A Look at the Sonoran Desert

THE SONORAN DESERT

Study the geographic GETTING READY and animals in the riparian corridors location of the Sonoran are different than those found away Prepare the materials as listed in the left Desert and characteris- from water. margin of this page. tics of desert environ- ments, plants, and animals. DOING THE ACTIVITY EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

SETTING THE STAGE 1) Have students pretend they are in the desert as a storm approaches, SCIENCE STANDARDS 1) Have students read The Sonoran drenches the area with rain, and CORRELATION Desert. Discuss the information with eventually disappears. Ask them to SC03-S4C3-01&04, students, introducing new terms. write a story describing their experi- SC04-S6C3-01&02 2) Review the water cycle. ence. Some things you might want them to consider include how they would feel; what they would do; what OBJECTIVES MAP ACTIVITY animals may be doing; the changes in Students should: 1) Pass out The Sonoran Desert Region the temperature, sunlight, and moisture; · locate the Sonoran Map and markers. Give students a few water flow; and sounds. Desert within political minutes to review the map. Have 2) Provide students with more detailed and geographic students do the following as you ask the maps so they can better understand the boundaries. related questions: diversity within this region. Have them · describe what add more details to their maps, such as happens to the little a) Trace the outline of the Sonoran mountain ranges, additional waterways, rain that falls on the Desert with their finger. Shade the traditional tribal territory, current Indian desert. Sonoran Desert in light green. In reservations, and National Parks. · explain why plants which countries is it found? (Mexico and animals can live in and United States) the desert. b) List the states in both Mexico and the United States in which the Sonoran Desert is found. (Sonora, Baja MATERIALS California, Baja California Sur, · green and blue California, Arizona) markers, crayons, or c) Locate Tucson. Is it within the bound- colored pencils for aries of the Sonoran Desert? (yes) each student d) Locate Nogales. Is it within the · a copy of Hand- Sonoran Desert? (no) outs 1 and 1A for e) Color the Gulf of California and each student Pacific Ocean in blue. Point out that much of the Sonoran Desert is along the coast. VOCABULARY f) Locate the 6 labeled rivers (ríos in Adaptation Spanish). Trace these in blue. Tell Evaporate students that the areas along these Habitat rivers are called riparian corridors. Nocturnal Many animals from the desert visit these areas, but some of the plants

The Sonoran Desert many desert animals are nocturnal. They spend the hot, dry days keeping cool in underground What Is A Desert? burrows and don’t come out to find food until the Deserts are dry places. Most get less than 10 sun has set. This is a behavioral adaptation that inches of rain each year. The hot desert sun and helps them stay cool and conserve water. Some dry winds quickly evaporate most moisture. animals, such as the kangaroo rat, do not need to drink water. They get most of the water they need Desert rains often come in big bursts during the from their food. Many desert plants are covered summer monsoon. Flooding is common and with a thick, waxy “skin” to help keep water inside. rainwater quickly flows off the land into washes. These are other examples of adaptations. From washes, much of the water runs off or evaporates, and some of it sinks into the sand. Can you think of other ways desert plants and animals are adapted to life in the desert? How Can Plants and Animals Live Here? The desert is the habitat of many different plants The Sonoran Desert and animals. They are adapted to live in this The Sonoran Desert is a special place. It has more environment. They are very good at surviving on plants and animals than most other deserts in the little water. An adaptation is a feature of a plant or world! Study the map of the Sonoran Desert given animal that allows it to survive. For example, to you by your teacher.

THE WATER CYCLE

EVAPORATION

RAINFALL

WATER FLOWS IN WASHES