Teachers Network
Translate Translate English to Chinese Translate English to French
  Translate English to German Translate English to Italian Translate English to Japan
  Translate English to Korean Russian Translate English to Spanish
Lesson Plan Search
Our Lesson Plans
TeachNet Curriculum Units
Classroom Specials
Popular Teacher Designed Activities
TeachNet NYC Directory of Lesson Plans TeachNet NYC Dirctory of Lesson Plans

VIDEOS FOR TEACHERS
ONLINE COURSES
RESOURCES
Teachers Network Leadership Institute
How-To Articles
Videos About Teaching
Effective Teachers Website
Lesson Plans
TeachNet Curriculum Units
Classroom Specials
Teacher Research
For NYC Teachers
For New Teachers
HOW-TO ARTICLES
TEACHER RESEARCH
LINKS
CONTACT

GRANT WINNERS
TeachNet Grant:
Lesson Plans
2010
TeachNet Grant Winners
2009
TeachNet Grant Winners
Adaptor Grant Winners
2008
TeachNet Grant Winners
Adaptor Grant Winners
2007
TeachNet Grant Winners
Adaptor Grant Winners
Other Grant Winners
Power-to-Learn
Math and Science Learning
Ready-Set-Tech
Impact II
Grant Resources
Grant How-To's
Free Resources for Teachers
ABOUT
Our Mission
Funders
   Pacesetters
   Benefactors
   Donors
   Sponsors
   Contributors
   Friends
Press
   Articles
   Press Releases
Awards
   Cine
   Silver Reel
   2002 Educational Publishers Award

Sitemap

 

TeachnetNYC: Operation Desert Learn

Home | Overview | Lesson One | Lesson Two | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5
Animal Database
| Assessments | Desert Causes Database | Desert People
Plant Adaptation Database
| Terrain Database | Vocabulary Database

OPERATION: DESERT LEARN AIMS:

1.  What are some desert plants?

2.  What are some desert plant adaptations?

MOTIVATION: 

Show students pictures of different types of desert plants.  The following pictures were taken from http://ontheline.org.uk/explore/nature/deserts/plants.htm (picture 1), pictures 2 through 5 are from http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/index.htm and picture 6 is from http://xeri.com/xeriscape/palms/palm6.htm

a cactusceroxylon quindieunse

 

Ask the following questions about the pictures:  What do you notice about these plants?  What are their leaves like?  Why do you think some of the plants have such thick stems?  What do you think is stored in those stems? What do you think is the purpose of the spikes?

PROCEDURE: 

1.  After showing the students the different desert plants, elicit the names of various plants, such as cactus, succulents, palm trees, Joshua trees, creosote, mesquite, shrubs, bushes, mosses, lichens.  Students can link to http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/desert/index.htm to see the different plants.  Students can work in small groups and research each plant mentioned and illustrate them.

2.  Introduce vocabulary related to desert plants:

cactus,  succulent,  saguaro,  adaptation,  yucca,  roots,  palm tree,  Joshua tree, creosote bush,  stomata

Students can look up the words from the following websites: http://m-w.com (Merriam-Webster online) or http://dictionary.com

2.  Initiate a discussion based on the following questions- What conditions do the plants need to adapt to? and What adaptations do you think the desert plants have to make in order to survive in the harsh desert climate?  From this discussion you should be able to come up with enough adaptations to have students look up the information online and fill in a database. You can choose a variety of plants that have adapted in different ways.  A few good sites to link to are  http://cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html and http://library.thinkquest.org/28855/species.html (where the pictures were imported from).  Click here for a student copy.

ADAPTATION

EXAMPLE

Capturing Water

1.  Long roots to tap into underground sources.  2.  Short horizontal roots that collect water as soon as it falls to the ground.

Water Storage

Plants store water either in  their stems, leaves, roots, or fruits.  These plants are called succulents and include cacti.

Water Loss

1.  The size, sheen, or texture of the leaf helps to minimize water loss.  Small leaves or spines limit the amount of surface area exposed to the drying heat. Glossy leaves reflect the Sun's radiant heat reducing leaf temperatures and evaporation rates. Waxy leaves prevent moisture from escaping.

2.  Some plants only open their leaf pores at night when air temperatures are cool and the evaporation rate is low.

 LAB ACTIVITY:

To show how waxy leaves prevent moisture from escaping this simple experiment can be performed:

Problem:  How can we show how waxy leaves reduce moisture loss in plants?

Hypothesis:  We think if waxy leaves reduce moisture loss, then a leaf coated in Vaseline should show less moisture produced.

Materials:  two identical plants, Vaseline, two plastic bags.

Procedure:  1.  On one plant, coat the undersides of the leaves with a layer of Vaseline.  2.  Place both plants completely into the plastic bags and tie tightly.  3.  Observe the moisture build up on the inside of the bags over a few days.

Observations:  After a few days, moisture beads will have formed on the plant whose leaves were not coated in Vaseline.  There should be little or no moisture formed on the plastic bag with the Vaseline coated leaves.

Conclusion:  The Vaseline acts as a waxy coating on the leaf.  The fact that moisture is not forming proves that this prevents the loss of moisture.

ASSESSMENT:   Purchase a few different types of cactus and succulents.  Examine the root system on the plants.  Are the roots long?  Are the roots shallow?  Where is each plant searching for water?  Deep underground or on the surface?  Have the students cut open the stems.  Have them notice if there is water stored in the stems?  Are the stems hollow?  Do the same with the leaves.  Are the leaves fleshy?  Why?  What do you think is stored in the leaves?  Are the leaves waxy?  Ask who remembers why some cactus have waxy leaves?  Continue in this manner until the children have figured out why this type of plant is well adapted to desert conditions.

FOLLOW-UP:  This lesson will lead into the next lesson "What are some desert animals?"

 

 

 

For Questions or Technical Support... Please Contact:
admin@teachersnetwork.org

 

Journey Back to the Great Before