DESERTS&RAINFORESTS:
Lessons 4-6

 

DESERTS

LESSON 4:
Supplies needed:
• Deserts (Earth in Action), Wild Places (Usborne), Animal resources (Fact File cards, etc...) art supplies for one or more of the following crafts

I. ANIMAL LIFE IN THE DESERT:

A. Read pgs. 20-23 in Deserts (Earth in Action)

B. Read 10-15 in Wild Places (Usborne)
 

1. PROJECT! Pick one of each: animal, reptile and insect. 

* DesertAnimals:

http://directory.netscape.com/Recreation/Outdoors/Wildlife/Desert_Animals

http://www.mobot.org/pfg/diverse/biomes/desert/animals/valley.htm

 
Research it and choose one or more ways to represent it artistically. Include an index card with unique facts about the creature. (This project will be encouraged again as you study the rain forest. The following ideas can be used for both topics. You may also want to combine them as with the snake poster.)

Project Idea #1: Create a paper sculpture. After choosing your creature, create it with appropriate colored/textured papers. You can even add in other three dimensional objects such as branches, straw, fake fur, etc... Use a shoe box or shirt box lid to create a framed area to mount your work. Using little pieces of foam core will help objects to 'pop out'. 

Project Idea #2:  Create stationary using stamps of animals, reptiles or insects. Color them in according to references and write a paragraph about the creature chosen on the stationary.

Project Idea #3:  Create a poster with pop-ups, pull tabs, 'lift' tabs and wheels. You may want to make it of your three choices on one poster or combine a topic (in this case reptiles-snakes) located in both desert and rain forest. Here are two of my children's to give you some ideas of how to use the varied 'movables'.

(Upper left) The pull tab shows how the boa constrictor will wrap around a person. (Upper right) The wheel turns to show how a sea snake will look like a stick until a fish comes close. Turn the wheel and it shows it attacking! (Lower left) The pull tab on a rock shows how a cobra spits (Lower right) The lift tab shows a coral snake under the rock.

(Upper left) The 'lift' on the eggs shows them hatching. (Upper right) The pull tab raises the basket lid and cobra. (Lower left) The pull tab pulls the King snake out from the grass. (Lower right) The slide tab slides left and right to make the tail rattle.

Project Idea #4:  This is a great time for biology! There are many reptiles and insects available to dissect. 
if you don't want to mess with the real thing, you may want to opt for the next best... dissection in clay! We chose to do frog anatomy. Using bake able salt dough, I sculpted a fat, somewhat flat frog with a big cavity in its back. I left it the natural color of the dough. We then divided the remaining dough and colored it various colors. Using a book with pictures of a frog's organs, we created the  organs from the different colored doughs. We used a wadded up piece of aluminum foil as our base to work on (to give an arched shape). After baking the frog and his innards, we set them in the cavity. We chose not to glue them in so they could be picked up for inspection. We glued a paper to the bottom of the frog with a key matching colors to organs.

LESSON 5:
Supplies needed:
• Deserts (Earth in Action), Wild Places (Usborne), Bible Atlas, Bible, paints and water color paper.

I. PEOPLE:

A. Read pgs. 24-25 in Deserts (Earth in Action) 

B. Read pgs. 16-25 in Wild Places (Usborne)

1. What is a 'nomad'? A 'caravan'? An 'oasis'?

2. Discuss people's homes, food, ways to keep cool, transportation, daily life.

C. How did Moses and the Israelites survive in the desert? 

1. Read from Exodus 

2. How would people survive now in the desert? What kind of gear would you need? How much water does a human need to consume each day?

3. Discuss the job of a shepherd

• What kind of sheep live in the desert?

• Read Psalm 23

• Who is The Good Shepherd?

4. PROJECT! Paint a picture of Moses and the Israelites being led through the desert by either a cloud by day  or a pillar of fire by night. Or choose on of the many miracles that the Lord worked through Moses while they wandered through the wilderness.

C. Resources we gather from the desert:

1. Read 26-31 in Wild Places (Usborne)

2. Read 26-29 in Deserts (Earth in Action)

LESSON 6:
Supplies needed:
• Wild Places (Usborne), Wonders of the Rain forest, paper, scissors and drawing tools

I. INTRODUCTION OF 'RAIN FOREST':

A. Read 2-7 and 12-15 in Wild Places (Usborne)

B. Read Wonders of the Rain Forest

C. Read pgs. 74-75 in Earth (Usborne)

D. PROJECT! Have children draw layers of a rain forest (emergent level, canopy, understory and forest floor). After drawing the picture, cut the paper lengthwise into 4 sections showing each layer. Label each section.

Questions or Comments?  Email us at: amypak ("at" sign) homeschoolinthewoods.com

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