Grade 1 - Animals and Habitats

54 Animals and Habitats: Supplemental Guide 3A | Animals of the Sonoran Desert Habitat

the Arctic is wet and muddy in the summer, whereas the desert is

very dry and sandy.

Now ask students if they think the same animals that live in the

Arctic live in the desert. Why or why not? Then have students

predict how the animals that live in the desert might be different

from the animals that live in the Arctic.

Where Are We? 5 minutes

 Show image 3A-2: World map with the southwest of the United States and

the northwest of Mexico highlighted

Tell students that deserts are located in many different regions

of the world, but today they are going to hear about a particular

desert that is located in the northwestern part of Mexico and the

southwestern part of the United States—in parts of the states

of Arizona and California. (Point to this area on the map.) Tell

students that the particular desert located here is called the

Sonoran Desert.

Vocabulary Preview 5 minutes

Sonoran (suh-NOR-un) Desert

 Show image 3A-4: The Sonoran Desert

1. In today’s lesson you will hear about a habitat called the
   Sonoran Desert.


2. Say Sonoran Desert with me three times.


3. The Sonoran Desert is a desert in the southwestern part of
   the United States. [Point to the southern part of California and
   Arizona on a U.S. map.]
   The temperature in the desert is hot. It does not rain much in
   the desert.


4. The Sonoran Desert is home to the saguaro cactus. [Invite
   students to point to the cacti.]
   Animals that live in the Sonoran Desert must adapt to live in
   hot weather and survive with very little rain.


5. [Show additional images of the Sonoran Desert.] Describe
   the Sonoran Desert to your partner. What do you think the