Lesson
Preview
Intro: Desert Biome
ByStrawbees Team
Start your exploration of the desert biome and learn about the challenging conditions that render it an extreme and inhospitable environment for most plants and animals. Create a model of the sidewinder snake, a reptile that has evolved to survive in this hostile climate.
Topics
Animals
Environment
Get Started
- SDGsProtect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
- NGSSGrade: 3rdConstruct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.Grades: 3rd, 4th, 5thDefine a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.Grades: 3rd, 4th, 5thGenerate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.Grades: 3rd, 4th, 5thPlan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.Grades: 6th, 7th, 8thDefine the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.Grades: 6th, 7th, 8thEvaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
- ISTE StudentsStudents communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
- Florida - NGSSSGrade: 2ndLife Science, InterdependenceRecognize and explain that living things are found all over Earth, but each is only able to live in habitats that meet its basic needs.Grade: 4thLife Science, InterdependenceRecognize ways plants and animals, including humans, can impact the environment.Grade: 5thLife Science, InterdependenceCompare and contrast adaptations displayed by animals and plants that enable them to survive in different environments such as life cycles variations, animal behaviors and physical characteristics.Grade: 5thEarth and Space Science, Earth Systems and PatternsDescribe characteristics (temperature and precipitation) of different climate zones as they relate to latitude, elevation, and proximity to bodies of water.Grade: 6thEarth and Space Science, Earth Systems and PatternsInvestigate and apply how the cycling of water between the atmosphere and hydrosphere has an effect on weather patterns and climate.Grade: 7thLife Science, InterdependenceExplain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.Grade: 7thLife Science, InterdependenceDescribe and investigate various limiting factors in the local ecosystem and their impact on native populations, including food, shelter, water, space, disease, parasitism, predation, and nesting sites.Grades: 3rd, 4th, 5thCommunication Systems and Computing, Modeling and simulationsDescribe how models and simulations can be used to solve real-world issues in science and engineering.Grades: 3rd, 4th, 5thCommunication and Collaboration, Communication and collaborationIdentify ways that technology can foster teamwork, and collaboration can support problem solving and innovation.
- TEKS ScienceGrade: 3rdask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 3rddevelop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem.The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 3rdevaluate a design or object using criteria.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 3rdcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 3rdidentify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 3rdexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 3rdexplain the relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 3rdexplain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 3rdcompare and describe day-to-day weather in different locations at the same time, including air temperature, wind direction, and precipitation;The student knows that there are recognizable processes that change Earth over time.Grade: 3rddescribe how natural changes to the environment such as floods and droughts cause some organisms to thrive and others to perish or move to new locations; andThe student describes patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within environments.Grade: 3rdexplore and explain how external structures and functions of animals such as the neck of a giraffe or webbed feet on a duck enable them to survive in their environment; andThe student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that function to help them survive within their environments.Grade: 4thask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 4thdevelop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem.The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 4thevaluate a design or object using criteria.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 4thcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 4thidentify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 4thexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 4thexplain the relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 4thexplain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 4thmodel and describe slow changes to Earth's surface caused by weathering, erosion, and deposition from water, wind, and ice; andThe student knows that there are processes on Earth that create patterns of change.Grade: 4thdifferentiate between weather and climate.The student knows that there are processes on Earth that create patterns of change.Grade: 4thdifferentiate between inherited and acquired physical traits of organisms.The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that function to help them survive within their environments.Grade: 5thask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 5thdevelop and use models to represent phenomena, objects, and processes or design a prototype for a solution to a problem.The student asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 5thevaluate experimental and engineering designs.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 5thcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 5thidentify and use patterns to explain scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 5thexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 5thexplain the relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 5thexplain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 5thexplain how the Sun and the ocean interact in the water cycle and affect weather;The student knows that there are recognizable patterns and processes on Earth.Grade: 5thmodel and identify how changes to Earth's surface by wind, water, or ice result in the formation of landforms, including deltas, canyons, and sand dunes.The student knows that there are recognizable patterns and processes on Earth.Grade: 5thobserve and describe how a variety of organisms survive by interacting with biotic and abiotic factors in a healthy ecosystem;The student describes patterns, cycles, systems, and relationships within environments.Grade: 5thanalyze the structures and functions of different species to identify how organisms survive in the same environment; andThe student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures and behaviors that help them survive within their environments.Grade: 5thexplain how instinctual behavioral traits such as turtle hatchlings returning to the sea and learned behavioral traits such as orcas hunting in packs increase chances of survival.The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures and behaviors that help them survive within their environments.Grade: 6thask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 6thdevelop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems; andThe student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 6thevaluate experimental and engineering designs.