7, SC12-E2, SC14-E1

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   work with the scientific method in order to see what happens when a
    plant population gets too dense.

-   make a chart to record the growth of plants.

**Background**

Nature is an amazing thing. It has the ability to regulate itself in
order to promote a healthy habitat for all living things. In order to
maintain a healthy environment nature has a natural cycle of population
increases and decreases.

If a population becomes too crowded the plants or animals must compete
for the resources (food, water, shelter, and space) available. This
creates an unhealthy environment, which causes the plants and/or animals
to suffer.

Plants are modular and do not move around. As a consequence, plants can
get larger so both biomass and the numbers of plants are indicators of
plant population size. As the population increases (in numbers or
biomass) either survival or reproduction will be reduced by the limits
imposed by resources, competition, predation, or by space limits.
Competition is high because of the fixed nature of their location and
the fixed nature of resource availability. Competition is mitigated by
other factors such as predation, disease, and mutualistic interactions.

The degree of intra- and inter-specific competition is described by the
self-thinning rule (also called Yoda's rule or the 3/2 power rule). This
rule states that as plant population density increases plant size
decreases due to resource limitations.

**Materials**

2 small milk cartons

Potting soil

Water

Radish seeds

Metric ruler

Marker

Pie pan

Measuring cups

**Procedure**

***Warm up***

Ask the following questions:

-   What do you think will happen if the plants are too close together?

-   Will there be enough food, water, and sunlight?

-   What else might be in short supply?

Have students write their answers in a science journal.

# *Activity* {#activity-2 .unnumbered}

1.  Do the experiment using the following directions.

    a.  Cut off the top of each carton and punch three holes into the
        bottom of each of the cartons.

    b.  Label the cartons A and B.

    c.  Fill each carton ¾ full with potting soil.

    d.  In carton A, plant three radish seeds about one centimeter
        apart. In carton B, plant 20 radish seeds about ½ centimeter
        apart.

    e.  Place both cartons in a pie pan. Water each carton with about ¼
        cup of water. Water each carton every 3-4 days. Keep the soil
        damp.

    f.  Observe and measure all the plants in each carton after one week
        and then again a week later. Keep a record of plant growth in a
        journal.

2.  Make a chart comparing the plant growth in both cartons A and B.
    Answer the follow-up questions:

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
a.  In which carton were the plants taller?

b.  In which carton were the plants fuller?

c.  In which carton were the plants more crowded?

d.  What might have caused the difference in the way the plants grew?

e.  What might happen to the soil when the plant population becomes too
    dense?

f.  Do you think that overcrowding might cause similar problems in other
    populations such as animals and humans?

***Wrap Up:*** Students must explain what they learned through this
activity and answer the initial question: What do you think will happen
if the plants are too close together? Will there be enough food, water,
and sunlight? What else might be in short supply?

**Assessment**

## Collect the students' journals. Did they answer the initial questions and keep a running log on plant growth? Did the students answer the follow-up questions? Did the students summarize what they learned from the activity?  {#collect-the-students-journals.-did-they-answer-the-initial-questions-and-keep-a-running-log-on-plant-growth-did-the-students-answer-the-follow-up-questions-did-the-students-summarize-what-they-learned-from-the-activity .unnumbered}

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**What's Cookin'?**

***How are living things linked in the Ecosystem?***

**Summary:** This lesson will help students understand how energy flows
within an undisturbed habitat. Students will learn about the flow and
about the interdependence of organisms.

**Duration:** 1 week

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary
consumers, scavengers, detritivores, predators, herbivores, carnivores,
primary producers, photosynthesis, thermodynamics

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed**: SC1-E1, SC2-E1, SC2-E2, SC2-E3,
SC3-E1, SC4-E2, SC4-E5, SC5-E2, SC5-E3, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5,
SC6-E6, SC9-E1, SC11-E1, SC11-E2, SC11-E3, SC11-E4, SC11-E5

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   Recognize the food web and the living things that are a part of it.

-   Discuss the elements of a food web and their impacts on the world.

-   Have a better understanding of the interdependency of all living
    things in an ecological system.

### Background*: A Close Look at Energy* {#background-a-close-look-at-energy .unnumbered}

There are two important laws of thermodynamics that are fundamental to
understanding how energy behaves in living systems. The First Law
states: *Energy can be changed from one form to another, but it can
never be created or destroyed*. Energy transformation occurs all the
time in living systems: photosynthesis converts light energy into
chemical energy, mammals convert the chemical energy in their food into
the heat needed to keep their bodies warm. The First Law also tells us
that in any energy conversion, the energy that exists after the
conversion is exactly equal to the energy that existed before, however,
the quality doesn't remain the same. The first law may lead us to
believe that there will always be enough energy, yet anyone who has
attempted to start a car with no gas can attest to the fact that though
there once was gas (chemical energy) in the vehicle it was converted to
energy of movement and now is no longer there.

The Second Law states: *In all energy exchanges and conversions, the
potential energy of the final state is always less than the potential
energy of the initial state*. In other words, every time energy changes
form, there is less *useful* energy after the change than before. Almost
every time energy changes form, some of the energy turns into "low
quality" heat that is "lost" to the surrounding environment. The energy
still exists, but is no longer easily used. Ecologists express the
energy quantities in an energy pyramid. The pyramid shows how many
producers(plants) are needed to feed the primary consumers (mice) that
are needed to feed the secondary consumers (snakes) that are needed to
feed the top predator (a coyote). Understanding the Laws of
Thermodynamics and applying them to the food pyramid allows one to see
why there needs to be more mice than coyotes in a desert.

Let us follow the energy flow. Energy of life starts in the sun. It is
passed along from one organism to another; from plants to plant eaters,
on to the animals that eat them and so on. An animal's use of the sun's
radiant energy begins with the "capture" of that energy by
photosynthetic plants (and certain microorganisms) that convert light
energy to chemical energy in the form of carbohydrates. Each organism is
described by its position in the energy flow, and because plants capture
the sun's energy and make their own food, they are called primary
producers. What makes humans, and every other non-photosynthetic species
(all animals), possible is that all other organisms can utilize the
plant's stored energy. Animals (or the plants themselves) can break down
the glucose and other food molecules produced by plants into water and
carbon dioxide in a process called respiration. Respiration is
photosynthesis in reverse. During respiration, the stored chemical
energy captured originally by the plant is released for use by the
plant-eater. Primary consumers are the herbivores, or plant-eating
animals, that feed almost exclusively on photosynthetic plants; also
called primary consumers. Other animals called secondary consumers prey
on primary consumers. Secondary consumers are the carnivores. Tertiary
consumers are the carnivores that feed on secondary consumers.
Detritivores are organisms that feed on small bits of dead material and
waste from each level. As each of these organisms dies, its components
are broken down by digestion or by various decomposers, such as bacteria
and fungi. There is also another type of consumer. Scavengers, which
include earthworms and vultures, are animals that eat dead animals. They
play a crucial role in the recycling of nutrients for further use in the
ecosystem. In the real world many animals eat more than one kind of
animal. Also, most prey animals are eaten by more than one kind of
predator. This producer-consumer-decomposer sequence in a food chain
represents a flow of both energy and matter. Thus the depiction of a
simple chain turns into a complex web.

