LIFE SCIENCE
Life Science Grades K-2
Standard 4 Students will gain an understanding of Life Science through the study of changes in
organisms over time and the nature of living things.
Life Science Grade 2
Standard 4 Objective 1. Tell how external features affect an animals’ ability to survive in its
environment.
Life Science Grade 3 Interactions, Relationships, Cause and Effect
Standard 2. Students will understand that organisms depend on living and nonliving things within
their environment.
Standard 5. Students will understand that the sun is the main source of heat and light for things
living on Earth.
Life Science Grade 4 Utah Natural History & Cycles
Standard 5. Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah’s wetlands, forests, and
deserts and identify common organisms for each environment.
Life Science Grade 5 Change, Cause and Effect
Standard 5 Objective 2. Describe how some characteristics could give a species a survival
advantage in a particular environment.
MOMIX dancer as a flower (photo by John Kane) in Opus Cactus.
Program for Opus Cactus
Sonoran: But Not Asleep
The Swingle Singers, “Largo” (from Harpsichord Concerto),
Composer: J.S. Bach, Arranger: Ward Swingle, Recording: Keyboard Classics, 2000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQXCjkwpXD8
Desert Storm***
Adam Plack, Johnny (White Ant) Soames, “Willi Willi” from Winds of Warning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIHp8sMCjuc
Cactus Wren / Morning Star
Peter Buffet, “The Dream” from Spirit Dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkusulddjlA
Pole Dance
Adam Plack, Johnny (White Ant) Soames, “The Hunt” from Winds of Warning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yrhMc8cTk8
Desert Blooms
Brian Eno, “But If” from The Drop, Published by Opal Music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvJhGjCYL5M
Ostrich of the Imagination
TUU, “Migration” from Mesh, Fathom/Hearts of Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXDdS10g5SU
Prickly Pair
TUU, “Mesh” from Mesh, Fathom/Hearts of Space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx3u9nVop0I
Black Mesa
Gabrielle Roth and the Mirrors, “Black Mesa” from Ritual
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnyJttvl7FY
Sidewinder
Underground, “Ali Mullah” from Rejoice/Rejoice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n6UGJM-bOQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3NbPUTD5qA
Gila Dance***
Brent Lewis & Peter Wood, “Outback Attack” from Thunder Down Under: Tribal Drumming and Didgeridoo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHNEBo9u5qc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5UG97nfov8
Tracking the Earth
Le Duc, “Touareg” from Buddah Bar, Published by PST!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=291dGXP7xig
Caravan
Jose Nieto, Hemza Al-Din, “The Lost City” from Passion in the Desert:
Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1shwM1EEvs
The following reading materials will help students learn about the plants and animals that will be
featured at the MOMIX Student Matinee. Links to the music used in the performance is also
available here if you wish to listen as you read about each character.
General Discussion & Activities
Class Discussion
Life in the Sonoran Desert
Discuss the characteristics of the desert environment. What characteristics might
animals and plants need to survive in the desert? How might people adapt to living in
this environment?
Exploring the World:
Research Topic
Geography, Biology
What is life like in the Sonoran desert? First, identify your subject: is it animal,
vegetable, mineral, or human? Next, create a vocabulary based on your subject.
What does your subject look like? Where does it live? How does it survive? What
part does it play in the ecosystem of the desert? If this element were to disappear
forever, what would happen to the environment and how would life change there?
From the National Wildlife Federation
Play an Animal Matching Game and Charades
Materials
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Acting Like Animals print-out, 2 copies
Cardboard, such as an old cereal box
Clear contact paper (optional, if you want to laminate the cards)
Glue
Markers or crayons
Scissors
Steps
1. Put together two sets of small animal pictures. Print “Acting Like Animals” two times. Or you
could have the children draw their own pictures of various animals, then make a copy of their
drawings. If your students enjoy coloring, they can color in the pictures. Make the pictures into
small cards. Cut an old cereal box into panels and glue on the animal pictures. Then cut them
into cards. Laminate with clear contact paper if you’d like.
2. Play Animal Charades. Take one set of the cards per group of 4. Each group member takes
one card and acts out the animal while the other students in the group guess.
3. Animal Matching Game. Shuffle the two sets of cards together. Now you can play a matching
game where you get to turn over two cards. If they match, you get to keep them. If not, you flip
them back over. Continue until you’ve made all of the matches.
https://www.nwf.org/activity-finder/crafts/animal-charades-matching-game.aspx
Use the following list to make your own cards to learn about
Utah and Arizona Desert Plants and Animals.
