Students perform the experiment and then leave the sponges out to dry. Teacher explains that they will be reading about a special type of cactus, the saguaro cactus. It is found only in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico. These cacti are prized in this region. She asks comprehension questions.
Teacher asks the students what they expect to find when they return to their experiments.
Students return to their experiments to see which sponge retained more water. Students will write what they see in their Response Notebooks and discuss their observations with the class. Teacher asks students what they have learned about cacti today. Teacher previews tomorrow's desert lesson. All Rights Reserved.