Precritter

Use the Digital Desert Library (DDL) to find the following information about habitats in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Directions

1. Open your web browser and go to the Digital Desert Library at http://ddl.nmsu.edu.
2. When the DDL front page appears, click on "Search our data base."
3. On the next screen, on the right hand side of the screen, look for and click on "8 regions" to learn about the 8 types of habitats in the Chihuahuan Desert. Read each one and make brief notes on the worksheet below describing each habitat. (Ex: the Open woodlands might describe about having oak and pinon trees in this habitat. These are the kind of things you will want to describe). Do this for all eight regions.
4. When this is done, go back up to the right hand side of the screen and click on "search". This will bring you to a page that allows you to tell it what to search for. For this project we will use the Expert Search feature.
5. Click on "Expert Search Animals". In the "habitat field," type in the habitat you are ready to search about. From the choices that you receive, choose 3 animals and list them on the worksheet below. Do this for each of the 8 habitats. Try to use different animals in each habitat even though many animals will be listed in several habitats.
6. Click on "Expert Search Plants." Repeat procedure #5, except that now you are searching for plants in each of the 8 habitats. Make notes below.
7. The teacher will now assign one habitat for your group. Starting with the information below, create a poster of what this habitat might look like, and what types of animals and plants might be found in it. You will now search for at least 4 additional animals and 4 additional plants that belong to your assigned habitat. Add these to your poster, too. Use magazines, photos, drawings, and natural resources (sand, grass, etc.) to create the poster. Use your imagination!! Have fun!!

This activity designed by Debbie Franzoy.