Desert Tortoise
Lubber grasshopper
Prickly Pear Cactus
Burrowing owl
Saguaro Cactus
Gila Monster
Roadrunner
Mountain Lion
Kangaroo Rat
Coati
Turkey Vulture
Ringtail
Coyote
Mule Deer
Mesquite
Peccary or Javelina
Jackrabbit
Burro
Sidewinder Rattlesnake
Packrat
Scorpion
Armadillo
Spadefoot Toad
Kit Fox
Horned Toad
Life Science: About Biomes
Biomes are a way to divide the Earth’s surface. These divisions are based on climate patterns, soil
types, and the animals and plants that inhabit an area. There are biomes on dry land and in water.
Every inch of the Earth’s surface is a part of one or more biomes. Biomes can be divided into six
basic types: freshwater, aquatic, forest, desert, tundra, and grassland. These types of biomes can
be further divided by differences in seasons or animals and plant species.
Desert Biome Research Activity
Have students research and create a word bank to describe each of the four desert biomes using
these questions: Where can you find this biome? What are the average high and low
temperatures? What is the average precipitation for this biome? Describe the soil types. What kind
of plants live in this biome? What kind of animals can be found in this biome? How have animals
and plants adapted to this kind of environment?
Hot & Dry
Semiarid
Coastal
Cold
Sonoran Desert
Great Basin
Atacama Desert
Gobi Desert
Extreme temperatures
cool nights
cool winters
long, cold winter
Rocky soil
sandy soil
long, warm summers
snowy
Low growing shrubs
gravel
fine, salty soil
salty, heavy soil
Prickly pears
sagebrush
salt bush
deciduous
Nocturnal animals
woolly plants
rice grass
spiny leaves
Burrowing mammals
silvery/glossy leaves
toads
mice
Kangaroo rat
jack rabbits
amphibians
kit fox
Lizard
burrows
eagles
deer
Roadrunner
Skunks
coyote
Succulents
Grasshoppers
badger
Cactus
Morning dew
Spinifex
Scorpion
`
lichen
fairy shrimps
Descriptive Writing—Desert Biomes
Descriptive writing imprints images into the reader’s mind, making you feel as though you’re “right
there.” It’s all about engaging the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch to transport
the reader and stir emotions. By choosing vivid details and colorful words, good writers bring
objects, people, places, and events to life. Instead of telling you what they see, they use their words
to show you.
Moist and salty, a chilly breeze blows in across the swells, bringing with it the pungent smells
of seaweed and fish and making me pull my jacket a little closer. Sea spray transforms into
fiery prisms as the waves splash against the shore, catch the last golden rays of sun, and
toss them up like liquid crystals.
http://writeshop.com/choosing-vocabulary-to-describe-a-place/
Four Desert Biomes Research Activity:
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Hot & Dry—Sonoran Desert, USA
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Semiarid—Great Basin, USA
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Coastal—Atacama Desert, Chili
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Cold—Gobi Desert, Mongolia & China
Research the desert landscape, features, climate, plants, animals, and general description of one of
the four desert biomes to create a word bank of Nouns, Adjectives, Verbs, and Adverbs for a
narrative story. Use the Missouri Botanical Garden website for research or your library.
Review:
Noun—person, place, or thing (Animals, Plants, Soil, Elements)
Adjective—word that describes a noun (arid, hot, cold, parched)
Verb—action word (to slither, to burn, to burrow, to grow)
Adverb—word that describes how an action happened (sluggishly, quickly, gently, seasonally)
Descriptive Writing Narration Activity
Imagine you wake up one morning and find yourself in the desert biome you just researched. On a
blank piece of paper, use your word bank to describe what you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch.
Who or what is in your surroundings and what are they doing? What do you think or feel about
where you are?
My Desert Journal
Name:
Hot & Dry Desert Biome
Example: Sonoran Desert, USA
The Hot & Dry Biome has warm temperatures throughout the year
with very little rain through winter. When it does rain, it falls in intense
short bursts. Small mammals and insects burrow or only come out at
night. The temperature difference between night and day can be
quite extreme. Cacti have thorns to ward off predators, spongey
tissue to store water, and extensive root systems to maximize
collection of rainfall. Birds can fly high where the air is cooler.
Narrative:
Imagine you find yourself in this type of desert. Use the word bank below to complete the sentences to
describe your experience.