Consider this. Each individual from each species is concerned most
basically with obtaining energy---energy to keep going, energy to grow,
and energy to reproduce---in sum, energy for survival. Ultimately, all
that energy comes from the sun through plants and the medium of
photosynthesis. It ultimately returns to the universe as waste heat from
cellular respiration.

**Materials**

Owl pellets\*

Paper towels

Bone diagram

Tweezers or toothpicks

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Write the words shrews, grazing insects, sun, owl, grass.
Ask students why they think these five words would be placed together
and what they have in common. Students should answer that they are all
in a food chain. Explain that the students will be completing an
activity that will enable them to see evidence of connections within a
food chain. Review key terms such as primary producer, primary
carnivore, and herbivore.

***Activity:*** Students will pair up. Each pair should receive an owl
pellet. Have students begin taking apart the pellet. Students should
examine the various bones they find. Have them compare these bones to a
bone chart. After identifying the various types of bones found discuss
what we can conclude from these findings. Refer back to the original
words on the board and ask students to draw an illustration showing the
food chain represented in this activity.

Explain to the students that the class will be making a food web mural.
Students will choose any ecosystem, for example the Chihuahuan Desert.
Once they've identified an ecosystem the student will pick a plant or
animal that lives there and through research, determine its place in the
web. Once students have determined its place they should also identify
its predators and prey. When students have completed their findings they
will place their information on the class food web model.

***Wrap Up*:** Discuss the completed food web.

**Assessment**

Research on their animal or plant.

\*Carolina Biological Supply Co.

# 2700 York Road {#york-road .unnumbered}

Burlington, NC 27215

1-800-334-5551

![](media/image4.png){width="6.659722222222222in" height="9.15625in"}

What's Cookin'?

**Research Format**

# Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ {#name__________________ .unnumbered}

One way ecologists show a community's energy flow is through food chains
and food webs. A food chain shows what one type of animal eats and what
its prey eats in turn. A food web goes a step further, showing the
relationships among many animals in a community. It shows who eats what
and who eats whom within a community. A web that includes all the
animals and plants in a small patch of the Chihuahuan Desert, for
instance, would have hundreds of strands.

Use this information for review as you complete your research.

An animal's use of the sun's radiant energy begins with the "capture" of
that energy by photosynthetic plants. Because plants capture the sun's
energy, they are called primary producers. A primary consumer is a
plant-eating animal, or herbivore. Primary consumers are preyed on by
other animals, the secondary consumers, and so on, in what is termed the
food chain. As each organism dies, its components are broken down by
digestion or by various decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi. This
producer-consumer-decomposer sequence in a food chain represents the
flow of both energy and matter.

Use the shape below to label and illustrate the plants and animals in
your chain (use one for each illustration).

What's Cookin'?

**Research Format**

What's Cookin'?

**Research Format**

# Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ {#name__________________-1 .unnumbered}

1\. Identify your plant or animal.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

2\. Determine where your plant or animal fits in the diagram and write
its name in the box.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Biomes!**

***What are the seven biomes?***

**Summary:** This lesson introduces the students to characteristics of
the seven biomes (grassland, ocean, forest, desert, rainforest, taiga,
and tundra).

**Duration:** 1-2 class periods

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** biome, grassland, ocean, desert, forest, rainforest,
taiga, tundra

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC2-E3, SC3-E1, SC5-E2,
SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC11-E2, SC11-E3,
SC11-E4, SC11-E7

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   comprehend the distinct differences in the characteristics of the
    seven biomes.

-   create a poster depicting the characteristics of the seven biomes.

**Background**

Each environment has different kinds of organisms. One factor that
influences where organisms live is climate. Climate is the average
weather of a region over a long period of time. Two basic factors
influence both climate and weather. These factors are precipitation and
temperature. Weather is the result of the day-to-day changes in these
factors. Climate is the average of these factors over a long period of
time.

A biome is a region characterized by certain kinds of plant life, animal
life, and climate. The plants and animals that survive in a biome are
adapted to the conditions of that biome. Each biome is described in
terms of its climate and its living things. The plants and animals that
survive in a biome are adapted to the conditions in that biome.

Some researchers say there are six land biomes on the Earth, however we
included the ocean as a separate biome. That brings us to a total of
seven biomes on the Earth. These biomes include the desert, grassland,
forest, rainforest, taiga, tundra, and the ocean.

The tundra is a biome that is cold and receives little precipitation.
Winters in the tundra are long, dark, and very windy. Summers in the
tundra are very short. There are only about eight weeks of the year when
conditions are right for plants to grow. Most of the soil in the tundra
is frozen all year. This frozen soil is called permafrost. Few plants
can survive in the tundra, because the growing season is so short. The
plants that do grow are adapted to grow very quickly. The most common
plants are grasses, mosses, and lichens. The animals that live in the
tundra have special adaptations that allow them to survive in the very
cold environment. These animals include: caribou, lemmings, arctic
foxes, snowy owls, and wolves.

The taiga is a biome in which the main type of plant life is evergreen
trees. This biome has long, hard winters and constant snow cover.
However, there is no permafrost in the taiga. The most common plants in
the taiga are conifers. Because conifers keep their leaves all year,
little sunlight reaches the forest floor. The only plants that can
survive with very little sunlight are ferns and mosses. The animals that
reside in the taiga have adapted to living in these conifer forests.
These animals include: porcupines, crossbill, and moose.

The deciduous forest is a biome named for the broad-leaved trees found
there. The climate is temperate. Temperate means that it is not very hot
or very cold. The plants of the deciduous forest include deciduous trees
(maple, oak, and beech) and many wildflowers along the forest floor. The
animal life in the deciduous forest is very diverse. It includes:
squirrels, deer, rabbits, black bears, hawks, foxes, insects, worms,
birds, frogs, slugs, and snakes.

The tropical rain forest is a biome that has high temperatures and a
large amount of rainfall. Tropical rain forests are found only near the
equator. The tropical rain forest changes very little from season to
season. There are more living things in the tropical rain forest than in
all other biomes combined. It has been estimated that 50% of all living
things live in the rain forest. However, this biome only covers 2% of
the Earth's land mass. Some of the plants in the rain forest include
hanging vines and sandbox trees. The animals of the rain forest are
adapted to live only in one level of the rain forest. Few animals move
from one level to the next. There is so much diversity in the rain
forest it is hard to identify all the plants and animals that live
there. Some of the animals that live in the rain forests include:
hummingbirds, sloths, monkeys, toucans, and parrots.

