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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Desert Alphabet Book

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Young scholars explore world geography by researching a science book with their classmates. In this desert identification lesson, students utilize a U.S. map to locate the geographical locations of deserts. Young scholars create an oral...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deserts: How Do You Define One?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist.  In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located.  Students...
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 lesson that combines language arts, visual arts, and life science all into one wonderful package. Each of the cards has...
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sonoran Desert

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this Sonoran Desert worksheet, learners read and analyze a letter that Jeremy wrote to his grandmother and then complete the picture that follows using information about the desert they learned from the letter.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Views - First Impressions: Travelers on the Gila Trail

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners 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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Desert Water Keepers

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders identify ways that cactus plants survive in the desert. They distinguish between water acquisition and water conservation and create their own plant that could survive in a desert climate.
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Day and Night in the Desert

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Pupils illustrate scenes showing day and nighttime activities in the desert. They include plant and animal life including predators and prey.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Baa, Ram, Ewe....Sheep Tales

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students compare real and make believe animal behaviors by drawing and comparing them. In this real and make believe animals lesson plan, students compare the animal behaviors, express how colors create a mood in artwork, and investigate...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Unique Rain Forest

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore the unique Rain Forest. For this Rain Forest lesson, students watch a video about the dangers the Rain Forest faces. Students create a Rain Forest mobile. Students choose  plants or animals from the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mesozoic Murals

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a mural of one of the Mesozoic Periods. In this geologic timeline instructional activity, students will research the plants and animals that lived in the Mesozoic Era in order to create a mural to scale that represents...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Adaptation Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders recognize the specific adaptations of living things and relate them to survival within the animals environment. They study common plants and animals found in Utah environments and how they have adapted to the environment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Desert Biome

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students create a visual presentation of the characteristics of a biome. Working in small groups, students use traditional and online resources to gather data concerning biomes. Students use their information to create a bulletin board...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biomes of the World (and Canada)

For Teachers 2nd - 7th
Students explore environments by analyzing food chains. In this biome identification lesson, students define a list of environmental vocabulary terms such as tundra, rain-forest and desert. Students create a fictional self sustainable...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly Mania

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore Earth science by completing a worksheet in class. In this botany lesson, students identify the relationship between the Milkweed plant and the butterflies which regularly feed on its nutrients. Students visit a list of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Plant Bartering System

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explore plant characteristics by viewing a flower and seed presentation. In this environmental adaptation lesson, 5th graders identify specific traits plants have in order to allow them to grow in different climates whether...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Which Way is Up? The Tree of Life in Africa

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Learners 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. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Formation and Value of Temperate Grasslands

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students get an overview of the climate and organisms of the North American Prairie. After a lecture, and watching some videos imbedded in this plan, students compile research data on the North American Prairie.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rainforests: What Are They?

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders investigate rain forests by reading a habitat checklist.  In this environment lesson, 2nd graders read the book The Great Kapok Tree, and discuss what characteristics make up a rain forest.  Students explore a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rain Forest

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars study the Amazon tropical rain forest. For this rain forest lesson, students discuss the Manu Biosphere reserve and watch a video about conserving the rain forest. Young scholars create mobiles for the rainforest that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Watercolor Ways

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students investigate the concept of being part of a global community. In this global community lesson, students learning the definition of stewardship as it relates to taking care of the Earth. They listen to the lyrics of the song,...