I woke up in the Sonoran Desert. I am feeling…and…
I can see…
I can hear…
The thing I notice most is…
Word Bank
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
shelter
hot
burrow
quickly
monsoon
sharp
protect
slowly
sidewinder
extensive
hide
quietly
prickly pear cactus
nocturnal
hover
eerily
saguaro cactus
thirsty
slither
stealthily
species
camouflaged
ward off
surprisingly
kangaroo rat
smooth
adapt
frantically
My Desert Journal
Name:
Semi-Arid Desert Biome
Example: Great Basin, USA
The Semi-Arid Desert has moderately long, dry summers with cool,
rainless winters. Average annual rainfall is approximately 1-1.5
inches. Soil textures range from fine sand to loose rock or gravel.
Plants often have woolly or silvery, glossy leaves to reflect harsh sun
rays. Night temperatures are cool which allow dew to form and refresh
plants. Small animals stay still in the shade during the day and make
their homes in burrows. Lizards have waterproof skins.
Narrative:
Imagine you find yourself in this type of desert. Use the word bank below to complete the sentences to
describe your experience.
I woke up in the Great Basin Desert. I am feeling…and…
I can see…
I can hear…
The thing I notice most is…
Word Bank
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
scorpion
waterproof
reflect
easily
skunk
still
seek
meticulously
grasshopper
warm
collect
noisily
gravel
arid
sleep
vigorously
sagebrush
woolly
hop
surprisingly
robin
waxy
hunt
aggressively
jack rabbits
curled
sting
gently
My Desert Journal
Name:
Coastal Desert Biome
Example: Atacama Desert, Chili
The Coastal Deserts have cool winters followed by moderately
long, warm summers. Annual rainfall averages 3-5 inches. The
fine-textured soil contains a moderate amount of salt. Some
plants have ridges. During rainfall, the stem swells so that the
grooves spread apart; as the water is used up, the stem shrinks.
Animals avoid the heat of the day in burrows or come out at
night. Insects and fairy shrimp lay eggs that remain dormant
until there is rainfall to provide sustenance for the hatchlings.
Narrative:
Imagine you find yourself in this type of desert. Use the word bank below to complete the sentences to
describe your experience.
I woke up in the Atacama Desert. I am feeling…and…
I can see…
I can hear…
The thing I notice most is…
Word Bank
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
coyote
refreshing
shrink
quickly
barn owl
parched
begin
majestically
toads
cool
trot
patiently
ridge
rocky
rest
cleverly
black sage
fine
swoop
stealthily
fairy shrimp
salty
grow
confidently
flora
dormant
end
knowingly
My Desert Journal
Name:
Cold Desert Biome
Example: Gobi Desert, Mongolia & China
The Cold Deserts have a large amount of snowfall in winter and
short, wet, moderately warm summers. Average temperatures
range seasonally between 32 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil
is porous, heavy, and contains silt and salt. Deciduous and spiny
leaved trees can be found as well as lichen and other ground
cover. Small animals will wait out cold weather in burrows. Deer
may migrate to these areas after growing a thick fur coat.
Narrative:
Imagine you find yourself in this type of desert. Use the word bank below to complete the sentences to
describe your experience.
I woke up in the Gobi Desert. I am feeling…and…
I can see…
I can hear…
The thing I notice most is…
Word Bank
Noun
Adjective
Verb
Adverb
deer mouse
freezing
find
peacefully
antelope
shady
dig
diligently
badger
agile
shed
seasonally
silt
colorful
scamper
steadily
lichen
deciduous
cover
intently
wolves
porous
migrate
mysteriously
jack rabbit
average
forage
gracefully
Bibliography & Additional Resources
Wild Tracks https://wildtracks.wordpress.com/world-ecosystems/desert-ecosystems/cold-desert-ecosystem/
University of California Museum of Paleontology http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/deserts.php
Missouri Botanical Garden http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/desert/cold.htm
National Wildlife Federation/Nature Scope/Ranger Rick http://www.nwf.org/Kids/Ranger-Rick.aspx
Project Wild www.projectwild.org
Additional Activities:
Animal Adaptations:
http://www.resa.net/curriculum/curriculum/science/professionaldevelopment/ngss-pd/lesson-plans-exploring-ngss/
Lizard Lair:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/lizardlair.pdf
Plants and Animals of the Arctic: A Food Web Activity:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/ArcticPlantsAnimals.pdf
Habitat Web:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/HabitatWeb.pdf
Habitat for Sale:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/HabitatForSale-combined-Sept05.pdf
What’s Your Habitat?:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/whatsyourhabitat2.pdf
Spider Sensations:
https://www.nwf.org/~/media/PDFs/Be%20Out%20There/Schoolyard%20Habitats/SpiderSensations-Nov05.pdf