Last updated: November 22, 2021
Lesson Plan
Comparing Desert Habitats Post Trip Activity
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- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- Common Core Standards:
- 3.W.6, 3.W.7, 3.W.8, 4.W.6, 4.W.7, 4.W.8, 5.W.6, 5.W.7, 5.W.8
- Additional Standards:
- Next Generation Science Standard: Standard: 4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.
- Thinking Skills:
- Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts.
Essential Question
How are the habitats at Salt Creek and the Mesquite Sand Dunes different?
Objective
Students will be able to:
• present information they learned through experience and research.
• recall knowledge gained from an experience and apply it to make new understandings.
• compare and contrast two habitats and make a generalized conclusion about the two habitats.
Background
Lesson Overview: Students will reflect on their field trip to Death Valley. Drawing from their experience in the park, students willcompare and contrast two habitats. Utilizing the information collected through a graphic organizer, the students will write a compare and contrast essay on the Mesquite Sand Dunes and Salt Creek.
There are many different habitats in Death Valley including canyons, streams, pinyon-juniper woodlands, sand dunes, salt flats, and mountain cliff sides. There are many similarities and differences between the habitats in Death Valley. Habitats provide food, water, shelter, and space for living things. These are essential for survival. Many plants and animals have adaptations for living in their habitat.
Preparation
Computer with access to the internet
Copies of Habitats T-Chart Worksheet
Materials
Students compare and contrast Salt Creek and the Mesquite Sand Dunes.
Download Habitats T-chart Worksheet
One example of how students could compare and contrast Salt Creek and the Mesquite Sand Dunes.
Download Habitats T-chart Worksheet Teacher Key
Lesson Hook/Preview
Anticipatory Set
Ask students to think of at least one word that comes to their mind when they think about habitats in Death Valley. Next, the students should type the words into Wordle.net to make a word cloud. After all the students have had a chance to enter their words into the word cloud, lead a discussion based on the words that they see. Let students discuss either in small groups or with the whole class.
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What is the biggest word? Why?
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What are some words that are similar?
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What are some words that are different?
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Why didn’t we all think of the same words?
Procedure
T-Chart Compare and Contrast Activity
Ask the students about what they learned from the field trip to Salt Creek and the Mesquite Sand Dunes. Make a T-Chart, and label one side Salt Creek and the other side Mesquite Sand Dunes. The teacher can choose a student to record environmental features on the T-Chart while students discuss the two. An example T-chart is included with this lesson plan.
After the discussion is recorded, leave the chart on the board for future reference. Students will receive their own graphic organizer to fill in information. The electronic version of the T-chart includes text boxes, so the students could also complete the activity using a computer. Students will need the graphic organizer to write an essay, which is also the assessment.
Extensions
While this post trip activity was developed for the sand dunes and Salt Creek field trip program, this activity could be done with any program. Most field trips will visit two habitats in Death Valley that can be compared.
Vocabulary
Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
Adaptation: a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment.
Thrive: (of a child, animal, or plant) grow or develop well or vigorously.
Assessment Materials
Compare and Contrast Essay
Students will write a compare and contrast essay about two desert habitats, the Mesquite Sand Dunes and Salt Creek. Students should follow regular conventions of written communication. Compare and contrast words should be reviewed before students are expected to complete this task. Final copy of the essay should be computer generated with few errors.
Related Lessons or Education Materials
This lesson plan pairs with our habitat-focused field trips, such as Extreme Living in Death Valley.
This lesson plan was developed through the Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program. Please provide us with feedback on this lesson plan using the contact link below. Thank you!