White Sands National Monument Web Quest E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A IntroductionIntroduction / Task / Process TaskProcess IntroductionTaskProcess Evaluation Evaluation / Conclusion / Teacher Evaluation / Conclusion / TeacherConclusionTeacher Evaluation ConclusionTeacher Page Page /State and Core Standards Page /State and Core StandardsState and Core Standards Page State and Core Standards

Introduction White Sands National Monument is unique in respect to geology, geography, biotic and abiotic features. Due to the arid environment many organisms have adapted to limit the need for water. This type of adaptation can be seen in many of the Earth’s desert biomes. This Web Quest will take you on an investigative journey into White Sand National Monument located in the Chihuahua and into the Kalahari Desert to learn more about these water conserving plants and animals. Home

Task Objective: The students will investigate the biotic adaptions in a desert biome. Product: I will create a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the adaptations of flora and fauna in the Chihuahua and Kalahari deserts. Home

Chihuahua Desert Investigation Your investigation begins at White Sand National Monument located in the Chihuahua Desert. Use the following links to discover more about the organisms which have adapted to conserve water in this arid environment. White Sands National Monument Kangaroo Rat Chihuahua Desert Plant Adaptations Chihuahua Desert Adaptations Home

Kalahari Desert Investigation Continue your investigation in the Kalahari Desert. Remember the objective is to compare and contrast a plant and animal from both deserts. Kalahari Desert Kalahari Flora and Fauna Meerkats Home

Process While you investigate each of these environments you will identify one plant and one animal from each. You will then use the animal and plant graphic organizers to compare and contrast the organisms. animal plant You may print off the graphic organizers. Time to proceed with the investigation. Chihuahua Desert Investigation Kalahari Desert Investigation Home

Evaluation (Rubric) Criteria4 / Exemplary3 / Proficient2 / Adequate1 / Inadequate ContentsMy investigation and notes demonstrate I understand all of the adaptations. My investigation and notes demonstrate I understand most of the adaptations. My investigation and notes demonstrate I understand little of the adaptations. My investigation and notes demonstrate I understand none of the adaptations. ComparisonsMy comparison and contrast focused 100% on comparison of two organisms. My comparison and contrast focused 90% on comparison of two organisms. My comparison and contrast focused 80% on comparison of two organisms. My comparison and contrast focused 70% on comparison of two organisms. Legibility & Neatness My graphic organizer is the neatest I can do. My graphic organizer can be neater and more legible. My graphic organizer can be more legible. My graphic organizer is sloppy. Home

Conclusion While deserts are located throughout the world, the adaptations of plants and animals are similar across continents and oceans. Locate on the map the Chihuahua and Kalahari Deserts. While they are a world apart the plant and animals who call these biomes home have similar adaptations.map Explanation Questions Does your investigation findings support the statement in the above conclusion? Do you believe that relocation of desert plants and/or animals to a non-native desert would be successful? – Check out what happened at White Sands National Monument with the introduction of the Oryx.Oryx Home

Teacher Page This web quest utilizes graphic organizers to compare and contrast. This will require the students to think in the idea of point and counterpoint. This will also allow the student to look for specific information in research. On the conclusion page you will find some explanation questions that will allow students to explore their comparison with deeper understanding. This activity will also allow students to organize information simultaneously for expository writing outline. Home

Animal Chihuahua Kalahari Home

Plant Chihuahua Kalahari Home

State and Core Standards Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6–12 Texas State Objective Grades 6-8 TEKS – 6.2 (a) (b) 2.12 (e) (f) TEKS – 7.2 (a) (b) 7.15 (a) (d) 7.10 (all) 7.11 (all) 7.13 (all) TEKS – 8.11 (a) (b) (c) Home Next

New Mexico / Core Standards Students will understand the properties, structures and processes of living things and the interdependence of living things and their environments. Students will: Explain the diverse structures and functions of living things and the complex relationships between living things and their environments 5th Grade Identify the components of habitats and ecosystems (producers, consumers, decomposers, predators) Understand how food webs depict relationships between different organisms; Know that changes in the environment can have different effects on different organisms (e.g., Some organisms move, some survive, some reproduce, some die) Describe how human activity impacts the environment 6th Grade Understand how organisms interact with their physical environments to meet their needs (i.e., Food, water, air) and how the water cycle is essential to most living systems Describe how organisms have adapted to various environmental conditions NextHome

New Mexico / Core Standards 7th Grade Identify the living and non-living parts of an ecosystem and describe the relationships among these components Explain biomes (i.e., Aquatic, desert, rainforest, grasslands, tundra) and describe the New Mexico biome Explain how individuals of species that exist together interact with their environment to create an ecosystem (e.g., Populations, communities, niches, habitats, food webs) Explain the conditions and resources needed to sustain life in specific ecosystems; Describe how the availability of resources and physical factors limit growth (e.g., Quantity of light and water, range of temperature, composition of soil) and how the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles contribute to the availability of those resources to support living systems 8th Grade Explain how a change in the flow of energy can impact an ecosystem (e.g., The amount of sunlight available for plant growth, global climate change); Understand how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how species evolve Home