The grassland in temperate regions is a biome that has cold winters,
warm summers, and uneven precipitation. As you might guess, grasses are
the main kinds of plant life in the grasslands. Many insects live in the
grassland. They include: ants, locusts, and grasshoppers. The grass also
provides the appropriate habitat for many other animals. These animals
include: prairie dogs, burrowing owls, hawks, coyotes, and wolves.

The desert is a biome that receives less than 10 inches of rainfall each
year. Most people think that the desert is always hot. That is not true.
A desert can also be very cold. Desert plants have adapted to living
with very little water. Some of these plants include: cacti, creosote
bush, and other small-leaved plants. Desert animals have also adapted to
prevent water loss. These animals include: snakes, lizards, and kangaroo
rats.

An ocean is a large body of salt water. There are four major oceans on
the Earth: Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian. Since these oceans are
all connected water can flow from one ocean into another. The same is
true with animal and plant life. The ocean is alive with a great deal of
plants and animals. Seaweeds, sea snakes, whales, whelks, penguins,
porpoises, tuna, and tunicates are just a few of the many organisms that
live in the ocean.

**Materials**

Butcher paper

Drawing materials

World map

Science textbook

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Ask the students if they have ever heard the term biome.
Explain what a biome is. Ask the students to brainstorm possible biomes
and discuss the seven biomes: grassland, ocean, desert, forest,
rainforest, taiga, tundra

# *Activity* {#activity-3 .unnumbered}

1.  Look at the world map with the class and discuss where some of the
    biome regions can be found. Divide the class into groups of 2 to 4.

2.  Each group will be given a large piece of butcher paper. The
    students will then divide that piece of paper into seven different
    sections, one for each of the biomes discussed.

3.  Students are to research and fill up as much space as possible in
    each of the biome sections with pictures and facts about plants,
    animals, and weather characteristics for each particular biome. The
    groups should discuss between themselves what should go into each
    biome section and why it belongs there.

***Wrap Up:*** Students will present their work and explain some things
that make each biome distinct: a particular plant, animal, and weather
characteristic.

**Assessment**

## Students should be able to answer the following questions (teacher may use any format: game, written, discussion): {#students-should-be-able-to-answer-the-following-questions-teacher-may-use-any-format-game-written-discussion .unnumbered}

## What is a biome?

1.  What is the climate like in the desert? How does it compare with the
    climate in the tundra?

2.  What is the climate like in the rainforest? How often does it rain?

3.  In what biome would you find a cactus?

4.  In what biome(s) would you find a wolf?

5.  If you find a wolf in more than one biome, how is it possible?

6.  Because of the harsh hot and dry conditions of the desert, what
    characteristics would a plant (and animal) have in order to survive
    there?

7.  What might the waxy coating and spines on the plants in the desert
    tell us about the weather there? How might this relate to the plant
    life in Carlsbad Caverns National Park?

8.  How do animals of the forest, grassland, tundra, taiga, desert, and
    rainforest differ form the animals of the ocean?

9.  What biome-like region is Carlsbad Caverns National Park located in?

**Name: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

![](media/image5.png){width="9.0in"
height="5.7243055555555555in"}**Directions:** Outline, color, and label
your specific desert on the world map.

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Why's it so Hot?**

***What are the distinguishing features\
of a desert and how are they formed?***

**Summary:** Students will explore the various factors that contribute
to the formation of a desert.

**Duration:** 1 class period

**Setting:** Classroom and outside

**Vocabulary:** arid, desert, evaporation, precipitation,
desertification, rain shadow

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC2-E1, SC3-E1, SC4-E1,
SC4-E5, SC5-E2, SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC11-E1,
SC11-E4, SC11-E5

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   understand the physical characteristics of a desert biome.

-   be able to identify four major reasons why deserts are formed.

**Background**

Imagine a place with only a few drops of water to drink all year long; a
place where the sun can be so hot that rocks are too hot to touch. A
desert is an area that receives less than 10 inches of precipitation per
year *and* has a high rate of evaporation (if the annual evaporation
rate of an area is higher than the annual amount of rainfall, the area
is considered a desert). Deserts cover roughly one-third of the Earth's
land surface. There are about 20 major deserts in the world, spread out
on five continents. Many people may think that deserts are all the same.
In fact, deserts are among the most varied and interesting landscapes on
earth. Their barren appearance is misleading because an amazing variety
of wildlife and plants have evolved adaptations enabling them to survive
the harsh environment. Some deserts have rolling dunes while others have
a flat surface of smooth stones. Deserts also vary in terms of the
altitude in which they are found.

It is important to recognize the relationship between the Earth's
geography and its climate. There are four major reasons why deserts
form. Deserts occur as a result of more than one of these factors:
latitude, ocean currents, rains shadows, and central location on a
continent.

Rain shadow deserts are created by prevailing winds that reach a
mountain range. As they rise quickly and cool, they lose most of their
moisture as rain. By the time the winds cross over the mountains and
move down the far side, they are very dry. The dry winds will create a
"rain shadow" desert if the area on the far side of the mountain does
not receive moisture in some other way.

Inland deserts are formed because they are just too far from
moisture-filled ocean winds. Air that picks up its moisture over the
oceans has already dropped that moisture as rain by the time it reaches
these mid-continental regions.

Latitude deserts are found along one of two lines of latitude, 30
degrees north or 30 degrees south. Many deserts form because they lie in
zones of high atmospheric pressure, where dry air is descending. As the
descending dry air warms up, it absorbs much of the moisture in the
area.

Cold current deserts are created when moisture-laden air traveling east
over the ocean cools as it crosses cold ocean currents (along the
western coasts of Africa, South America, and North America). Since cool
air holds less moisture than warm air, the cooling air masses drop most
of their moisture over these cold currents. By the time the air reaches
the west coast of the continent, it is very dry.

**Materials**

Map of the United States

Colored pencils

Two buckets of water

Sponges

Ruler

2 shallow pans

Salt

Stopwatch

Chalkboard

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Ask students to brainstorm what they think they know
about deserts, their characteristics, and how they are formed. Write
responses on the board. Give students the definition of a desert.
Explain that they will be performing an activity that will allow them to
observe how evaporation affects living things in the desert. Using a map
of the United States, ask students to locate the four deserts in the
North American continent.

***Activity:*** In these activities, students will get a chance to find
out how evaporation affects living things in the desert and how it helps
shape the way many desert areas look.