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 6thcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 6thidentify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 6thexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 6thanalyze and explain the complementary relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 6thanalyze and explain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 6thdifferentiate between the biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere and identify components of each system;The student understands the rock cycle and the structure of Earth.Grade: 6thresearch and describe why resource management is important in reducing global energy poverty, malnutrition, and air and water pollution; andThe student understands how resources are managed.Grade: 6thexplain how conservation, increased efficiency, and technology can help manage air, water, soil, and energy resources.The student understands how resources are managed.Grade: 6thinvestigate how organisms and populations in an ecosystem depend on and may compete for biotic factors such as food and abiotic factors such as availability of light and water, range of temperatures, or soil composition;The student knows that interdependence occurs between living systems and the environment.Grade: 6thdescribe and give examples of predatory, competitive, and symbiotic relationships between organisms, including mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism; andThe student knows that interdependence occurs between living systems and the environment.Grade: 6thdescribe how variations within a population can be an advantage or disadvantage to the survival of a population as environments change.The student knows that organisms have an organizational structure and variations can influence survival of populations.Grade: 7thask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 7thdevelop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems; andThe student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 7thevaluate experimental and engineering designs.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 7thcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 7thidentify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 7thexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 7thanalyze and explain the complementary relationship between structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 7thanalyze and explain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 7thanalyze the beneficial and harmful influences of human activity on groundwater and surface water in a watershed; andThe student understands how human activity can impact the hydrosphere.Grade: 7thdescribe human dependence and influence on ocean systems and explain how human activities impact these systems.The student understands how human activity can impact the hydrosphere.Grade: 8thask questions and define problems based on observations or information from text, phenomena, models, or investigations;The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 8thdevelop and use models to represent phenomena, systems, processes, or solutions to engineering problems; andThe student, for at least 40% of instructional time, asks questions, identifies problems, and plans and safely conducts classroom, laboratory, and field investigations to answer questions, explain phenomena, or design solutions using appropriate tools and models.Grade: 8thevaluate experimental and engineering designs.The student analyzes and interprets data to derive meaning, identify features and patterns, and discover relationships or correlations to develop evidence-based arguments or evaluate designs.Grade: 8thcommunicate explanations and solutions individually and collaboratively in a variety of settings and formats; andThe student develops evidence-based explanations and communicates findings, conclusions, and proposed solutions.Grade: 8thidentify and apply patterns to understand and connect scientific phenomena or to design solutions;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 8thexamine and model the parts of a system and their interdependence in the function of the system;The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 8thanalyze and explain the complementary relationship between the structure and function of objects, organisms, and systems; andThe student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 8thanalyze and explain how factors or conditions impact stability and change in objects, organisms, and systems.The student understands that recurring themes and concepts provide a framework for making connections across disciplines.Grade: 8thdescribe how energy from the Sun, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact and influence weather and climate;The student knows that interactions between Earth, ocean, and weather systems impact climate.Grade: 8thidentify global patterns of atmospheric movement and how they influence local weather; andThe student knows that interactions between Earth, ocean, and weather systems impact climate.Grade: 8thexplain how disruptions such as population changes, natural disasters, and human intervention impact the transfer of energy in food webs in ecosystems;The student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystems.Grade: 8thdescribe how primary and secondary ecological succession affect populations and species diversity after ecosystems are disrupted by natural events or human activity; andThe student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystems.Grade: 8thdescribe how biodiversity contributes to the stability and sustainability of an ecosystem and the health of the organisms within the ecosystem.The student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystems.
- TEKS Technology ApplicationsGrade: 3rdidentify and communicate a problem or task and break down (decompose) multiple solutions into sequential steps;The student explores the core concepts of computational thinking, a set of problem-solving processes that involve decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms.Grade: 3rddemonstrate personal skills and behaviors, including effective communication, following directions, and mental agility, needed to implement a design process successfully; andThe student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 3rdapply a design process with components such as testing and reflecting to create new and useful solutions to identify and solve for authentic problems.The student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 4thdecompose story problems into smaller, manageable subproblems and discuss and document various solutions to the problems;The student explores the core concepts of computational thinking, a set of problem-solving processes that involve decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms.Grade: 4thexplain the importance of and demonstrate personal skills and behaviors, including problem solving and questioning, effective communication, following directions, mental agility, and metacognition, that are needed to implement a design process successfully; andThe student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 4thapply an appropriate design process that includes components to improve processes and refine original products for authentic problems.The student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 5thdecompose a real-world problem into smaller, manageable subproblems using graphic organizers such as learning maps, concept maps, or other representations of data;The student explores the core concepts of computational thinking, a set of problem-solving processes that involve decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms.Grade: 5thexplain the importance of and demonstrate personal skills and behaviors, including persistence, effective communication, following directions, mental agility, metacognition, problem solving and questioning, that are needed to implement a design process successfully; andThe student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 5thapply an appropriate design process that includes components to generate multiple solutions for an authentic problem and develop original products.The student takes an active role in learning by using a design process to solve authentic problems for a local or global audience, using a variety of technologies.Grade: 6thdecompose real-world problems into structured parts by using visual representation;The student explores the core concepts of computational thinking, a set of problem-solving processes that involve decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms.
Age range
8-14+
Duration
1:35:00
Grades
Assets
Paper Eyes
Overview and Objectives
Lesson Structure
When students go through this lesson in each section, the objectives they will learn are:
- Imagine – Learn how arid deserts can be in hot or cold regions of the world.
- Build – Design a sidewinder desert viper to make its home in a dry desert.
Start your exploration of the desert biome and learn about the challenging conditions that render it an extreme and inhospitable environment for most plants and animals. Create a model of the sidewinder snake, a reptile that has evolved to survive in this hostile climate.