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New Mexico State University

"Our Desert Backyard" Teacher's Page

Implementation | Process | Resources | Levels | Evaluation | Extension | Student Page

Introduction

Students will become familiar with the desert environment in their backyard (Note: This may be done in your natural environment if you don't live in the desert). They will learn techniques to observe, measure and record data about their environment. They will also plan and take field trips to study the organisms near their homes & school.

Student Outcomes

  • Describe daily, weekly, and seasonal changes in organisms and environments.
  • Observe, record, analyze, interpret and communicate data.
  • Describe the desert environment outside the classroom.
  • Recognize plants, animals and insects in their environment.
  • Recognize how environmental factors cause change in organisms.
  • Appreciate the unusual survival techniques/adaptations of desert plants and animals.

Content Area and Grade Levels

This activity is easily integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as Social Studies and Language Arts. The activity is appropriate for elementary students in grades K-4 and meets the new mathematics and science standards noted below.

Content Standards and Benchmarks:

Mathematics Standards:

  • Mathematics as problem solving
  • Mathematics as communication
  • Measurement

Science Standards:

  • Unifying Concepts & Processes (K-4).
  • Science Inquiry (K-4) Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry and understanding about scientific inquiry.
  • Life Science (K-4). The characteristics of organisms, life cycles of organisms, organisms and their environment.
  • Science and Personal Perspective (K-4) Characteristics and changes in population, changes in environments.
  • History and Nature of Science (K-4) Science as a human endeavor.

Implementation Overview

Before beginning this activity, students will need to have had experience with the following instruments and vocabulary:

Thermometers
If students have not had experience with thermometers, distribute thermometers to pairs of students and allow time for pairs to take temperature readings in various settings. Explain Fahrenheit and Celsius scales and conversions if appropriate for your students.
Beaufort Wind Scale
Explain that we can look for indicators in our environment that tell how fast the wind is blowing. These indicators are organized into the Beaufort Wind Scale:
Wind Effect Classification Wind Speed
 Smoke rise Calm 0 mph
Smoke drifts Light air 1 - 3 mph
Leaves rustle, flags stir Light breeze 4 - 7 mph
 Leaves and twigs move Gentle breeze 8 - 12 mph
Branches move, flags flap Moderate breeze 13 - 18 mph
Small trees sway, flags ripple Fresh breeze 19 - 24 mph
Large branches move, flags beat Strong breeze 25 - 31 mph
Whole trees move, flags extend Stronge breeze 32 - 38 mph
Twigs break, walking is difficult Fresh gale 39 - 46 mph
Signs, antennae blow down Strong gale 47 - 54 mph
Trees uprooted, damage to buildings Storm 55 - 73 mph
Countryside devastated Tornado or Hurricane 75 + mph
Clouds
Display cloud chart or use the following online sources to introduce the three main cloud types, cumulus, cirrus, and stratus.

Selection of Environment

Select a desert area near the school for field trips since you will be visiting frequently. It should be convenient and familiar. Avoid a park or zoo or area maintained by landscapers because you will want to observe organisms in their natural habitat. The area you select should have a wide array of plants and animals. Select an area approximately 83' x 83'. Plan field trips in the Fall or Spring when change is most obvious.

Process

Begin by telling class that over the next several weeks they will be collecting, recording and measuring data in their desert backyard and looking for changes and relationships (interdependence) in organisms. Stimulate discussion by asking sample questions:

  1. What plants and animals would you expect to see in this environment?
  2. What weather might you observe?
  3. What changes in our environment have you observed over the last few weeks? (seeds changing to plants, leaves changing color, etc)
  4. What may have caused the changes to happen?
  5. What do you wonder about the organisms in the environment we will be visiting? (I wonder when an ant sleeps. I wonder which insects don't harm people? I wonder which plants are edible?)

After class discussion have each student make a field trip plan. For example see: My Field Trip.

Next class session review field trip plans and explain how to record data in Observation Chart. Compile field trip plan and observation charts into a Journal.

Observe, sketch and record data while on your class field trip. Share discoveries upon return to classroom, note that discussions will be most valuable the same day or day after trip. You may want to refer to the Digital Desert Library database to help students identify the plants and animals they sketched.

Return to the same site between 3-7 times within the next 2-3 weeks. You may want to encourage your students to make observations and record data at the same time of day in the same place for each field trip.

After you have taken the students out on the last trip, ask them to compare their findings from the first trip with those from the last one on the Change Data Observation Sheet. Have students prepare presentations on their findings. (See also Methods and Ideas.)

Resources Needed

  • Thermometers
  • Observation journals
  • Pencils
  • Pens
  • Crayons
  • Magnifying glasses (optional)
  • Camera (optional)

Entry Level and Skills

It is important to understand and be able and be able to implement inquiry approach to science. Basic skills include:

  • Ability to use measurement tools
  • Planning skills
  • Familiarity with data collection, organization and analysis
  • Ability to work collaboratively

Evaluation

Teacher observation, class discussion, student presentation of findings, student journals, and rubric.

Extension Activities