1.  Show students how water evaporates by wiping a damp sponge across a
    chalkboard. Explain that the water evaporated or changed from a
    liquid to an invisible gas called water vapor.

2.  Next, ask students how heat affects evaporation. To show how heat
    affects the evaporation rate, complete these two demonstrations.

3.  Place one pan in a sunny, open area and the other in a shady area.
    Fill each pan with exactly two inches of water. Leave the pans in
    place several hours, then measure the amount of water in each pan.
    Does one pan now have less water?

4.  The second demonstration shows how quickly rainfall evaporates off
    the hot desert ground with a sidewalk graffiti demonstration. Take a
    bucket of water, some sponges, and a stopwatch to an outside area.
    Locate a shady sidewalk area and a sunny one. Have the students
    write their initials on the sunny sidewalk with a damp sponge. With
    the stopwatch time how long it takes for their letters to evaporate
    completely. In which area did the water evaporate more quickly?

Explain to the students that they will be researching the four deserts
located on the North American continent. Divide students into four
groups. Assign each group a desert to study. Each group should complete
research on their assigned desert. Include the name, type, size and
location, how the desert was formed (rain shadow, high pressure, inland,
latitude, or cold current), physical features, examples of plants and
animals (what are their indicator species), and special facts. Pass out
a map of North America to each group. Each group will provide a physical
outline of their assigned desert.

***Wrap Up*:** Groups will present their information to the class.

**Assessment**

See research rubric.

![](media/image6.png){width="9.041666666666666in" height="6.5in"}**Name:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**Directions**: Use the following map to color and label the physical
outline of your assigned desert.

North American Desert Research

+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| # Research o                          | **S   | *     | **Comments** |
| n North American Deserts {#research-o | elf** | *Teac |              |
| n-north-american-deserts .unnumbered} |       | her** |              |
|                                       | **Ev  |       |              |
|                                       | aluat | **Ev  |              |
|                                       | ion** | aluat |              |
|                                       |       | ion** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| **Visual:**                           |       | *     |              |
|                                       |       | */4** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Includes North American map with      |       |       |              |
| location outlined, colored, and       |       |       |              |
| labeled (consider quality and         |       |       |              |
| appeal).                              |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| **Written Report:**                   |       | **    |              |
|                                       |       | /20** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Includes content about animal life    |       |       |              |
| (identifies indicator species).       |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Includes content about plant life     |       |       |              |
| (identifies indicator species).       |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Includes location or geography.       |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Written in complete sentences (neat,  |       |       |              |
| proper grammar, spelling, etc.)       |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Cites 3 references (*[at least one    |       |       |              |
| internet site]{.underline}).*         |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| **Presentation:**                     |       | *     |              |
|                                       |       | */4** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Organization of information, quality, |       |       |              |
| etc.                                  |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| **Teamwork:**                         |       | *     |              |
|                                       |       | */4** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Are the efforts of each team member   |       |       |              |
| clearly demonstrated, or did it       |       |       |              |
| appear to be the work of one or two?  |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| **Responsibility:**                   |       | *     |              |
|                                       |       | */4** |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+
| Turned in on due date and presented   |       |       |              |
| in class with visual aids.            |       |       |              |
+---------------------------------------+-------+-------+--------------+

4 - no mistakes 3 - few mistakes 2 - many mistakes 1 - incomplete
(however is present) 0 - not evident or not included

Percentages: Visual \_\_\_\_ Written Report \_\_\_\_ Presentation
\_\_\_\_ Teamwork \_\_\_\_ Responsibility \_\_\_\_ Overall \_\_\_\_

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

Scenic Sculpture

> ***How are these desert landscapes created?***

**Summary:** Through a hands-on activity, students will explore the
factors contributing to desert formations and construct 3-D models.

**Duration:** 2 class periods

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** alluvial fan, arroyo, butte, dune, erosion, mesa, wadi,
arch, playa, canyon, columns, weathering

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC2-E1, SC2-E3, SC3-E1,
SC4-E1, SC4-E5, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC12-E1, SC12-E3,
SC12-E7

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   identify various desert landforms.

-   identify causes of desert landforms.

-   construct a 3-D model to illustrate the features seen in a desert.

**Background**

Deserts landscapes have been described in terms ranging from
breathtaking to barren. Although you see no autumn foliage or lush deep
greens of summer the desert landscapes are distinct and varied. Cracked
salt flats, deep rock canyons, golden arches, and towering sand dunes
are all part of desert landscapes, along with arroyos, playas, buttes,
and other landforms. In order to determine how the formations are
created it is necessary to take a look at the various factors that
create a desert.

It is important to start by defining a desert because it is here that we
first begin to see the process. Deserts are defined as an area that
receives less than 10 inches of precipitation per year and has a high
evaporation rate. Evaporation rates can be from seven to fifty times
high as the rate of precipitation. The dry air of the desert allows 90
percent of the incoming solar radiation to strike the Earth's surface as
compared to 40 percent in humid climates. It is no wonder then that
deserts truly are the hottest places on earth. The same dry air that
allows the radiation to penetrate during the day also allows the
accumulated heat to be radiated back to the sky at night. Therefore,
deserts are also known for their extremes in day and nighttime
temperatures.

If you were to look closely at a map of the Earth you would see that
deserts aren't randomly scattered. In fact, it is important to recognize
the relationship between the Earth's geography and its climate. Deserts
are located where they are because of four main factors: latitude, rain
shadows, cold currents, and central location on a continent.

Most deserts are found along the lines of latitude: 30 degrees north or
30 degrees south. This occurs because of the way air circulates in the
tropics. Rain shadow deserts form when a mountain cuts off a low-lying
area's rain supply. As moisture-laden winds travel over mountains they
rise and cool thus dropping their moisture on the western side of the
mountain. Cold currents are caused by ocean winds being cooled as they
blow across very cold currents near shore. This cold, dry air holds
little to no moisture and therefore, as it blows inland, a desert is
created. The many deserts are found in a central location on a
continent. Any air that picked up moisture over the oceans has already
dropped it as rain before it reaches the mid-continent region.

What does the dryness have to do with desert formations? For one thing,
forces of wind, water, and weathering are given more power by the high
evaporation rate. Wind is one of the primary factors in sculpting the
desert. A sandblasting effect occurs when dry sand, pebbles, and dirt
are picked up and blown with great force. Because of the dry surfaces
and sparse soil-anchoring vegetation, we see sand particles blown into
high dunes.

Water is an even more powerful erosive force than wind. Rainfall and
riverflow are infrequent in desert areas. And yet, it is not uncommon to
experience flash flooding. When rain does come to a desert, it often
falls heavily, washing away soil, transporting rocks and sand, and
cutting deep gashes in the surface. When streams and riverbeds fill with
water, sediment is eroded and carried with enormous power. This mud,
sand, and water slurry scours everything in its path. An example of this
is the Colorado River creating the Grand Canyon. Flood waters running
down a mountain drop their load of sediment, forming alluvial fans.

