Grade Level:  2

Objectives:  The students will be able to identify what defines a desert habitat and the types of plants and animals found there.

 Materials:  Desert poster, assorted art supplies (tissue, construction paper, tag board, tempera paint, pipe cleaners, etc), glue, scissors and butcher paper for mural.

Procedure:  Review with the students the definition of a habitat and what the characteristics of a forest are.  
Tell them that just like there are things that constitute a rainforest, there are things that constitute a desert.  
Explain that although it is thought to be a barren place, there are many living things in the desert.  
Refer to the poster and show the students all of the different types of living things found in the desert.  
Discuss what constitutes a desert- a hot, dry area of land with few or no plants growing on it. It receive less than 10 cm of rainfall per year.
Ask students to give examples of some animal populations found in deserts.  
Teachers should visit Nature Explorer to learn desert facts. Students describe climate and environment.  
Ask students if they can name a place where there is a desert (Alaska, Saudi Arabia, Southwestern USA, Northwestern Africa) .

Activity:  Students will be given a variety of art supplies such as pipe cleaners, construction paper, tissue scraps, tempera paint, etc.  In cooperative groups they will each be asked to make animals and vegetation found in deserts.  Together, all of these projects will be used to make a class “desert mural.” 

Evaluation:  Students will be evaluated on the animal and vegetation mural produced using the Habitat Checklist.   

Extension Activity: Desert Postcard

• Students visit the California Desert Web site

• Click on Postcards and send a post card to a friend

• Visit Cyber Zoo , click on Desert Animals and learn about the Burrowing Owl

• Students visit Desert USA and view pictures of the desert

• Using a postcard template (a large rectangle for picture and a table of one row and two columns) students will type text and add their own hand-drawn pictures or desert clip art

• Print out and post in classroom or on class web site

Homework: Visit Brain Pop and take a quiz about what makes a desert (a region with less than 10 cm of rain a year).

Field Trip: If the school is near a desert; take a field trip there to see desert plants and animals in person. Take a virtual field trip of the desert at The John S. Park Desert Gallery