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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living in the Desert

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Conduct an investigation on the plants used by the Hohokam tribe. To survive in the harsh desert environment the Hohokam used many natural resources. Learners read, research, map, and graph multiple aspects of Hohokam plant use as a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Unit Plan Template

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners research the adaptations of desert animals and build their research skills. In this the adaptations of desert animals lesson, students describe major factors that desert animals have on their habitat. Learners explore how to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Plant Adaptations in the Sonoran Desert

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are able to identify adaptations that plants have developed to deal with harsh desert conditions, as well as explain how these adaptations help to protect these plants.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Biomes Lesson 5: You Need a Vacation

For Teachers 6th - 10th
In cooperative groups, emerging ecologists research assigned biomes found in Arizona. Combining photos and facts, they use PowerPoint to produce a fully automated commercial that lasts 45 seconds. In addition to the lesson outline,...
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Lesson Plan
US Mint

Desert Dwellers

For Teachers K - 4th Standards
What can a quarter possibly teach young learners about desert ecosystems? More than you might think. After displaying and discussing the included picture of the Arizona state quarter, the class participates in a series of shared reading...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Desert is Theirs: Adapting to Our Environment

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students determine how animals and people adapt to the desert environment. For this desert lesson, students review vocabulary about the desert and how humans have to make changes to accommodate their environments. They listen to and...
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Sonoran Desert Predators and Prey

For Teachers 3rd
Here is a fabulous lesson the animals found in the Sonoran Desert. Learners classify these animals as predators, prey, or both! They take a look at the many adaptations that these animals utilize to help them find food, and avoid...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students draw animals and plants that are described to them as they read passages of people who traveled across the Gila Trail in the Southwest. In this Gila Trail lesson plan, students also write a letter describing a plant or animal in...
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Sonoran Desert ABC's

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders make alphabet cards that depict the wide variety of life forms found in the Sonoran Desert. A terrific instructional activity that combines language arts, visual arts, and life science all into one wonderful package. Each...
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Built for the Desert

For Teachers 3rd
The saguaro cactus has an amazing ability to survive in a harsh environment. Learners identify the many adaptations for desert life that the saguaro employs. They look at each part of the saguaro and determine what role it plays in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Map Your State: Regions of Arizona

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders define vocabulary and locate physical features on maps.  In this mapping lesson, 4th graders explore regions of Arizona through landforms found on topographic maps.  Students research the history and culture of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Virtual Museum of the Mojave Desert

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students study deserts and the plants, animals, and people who inhabit them. In groups, they create their own stories about the inhabitants of the Mojave desert.
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Lesson Plan
University of Arizona

Yoruba Legends: Southern Nigeria

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Explore legends and storytelling with your learners. After listening to some legends, pupils work collaboratively and then individually to come up with original legends about animals.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introducing Habitats and Biodiversity

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Learners identify habitats in Arizona. Theys define and illustrate a food web, and explain the importance fo biodiversity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Which Way is Up? The Tree of Life in Africa

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students read a book titled This is the Tree about a baobab tree and draw a picture and label the tree. In this tree lesson plan, students also write a paragraph explaining why they drew that tree. 
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Invent - A - Saurus

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders get to invent their own dinosaur! This is done by using a very clever worksheet embedded in the plan. The worksheet leads them through naming their dinosaur by having explanations of the Latin terminology that is used with...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Don't Call Me A Pig

For Teachers 1st
First graders explore wildlife and habitats in the Arizona desert. Throughout a classroom discussion, 1st graders observe pictures of the desert and animals that live there. As they go on a nature walk around the school, students...
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Who Depends on the Saguaro?

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
Young scientists design a picture of a saguaro cactus that shows the cactus and some of the animals and plants that interact with it. There are many of these special relationships between plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert. Your...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Habitats: Cactus Hotel

For Teachers K - 2nd
A reading of Brenda Z. Guiberson’s, Cactus Hotel, launches a study of animal habitats. Working with parent volunteers or teacher aides, groups travel outside the classroom to select a habitat, take digital pictures, and incorporate the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Insect Collection

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers investigate about various biological aspects of life, while examining desert insect species. They see the diverse range of species that live in the desert, despite the apparent lack of life in the desert. students...
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discovery

Saguaro Parts

For Teachers 3rd
Young biologists identify the basic structures of a saguaro cactus. They study the functions of each of the structures, and label them on a picture of a saguaro cactus embedded in the plan. This simple, and easy-to-implement...
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Lesson Plan
University of Connecticut

Building Your Own Biosphere

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
On September 26, 1991, four women and four men entered the scientific experiment, Biosphere 2; the doors were sealed for two years in order to study the interactions of a biosphere. In the activity, scholars explore biospheres by...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Animal Presentations

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders assemble a presentation about a desert animal using presentation software and a teacher-created template.
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Lesson Plan
Desert Discoveries

Creating a Garden Journal

For Teachers 3rd
Youngsters create science journals which are used to record observations from the school garden. The goal of this activity is to help kids tune into nature by making daily observations on the growth of the plants, and also to take note...