Weathering is how exposure to the elements breaks down rocks. One form
occurs when the rapid heating and cooling of the desert causes rocks to
expand and contract, building up strain. This strain can build up until
a rock cracks. It's a slower process, and a more subtle contributor to
desert formations than wind and water, but just as important. In many
deserts sand helps shape the way desert landscapes look. Although water
can erode rock surfaces without sand, sand increases the amount of
erosion that takes place.

**Materials**

Water

Flour

Salt

Measuring cups

Sandpaper

Cardboard (at least 14"x18")

Small plastic bowls

Paints

Bowls

Chalk

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Pass out a small sheet of sandpaper to each student. Ask
them if they know what sandpaper is used for (it helps grind and smooth
rough surfaces on wood and other materials). Explain that water or
wind-carried sand can also grind, just as sandpaper does. For example,
during a sandstorm in the desert, the wind may blow hundreds of pounds
of sand around at speeds of over 10 miles per hour for several days. As
the grains constantly bounce and grind they begin to wear rock surfaces
down. Hand each student a piece of chalk and allow them to experience
the abrasiveness of the sandpaper by rubbing it against the chalk.
Remind the students that this same effect can be caused by water too.

Refer to the background information that stated how the Colorado River
was made.

***Activity:*** Students will make salt dough clay and then create a
desert scene that depicts a variety of landforms found in a desert.

> Step 1 -- Have students combine ½ cup of salt and 1 cup of flour in a
> bowl. Students will then slowly add water and stir until the dough is
> the consistency of bread dough.
>
> Step 3 -- The teacher will name a landform and then give the
> definition. Students will be expected to write down all definitions,
> and then based on the description only, form their interpretation of
> that landform. Once finished, teachers will show pictures of each
> landform named. Students will assess their formation and make the
> necessary changes.
>
> Step 4 -- Each student will be given a piece of cardboard and will be
> instructed to create a desert landscape that would include seven of
> the eleven types of landforms defined. Students should label each
> landform.
>
> Step 5 -- Students may be allowed to paint their formations. Keep in
> mind the colorings of the various formations are often due to the
> different minerals found as opposed to vegetation.

***Wrap Up:*** As a review play a quick game of "What am I?" Students
will be given a definition or a picture and asked to provide the name.
This can be played for fun or for bonus points.

**Assessment**

# Topographical desert formations made of salt dough, quiz.  {#topographical-desert-formations-made-of-salt-dough-quiz. .unnumbered}

Scenic Sculpture

Landforms Quiz

Name: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Students should draw a picture of each type of landform listed:

+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **1. arroyo**                     | **2. butte**                     |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| **3. wadi**                       | 4.  **alluvial fan**             |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 5.  **dune**                      | **6. canyon**                    |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+
| 6.  **playa**                     | **7. arch**                      |
+-----------------------------------+----------------------------------+

Desert Formation Model

+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| # Desert Formati                     | #      | *        | **         |
| ons {#desert-formations .unnumbered} | # Self | *Teacher | Comments** |
|                                      |  Evalu | Eval     |            |
|                                      | ation  | uation** |            |
|                                      | {#self |          |            |
|                                      | -evalu |          |            |
|                                      | ation  |          |            |
|                                      | .unnum |          |            |
|                                      | bered} |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Visual:**                          |        | **/12**  |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| 7 of 11 types of landforms discussed |        |          |            |
| are depicted.                        |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Formations are accurate.             |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Painted formations represent         |        |          |            |
| realistic coloring.                  |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Written:**                         |        | **/8**   |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Provides a definition for each       |        |          |            |
| landform.                            |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Identifies an area in which each     |        |          |            |
| landform can be found.               |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Presentation:**                    |        | **/4**   |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Organization of information,         |        |          |            |
| quality, etc.                        |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Responsibility:**                  |        | **/4**   |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Turned in on due date and presented  |        |          |            |
| in class with visual aid.            |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+

4 - no mistakes 3 - few mistakes 2 - many mistakes 1 - incomplete
(however is present) 0 - not evident or not included

Percentages: Visual \_\_\_\_\_\_ Written \_\_\_\_\_\_ Presentation
\_\_\_\_\_\_ Responsibility \_\_\_\_\_\_ Overall\_\_\_\_\_\_

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**How Do They Survive?**

***What is a microhabitat and how does it\
help plants and animals survive?***

**Summary:** Students will describe the various ways in which plants and
animals of the desert adapt by participating in an activity that
examines microhabitats as one type of adaptation.

**Duration:** 1 class period

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** burrow, microhabitat, adaptation

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC1-E1, SC1-E2, SC2-E1, SC2-E2,
SC2-E3, SC6-E2, SC6-E3, SC4-E4, SC4-E5, SC5-E2, SC6-E1, SC6-E2, SC6-E3,
SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC11-E2, SC11-E3, SC11-E5

**Objectives**

Students will:

-   interpret the results of their experiment in order to determine if
    their hypothesis was supported.

-   explain how animals and plants use microhabitats as a means of
    survival.

-   explain what a microhabitat is.

-   understand how life cycles of plants and animals help them cope with
    desert conditions.

**Background**

A variety of organisms live in almost any habitat you could name. The
desert, for example, is a challenging habitat for the plants and animals
that live there. Yet for thousands of years plant and animal species
have adapted and thrived in these arid lands. How? Because each organism
has its own way of life which often requires a different environment
from that of other organisms, plants and animals inhabit specific
microhabitats within the environment of a general habitat. This
microhabitat allows them to accommodate their needs and survive the
harshness of the desert. A microhabitat is simply a small, distinctly
specialized habitat.

For some animals their respite is the cool interior of a burrow.
Rattlesnakes, kit foxes, and kangaroo rats spend most of the day resting
in underground burrows. They choose the night for their active period to
avoid the intense dehydrating heat of the daytime sun. During the day,
the cool microclimate of their burrows helps protect them. How cool is
it? While the soil surface up top may be 165 degrees Fahrenheit, their
underground dens may be a livable 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In their cozy
microhabitat, these animals can conserve their energy for nighttime
hunting or seed gathering expeditions. Astonishingly, over half of all
vertebrate animals, including those that live in caves and the soil, are
nocturnal.

During the dry times, animals such as the spadefoot toad, an amphibian
that lives in the American Southwest, can be found in a burrow dug with
its spade-shaped back feet. It will continue to lie dormant until the
sound of raindrops hitting the surface awakens the toad. At that point
the race is on. Within approximately 8-10 days the cycle of finding a
mate to laying the eggs to becoming a toad will be complete.

