Lesson 3: Deserts
Duration of Days: 4
Lesson Objective
Analyze physiological and behavioral adaptations to extreme water scarcity.
Which animals are best suited for desert life, and what are their behaviors?
What defines an area as a desert, and why aren't they all hot?
HS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.
Reading a technical passage on CAM photosynthesis or animal thermoregulation and summarizing the main biological mechanism.
An analysis of physiological and behavioral adaptations required for survival in water-scarce environments.
(DOK 3)
See "Materials / Resources / Text / Speakers" field
Students are given a list of extreme desert conditions and must design a super-organism with at least three specific adaptations (e.g., nocturnal behavior, waxy cuticle) to survive there.