Cycle (circle one)

Task that students will do: Students will make observations of different specimens of desert plants. Based on those observations, they will make inferences about how these organisms live in the desert, e.g., how are they able to live where it is very dry, hot, sunny and windy. They will notice trends and patterns in their data and use evidence to support their claims and develop an explanation to answer the driving question.

Your question How are plants able to live in the desert? Instructional Goals A. Science understandings Conditions of a desert: - Low rainfall - High temperatures - Strong sunlight - Strong winds Plant adaptations: Understand how these adaptations enable the plants to survive with the following conditions - Waxy surface - Succulent (water stored in stems or leaves) - No leaves or small leaves - Green stems - Hairy surface - Leaves only at some times of the year - Thorns - Deep roots - Roots that spread just under the surface B. Science skills Make and record observations Make inferences Make claims Support claims with evidence Make comparisons Recognize patterns in data Group or classify things Develop evidence based explanations

QEP Progressions of Learning

Earth and Space D. Systems and Interactions 6. Meteorological Systems and Climates b. Associates the average amount of precipitation with the climate of a region (dry, humid). Living Things D. Systems and Interactions 1. Interaction between living organisms and their environment f. Explains how animals and plants adapt to increase their chances of survival

Competency Competency 3: To communicate in the language used in science and technology

Principles for Ambitious Teaching : Children are sense makers.

Practices for Ambitious Teaching : Teaching toward an instructional goal Eliciting and responding to student thinking o e.g., pressing & re-voicing student thinking Orienting students to each others ideas Positioning students competently Establishing and maintaining expectations for student participation Representing student thinking and ideas Using a public record of student thinking

Goals: Develop evidence-based explanations to answer the initial question Solidify other instructional goals To help target the goals, say or do something like Now lets think about all the characteristics we have observed and discuss them together as a class. - What can we say we know about desert plants now? - What makes them different/unique? - What kinds of features do they have to help them adapt/survive?

As students respond, I will begin recording their responses (See appendix 3 & 4). Now thinking about the data and information you read, lets discuss what we know about the desert conditions and record them on the board. How is a cactus different from the plants we find our environment? In what ways is a cactus similar to the plants we find in our environment? What is unique about the ocotillo plant? What does this tell us about desert conditions? How do you think thorns/needles protect the cactus plant? (Here, the student is encouraged to make claims based on their observations/evidence) How is our environment different from that of the desert? (Rainfall, temperature, wind, humidity, soil and amount of sunlight) How do these conditions affect how plants grow in the desert, and how it allows them to survive? How do these plants get their nutrients? (How do you think they store water?) How does the wind affect the desert?

Conclude the activity Say or do something like Now that we have a general idea of how desert plants survive, there are other factors that influence their survival. It is important to keep in mind these various factors, and we will discuss this further next class.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Some additional information on deserts The desert is very dry and often hot. Annual rainfall often averages less than 10 inches per year, and that rain often comes all at the same time. The rest of the year is very dry. There is a lot of direct sunlight shining on the plants. The soil is often sandy or rocky and unable to hold much water. Winds are often strong. Plants are exposed to extreme temperatures and drought conditions. Temperature: Since 1980 the temperature at Soda Springs has varied from a low of 8F in January to a high of 119F in August. Based on the analysis of W.T. Reid, the mean temperatures, averaged over a fouryear period, were as follows: Average Monthly Temperatures Jan 61 34 48 Feb 69 40 54 Mar 74 46 60 Apr 83 53 68 May 93 61 77 Jun 103 70 86 Jul 109 77 93 Aug 107 75 92 Sep 100 68 84 Oct 87 55 71 Nov 73 43 57 Dec 62 34 48

Max Min Avg

Days with temperatures in excess of 100F typically begin in May and can last into October. During July and August minimum nocturnal temperatures in the low to mid 90s can be expected on several nights.

Appendix 2

Data Chart

Appendix 3

Appendix 4