Some plants use combined strategies of dormancy and an accelerated life
cycle. The seeds of the sand verbena will remain dormant (sometimes for
years) until there is enough rain. When there is sufficient rain, they
grow quickly, making their flowers and seeds and then dying all within a
period of a few weeks. Some plants bloom at night in order to minimize
water loss.

An arroyo, a ditch carved by water in desert regions, makes for the
perfect microhabitat for javelinas. When the steep banks erode, shallow
cavities are created that provide warmth in the winter and cool in the
summer.

Cave entrances can provide a microhabitat for a variety of plant and
animal species and provide growing conditions similar to a forest. It is
not uncommon to find a fringe of green around the entrances to caves.
Upon closer examination, evidence of animals such as birds, snakes,
skunks, or mice living in the mouth of the cave can be found.

A variety of microhabitats can be found in any environment. Plants and
animals find "their place" in logs, under boulders, in cacti, or even
under a refuse can. Places such as a shady area under a tree or shrub
are microhabitats because they provide a home for shade loving plants or
respite for the desert lizards.

The above mentioned areas are only a few of the vast array of
microhabitats found in an environment. The challenge is to locate some
in your area. A hike is a great way to discover your world. When hiking
an area such as the desert here are a few things to look for:

-   Cuplike nests tucked in cholla cacti, where cactus wrens raise their
    young;

-   Mounds where kangaroo rats live;

-   Lizards basking on rocks;

-   Young cacti growing under "nurse" trees or plants;

-   Shallow pits in the ground where javelinas have been digging for
    roots;

-   Cavities in cacti, where woodpeckers or owls nest

**Materials**

3-5 gallon terrarium

Sand (enough to fill the bottom 5 inches)

1 large, flat, dark-colored rock

12-inch scientific thermometer

Desk lamp with 100 watt bulb

Paper towel tube

Full sheet of paper

1 craft stick

Scissors

Graph paper

**Procedure**

Explain to the students that there are a variety of ways in which plants
and animals adapt in order to survive. Today's focus will be on the use
of microhabitats as a means of survival.

***Warm up:*** Write the word microhabitat on the board. Ask students
for a definition. Explain that a microhabitat is a small area within a
habitat that provides special conditions. These special conditions can
include shelter, moisture, darkness, etc.

***Activity:*** Students will create a microhabitat in order to
determine how animals find small cooler climates amid the harsh
conditions of the desert.

-   Let the sand sit in the classroom overnight so that it will be room
    temperature. Place the paper towel tube lengthwise in the bottom of
    the terrarium (cutting if necessary). Cut a hole approximately ¾
    inch in diameter on the topside of the tube. Roll up a sheet of
    paper and insert it into the hole in the paper towel tube. Fill the
    terrarium with sand (5 inches deep). Place the rock on the top of
    the sand. Clear an area on one side in order to create a shady
    overhang. Position the heat source so that it is 5-6 inches above
    the terrarium. Mark the center of the terrarium with a craft stick.
    This is the place where the temperature readings will be taken. Mark
    an X on the rock with a permanent marker to show where that
    temperature will be measured. Do not turn on the lamp until you are
    ready to begin the experiment.

Students will be divided into 6 groups. Each group will form a
hypothesis regarding the temperatures within the microhabitat. Students
will also tell why they made their hypothesis. Students will record
temperatures in four locations, four times a day. A temperature reading
will be taken in the burrow, under the rock, on the surface of the rock,
and on the surface of the sand. The temperatures will be taken at times
to be determined. After one day of taking temperatures a pattern should
emerge. You may continue to take readings for another day in order to
determine consistency in the pattern.

***Wrap Up:*** Explain to the students that the five areas in the
terrarium were used to simulate microhabitats found in the desert.
Conduct a follow-up discussion based on the results of the experiment.
Students should attempt to explain why or why not their hypothesis was
valid.

**Assessment**

Students should create a graph to depict the results of the experiment
and give a written response on what caused the variety of temperatures
to exist within the terrarium.

Students will research various types of microhabitats that plants and
animals utilize.

**Extension**

Students could go on their own microhabitat search and locate the
variety of microhabitats found in their area.

How Do They Survive?

Microhabitat Research

+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| # Microh                             | ##     | *        | **         |
| abitats {#microhabitats .unnumbered} | Self E | *Teacher | Comments** |
|                                      | valuat | Eval     |            |
|                                      | ion {# | uation** |            |
|                                      | self-e |          |            |
|                                      | valuat |          |            |
|                                      | ion-1  |          |            |
|                                      | .unnum |          |            |
|                                      | bered} |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Visual:**                          |        | **/12**  |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| 4-fold with illustrations should     |        |          |            |
| depict microhabitats.                |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Illustrations should be colorful,    |        |          |            |
| detailed, and fill the page.         |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Graph should be included (look for   |        |          |            |
| accuracy).                           |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Written:**                         |        | **/16**  |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Provides a paragraph in response to  |        |          |            |
| the graph analysis.                  |        |          |            |
|                                      |        |          |            |
| (What caused the variety of          |        |          |            |
| temperatures.)                       |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Provides a definition of             |        |          |            |
| microhabitat.                        |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Identifies the type of plant/animal  |        |          |            |
| that uses the microhabitat.          |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Identifies an area in which each of  |        |          |            |
| these animals and their              |        |          |            |
| microhabitats can be found.          |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| **Responsibility:**                  |        | **/4**   |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+
| Turned in on due date and presented  |        |          |            |
| in class with visual aid.            |        |          |            |
+--------------------------------------+--------+----------+------------+

4 - no mistakes 3 - few mistakes 2 - many mistakes 1 - incomplete
(however is present) 0 - not evident or not included

Percentages: Visual \_\_\_\_\_\_ Written \_\_\_\_\_\_ Presentation
\_\_\_\_\_\_ Responsibility \_\_\_\_\_\_ Overall\_\_\_\_\_\_

![](media/image3.png){width="0.6in" height="0.8346456692913385in"}

**Great Deserts of the World**

***Are they all alike?***

**Summary:** In this activity students will study the various aspects of
the Chihuahuan Desert and by comparing it to other deserts of the world
come to appreciate its uniqueness.

**Duration:** 1 class period

**Setting:** Classroom

**Vocabulary:** desert, arid, humidity, flash flood

**Standards/Benchmarks Addressed:** SC3-E1, SC4-E5, SC5-E2, SC6-E2,
SC6-E3,

SC6-E4, SC6-E5, SC6-E6, SC12-E1, SC12-E3

**Objevtives**

Students will:

-   locate some of the great deserts of the world on a map.

-   research information about specific deserts of the world.

-   create a travel brochure that includes specific information about
    their desert.

