Curated OER
If It Smells Good, Is Edible, and Attracts Wildlife, Then It's a Practical Garden
Students explore landscape design. In this practical gardening lesson, students design landscape plans that call for shrubs, trees, and plants that can be used for aesthetics, cooking, and wildlife.
Curated OER
A Long Winter's Nap
Students explore the process of estivation, hibernation and torpor and the ways that frogs adapt to seasonal weather changes.
Curated OER
California Biodiversity
Students examine several maps of California exhibiting features such as precipitation, topography, and vegetation. They look for patterns that might be the source of or influence biodiversity in different regions. They pay particular...
Curated OER
Google Earth on the Range
Eighth graders use Google Earth to study the landscape of Utah. In this Utah landscape lesson, 8th graders view landscape photos and work in partners to analyze the pictures. Students write a paragraph that describes the landscape and...
Curated OER
Hide & Seek Butterflies
Students examine a variety of butterflies and discuss how they believe they get their color variations. In groups, they brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages of their color schemes. To end the lesson, they watch butterflies in...
Curated OER
Grounded for Life
Second graders become familiar with the lives of penguins including their life cycles, habitats and basic needs. Students will experience the lives of penguins through stories and video.
Curated OER
Biodiversity Bird Hunt
Students examine the influence of biodiversity on human culture through the use of birds. They brainstorm words that come to mind when they think of human cultures. They describe ways that human culture and biodiversity are linked.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: Desert
Students will enjoy a general description of a desert habitat, an easy-to-understand chart of the largest deserts in the world, and brightly colored pictures and descriptions of desert animals complete with printouts. There is also a...
National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids: Animals: Bactrian Camel
Great site for youngers researching the Bactrian camel. Video clip, photos, and easy to read facts about habitat, young, enemies, food, adaptation to environment, and humps!
Curated OER
National Park Service: Arches National Park: Animals
A resource where you'll learn about amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles at Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. A good look at how animals live, sleep, eat, and stay active in a desert habitat.
The Wild Classroom
The Wild Classroom: Biomes of the World: Desert Scrub Biome
Learn about the desert scrub ecosystem. Find out about plants, animals, adaptations, and conservation efforts.
World Wildlife Fund for Nature
World Wildlife Fund: Our Earth: Ecoregions: Habitats: Deserts
An overview of the climate conditions of deserts. Includes examples of plants and the adaptations that allow them to survive in the dry climate. Includes a link to information about animals that live in a desert habitat.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Habitat Network: The Special Nature of Arid Landscapes
Find out how to make the most of a desert environment in order to foster a wide array of species diversity.
San Diego Zoo Global
San Diego Zoo: Desert Tortoise
This excellent resource from the San Diego Zoo presents extensive information on the desert tortoise including details about its habitat, physical characteristics, size, diet, family life, conservation status, and fun facts.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Desert Elephants
In this video from Nature, observe elephants trek across the desert to an isolated waterhole. [4:13]
A-Z Animals
A Z Animals: Reference: Habitats: Desert
This entry identifies the defining characteristics of the desert.
Other
Greatest Places: Namib
Explore the Namib Desert and learn about its location, the Skeleton Coast, mirages, and general information about this home to the highest sand dunes in the world.
A-Z Animals
A Z Animals: Animal Facts: Desert Tortoise (Gopherus Agassizii)
Explore the world of the Desert Tortoise and discover information on the physical characteristics, habitat, and breeding of this desert reptile. Includes images and statistics.
PBS
Pbs Kids: Feed the Dingo
Help build the Australian desert ecosystem by filling it with appropriate plants and animals.
Regents of the University of Michigan
Animal Diversity Web: Peromyscus Eremicus (Cactus Mouse)
The Animal Diversity Web describes the natural history of the cactus mouse, including its geographical range, physical characteristics, natural habitat, reproduction, and behavior.
PBS
Pbs Nature Critter Guide: Llama
Learn more about llamas when you check out this resource. This site features a clear and concise picture of how these fascinating mammals live and what purpose they serve to other animals and humans.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Sonoran Desert
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart is an introduction/review of the climate, the plant life and the animals of the Sonoran Desert. Students will use Activotes, the eraser tool and the pen tool to answer questions about how...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian National Zoo: Caracal
The Smithsonian National Zoo offers a fact sheet on the Caracal. Content includes a look at the caracal's home range, habitat, diet, reproduction, social structure, and life span.
San Diego Zoo Global
San Diego Zoo: Caracal
This excellent resource from the San Diego Zoo presents extensive information on caracals including details about their habitat, physical characteristics, size, diet, family life, conservation status, and fun facts.