**Background**

Whether it is Death Valley or Takla Makan (translated, the place from
which there is no return), these deserts are deserving of their name.
Dry and often desolate, the desert can be a tough environment for
humans. Sand dunes, solid rock, or pebbled ground can stretch for
hundreds of miles, without a glimpse of shade in sight. People traveling
with enough water to survive the daytime heat may freeze on cool nights
or become lost in dust or sandstorms. Yet, deserts aren't all dryness,
dunes, and desolation. They can have an array of colorful cacti,
interesting creatures, flash floods, bizarre rock formations, tree-sized
cacti, salty lakes, and high mountains.

The desert is a biome, a geographic area that supports a certain kind of
climate and certain community of plants and animals. In the Sonoran
Desert you'll find cacti of many shapes and sizes. The Australian Desert
supports an abundance of lizards, from the geckos measuring in at 2
inches to the monitor that can grow to be 7 feet long. The Sahara Desert
is home to 3.5 million square miles of hot, windy vastness. You'll find
little wildlife along its rock and sand-filled floor. As you can tell,
exactly what you'll see in a desert depends on which one you visit.

How are deserts formed? There are four major reasons why deserts form.
Deserts occur as a result of more than one of these factors: latitude,
ocean currents, rains shadows, and central location on a continent.

Rain shadow deserts are created by prevailing winds that reach a
mountain range. As the winds rise quickly and cool, they lose most of
their moisture as rain. By the time the winds cross over the mountains
and move down the far side, they are very dry. The dry winds will create
a "rain shadow" desert if the area on the far side of the mountain does
not receive moisture in some other way.

Inland deserts are formed because they are just too far from
moisture-filled ocean winds. Air that picks up its moisture over the
oceans has already dropped that moisture as rain by the time it reaches
these mid-continental regions.

Latitude deserts are found along one of two lines of latitude, 30
degrees north or 30 degrees south. Many deserts form because they lie in
zones of high atmospheric pressure, where dry air is descending. As the
descending dry air warms up, it absorbs much of the moisture in the
area.

Cold current deserts are created when moisture-laden air traveling east
over the ocean cools as it crosses cold ocean currents (along the
western coasts of Africa, South America, and North America). Since cool
air holds less moisture than warm air, the cooling air masses drop most
of their moisture over these cold currents. By the time the air reaches
the West Coast of the continent, it is very dry.

There are about 20 major deserts in the world, spread out on five
continents. Despite their differences, deserts have two things in
common: their dryness and high rate of evaporation. The desert is the
hottest biome on earth. Most other biomes are insulated by their
humidity (water vapor in the air). While a forested area may have 80-90
percent humidity, the desert will have only 10-20 percent. The humidity
in the air reflects and absorbs the sun's energy, therefore lack of
humidity results in more of the sun's energy reaching the ground.

There are two main types of deserts: hot and cold. Most of the world's
deserts are hot deserts. That means they have hot daytime temperatures
during most of the year. Cold deserts have daytime temperatures that
during certain times of the year plunge below freezing. Many cold
deserts get over half of their moisture from snow. In most deserts, air
temperature falls quickly at night and rises quickly during the day.

Deserts may get little rain on average. But they often get huge amounts
all at once. Storms may be strong and flash floods are not uncommon.
Places like the Sahara may get rain only once in 20 years. When it does
rain, they can receive a decade's worth in just a few hours.

Some deserts experience dust or wind storms. Dust storms are stirred up
by the wind. These dust clouds, thousands of feet high, can block out
the sun. Soil from the Sahara can be carried all the way to Paris. These
storms can make it difficult to breathe and can quickly dehydrate an
animal. Particles of sand rubbing against one another during a sandstorm
can create such static electricity in the air that people suffer from
headaches.

The soils vary from sandy, salty, crumbly, or very rocky. Soil may be
rich in minerals, but often lacks organic matter (decayed plants and
animals). This is because there are fewer plants and animals in the
desert to start with.

Common plants can include cacti, yucca, salt bush, creosote bush, and a
variety of annuals. Desert plants have adapted a variety of methods to
reduce water loss and increase water storage.

Some deserts have abundant wildlife that include a large number of
lizards and small mammal species. Desert animals have some impressive
ways of handling the challenges of desert life.

(See fact sheet for additional desert information).

**Materials**

World map

Paper

Brochures

**Procedure**

***Warm up:*** Bring in travel brochures from a variety of places (from
all biomes). These can be obtained from a local travel agency. Ask
students what types of trips they have been on before. Have students
examine the brochures and discuss the advertising techniques they see
applied. Explain to the students that they will be creating travel
brochures for the great deserts of the world. Discuss the background
information with the class.

***Activity:*** Explain to the students that they will be working in
groups to create a brochure of their assigned desert. Students will
research specific information about each desert (location, size,
temperature, rainfall, interesting fact), and then use this information
to create a travel brochure.

Students will be placed into nine groups in order to research the
following deserts:

-   Arabian

-   Australian

-   Chihuahuan

-   Gobi

-   Kalahari

-   Mojave

-   Patagonia

-   Sahara

-   Sonoran

***Wrap Up:*** Groups will present their brochures to the class.

**Assessment**

## Desert Travel Brochure {#desert-travel-brochure .unnumbered}

Evaluate maps for accuracy.

Great Deserts of the World

+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| **  | #  | **Location | **F   | **Physical   | **Examples of      |
| Des | #  | and Size** | ormed | Features**   | Plants and         |
| ert | Ty |            | By**  |              | Animals**          |
| Nam | pe |            |       |              |                    |
| e** |  { |            |       |              |                    |
|     | #t |            |       |              |                    |
|     | yp |            |       |              |                    |
|     | e  |            |       |              |                    |
|     | .u |            |       |              |                    |
|     | nn |            |       |              |                    |
|     | um |            |       |              |                    |
|     | be |            |       |              |                    |
|     | re |            |       |              |                    |
|     | d} |            |       |              |                    |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| A   | H  | Arabian    | High  | Covered      | Acacia, oleander,  |
| rab | ot | Peninsula  | pre   | almost       | saltbush           |
| ian |    |            | ssure | entirely by  |                    |
|     |    | Covers     |       | sand, has    | Desert locust,     |
|     |    | 900,000    |       | some of the  | dromedary camel,   |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       | most         | gazelle, jackal,   |
|     |    |            |       | extensive    | lizards, oryx      |
|     |    |            |       | sand dunes   |                    |
|     |    |            |       | in the world |                    |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| A   | H  | Australia  | High  | Sandy, stony | Acacia, casurarina |
| ust | ot |            | pre   |              | tree, eucalyptus,  |
| ral |    | Covers     | ssure |              | saltbrush,         |
| ian |    | 890,000    |       |              | spinifex grass     |
|     |    | sq. mi.    | Rain  |              |                    |
|     |    |            | s     |              | Blue-tongued       |
|     |    |            | hadow |              | lizard, dingo,     |
|     |    |            |       |              | fat-tailed mouse,  |
|     |    |            |       |              | kangaroo,          |
|     |    |            |       |              | rabbit-eared       |
|     |    |            |       |              | bandicoot, hopping |
|     |    |            |       |              | mouse, thorny      |
|     |    |            |       |              | devil              |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| C   | H  | North      | High  | High plateau | Cacti, Chihuahuan  |
| hih | ot | Central    | pre   | covered by   | flax, creosote     |
| uah |    | Mexico and | ssure | stony areas  | bush, lechuguilla, |
| uan |    | SW US (AZ, |       | and sandy    | mesquite, Mexican  |
|     |    | NM, TX)    |       | soil         | gold poppy         |
|     |    |            |       |              |                    |
|     |    | Covers     |       | Many         | Coyote,            |
|     |    | 175,000    |       | mountains    | diamondback        |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       | and mesas    | rattlesnake,       |
|     |    |            |       |              | javelina, kangaroo |
|     |    |            |       |              | rat, roadrunner    |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| G   | Co | Northern   | Rain  | Covered by   | Camel's thorn,     |
| obi | ld | China and  | s     | sandy soil   | grasses            |
|     |    | Southern   | hadow | and areas of |                    |
|     |    | Mongolia   |       | small stones | Bactrain camel,    |
|     |    |            | I     | called Gobi  | gazelle, gerbil,   |
|     |    | Covers     | nland |              | herboa, lizards,   |
|     |    | 450,000    |       |              | onager, wolf       |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       |              |                    |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| Ka  | H  | So         | High  | Covered by   | Acacia, aloe,      |
| lah | ot | uthwestern | pre   | sand dunes   | baobab tree,       |
| ari |    | Africa     | ssure | and gravel   | tamarisk tree      |
|     |    |            |       | plains       |                    |
|     |    | Covers     |       |              | Gazelle, gerbil,   |
|     |    | 200,000    |       |              | ground squirrel,   |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       |              | hyena, jackal,     |
|     |    |            |       |              | sandgrouse,        |
|     |    |            |       |              | springbok          |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| Moj | H  | So         | Rain  | Covered by   | Creosote bush,     |
| ave | ot | uthwestern | s     | sandy soil,  | desert sand        |
|     |    | US         | hadow | pavement,    | verbena, Joshua    |
|     |    |            |       | and salt     | tree, mesquite     |
|     |    | (AZ, CA,   | High  | flats        |                    |
|     |    | NV)        | pre   |              | Bighorn sheep,     |
|     |    |            | ssure |              | chuckwalla,        |
|     |    | covers     |       |              | coyote,            |
|     |    | 25,000 sq. |       |              | jackrabbit,        |
|     |    | mi.        |       |              | sidewinder,        |
|     |    |            |       |              | zebra-tailed       |
|     |    |            |       |              | lizard             |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| Pat | Co | Argentina  | Rain  | Covered by   | Cacti, grasses,    |
| ago | ld |            | s     | stony and    | shrubs             |
| nia |    | Covers     | hadow | sandy areas  |                    |
|     |    | 153,000    |       |              | Patagonia fox,     |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       |              | Patagonia hare,    |
|     |    |            |       |              | puma, rhea         |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| Sah | H  | Northern   | High  | Covered by   | Acacia, grasses,   |
| ara | ot | Africa     | pre   | mountains,   | tamarisks          |
|     |    |            | ssure | rocky areas, |                    |
|     |    | Covers 3.5 |       | gravel       | Addax antelope,    |
|     |    | million    |       | plains, slat | dorcas gazelle,    |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       | flats, huge  | fennec, fox,       |
|     |    |            |       | areas of     | Horned viper,      |
|     |    |            |       | dunes        | jackal, herboa,    |
|     |    |            |       |              | sandgrouse, spiny  |
|     |    |            |       |              | tailed lizard      |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+
| S   | H  | So         | High  | Covered by   | Agave, Coulter's   |
| ono | ot | uthwestern | pre   | sand, soil,  | globemallow,       |
| ran |    | US (CA)    | ssure | and gravelly | creosote bush,     |
|     |    |            |       | pavement     | desert Mariposa    |
|     |    | Parts of   | Rain  |              | lily, mesquite,    |
|     |    | Mexico     | s     | Gets more    | ocotillo,          |
|     |    | (Baja)     | hadow | rain than    | paloverde, saguaro |
|     |    |            |       | any other N. |                    |
|     |    | Covers     |       | Am. desert   | Coati, elf owl,    |
|     |    | 120,000    |       |              | gila monster,      |
|     |    | sq. mi.    |       |              | kangaroo rat, pack |
|     |    |            |       |              | rat, roadrunner,   |
|     |    |            |       |              | sidewinder,        |
|     |    |            |       |              | tarantula          |
+-----+----+------------+-------+--------------+--------------------+

Great Deserts of the World

Brochure Rubric

+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| # Desert B                             | **Self | *        | **Co     |
| rochure {#desert-brochure .unnumbered} | Evalua | *Teacher | mments** |
|                                        | tion** | Eval     |          |
|                                        |        | uation** |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Visual:**                            |        | **/12**  |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Includes a world map with location     |        |          |          |
| outlined, colored, and labeled         |        |          |          |
| (consider quality and appeal)          |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Brochure is visually attractive (fills |        |          |          |
| the page, colorful, neat)              |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Brochure contains points of interest   |        |          |          |
| of the given desert (these may include |        |          |          |
| plants, animals, locations specific to |        |          |          |
| that desert)                           |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Written:**                           |        | **/12**  |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Information is accurate.               |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Proper grammar, spelling, etc.         |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Advertising techniques are evident     |        |          |          |
| (desert presented as a top attraction) |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Presentation:**                      |        | **/4**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Organization of information, quality,  |        |          |          |
| etc.                                   |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Teamwork:**                          |        | **/4**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Are the efforts of each team member    |        |          |          |
| clearly demonstrated, or did it appear |        |          |          |
| to be the work of one or two?          |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| **Responsibility:**                    |        | **/4**   |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+
| Turned in on due date and presented in |        |          |          |
| class with visual aids.                |        |          |          |
+----------------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+

4 - no mistakes 3 - few mistakes 2 - many mistakes 1 - incomplete
(however is present) 0 - not evident or not included

Percentages: Visual \_\_\_\_ Written \_\_\_\_ Presentation \_\_\_\_
Teamwork \_\_\_\_ Responsibility \_\_\_\_ Overall \_\_\_\_

**Name \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

![](media/image5.png){width="9.0in"
height="5.7243055555555555in"}**Directions:** Outline, color, and label
your specific desert on the world map.