Jennifer Engo Name: ____________________________ Challenge of the week Science Cow The Desert and Beyond Background: Deserts

cover more than one fifth of the Earth's land, and they are found on every continent. A place that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year is considered a desert. Deserts are part of a wider classification of regions called "drylands." These areas exist under a moisture deficit, which means they can frequently lose more moisture through evaporation than they receive from annual precipitation. (Source National Geographic). Date: _________________

Problem: How do any plants and animals survive in the desert? Explain your answer then ask one to two other people that are not in this class for their answer and explanation. Answers must be on a full sheet of paper including explanation of each answer in great detail. Included in your response you may talk about plant and animal life in the environment. Books on the desert may be checked out of our library, but the use of Google is discouraged until the assignment is turned in. Directions: Place your answer on a full sheet of paper with your name, date, and title of the assignment. Credit will only be given to answers that answer all parts of the problem in detail. Then write a short conclusion stating the difference or similarities between your findings and your other observer(s) opinions.

Well-written Answer Name: John Smith Answer: My answer: The desert has extreme heat during the day and gets colder at night. In the encyclopedia I found at the library I found that most of the animal life there is nocturnal which means they only come out at night. During the day the sun is too bright and the animals cant come out so they have to find food during the night when its cooler. An example of an animal that lives in the desert would be roadrunner. Their diet is mostly insects, lizards, spiders, snakes, fruits, seeds and sometimes rodents. Besides cacti another three that can grow in the desert is The Joshua Tree. It grows in arid deserts; they often grow in groups called groves. Younger sibling answer: When the sun goes down then it gets cooler just like here at home. There are no trees in the desert for shade so there arent many plants or animals that live there. There are some cacti that are in the desert and camels can live there too. I think my teacher said they store water in them but I dont remember. Parent answer: I dont remember much about desert life but from what I do remember there isnt a lot of it. I know there are cacti, and animals that live under rocks or underground where they can find cooler temperature. Not many things can live in this area, but some plants, animals, and people have adapted their living styles to be accustomed to the harsh conditions.

Conclusion: Since I had the opportunity to use textbooks at the library to help me answer the question I was able to understand that there is so much more to the desert than what a lot of people think. Based on my findings and what they people I questioned thought, I found there to be a huge misconception or lack of information for those people who havent read a lot on deserts or been taught it in school yet.

Teacher comment: This student exhibits that they were able to understand all parts of the question. They made sure to answer their part of the question and then made sure to include two other individuals answers. The students answer includes that they had done some research at a library to find the answer necessary to completing the problem.

OK Answer Name: John Doe

Answer: My answer: The desert has extreme heat during the day and gets colder at night. In the encyclopedia I found at the library I found that most of the animal life there is nocturnal which means they only come out at night. During the day the sun is too bright and the animals cant come out so they have to find food during the night when its cooler.

Younger sibling answer: When the sun goes down then it gets cooler just like here at home. There are no trees in the desert for shade so there arent many plants or animals that live there. There are some cacti that are in the desert and camels can live there too. I think my teacher said they store water in them but I dont remember. Parent answer: I dont remember much about desert life but from what I do remember there isnt a lot of it. I know there are cacti, and animals that live under rocks or underground where they can find cooler temperature. Not many things can live in this area, but some plants, animals, and people have adapted their living styles to be accustomed to the harsh conditions.

Teacher Comments: The student attempted to make a go at the assignment and understood the directions. The only areas in which they fell short was to elaborate on their findings and their peers answers to give the reader of this paper knowledge of how this particular student understood the assignment in detail. The student forgets the conclusion, but with proper guidance of rereading directions with this student they will most likely include the conclusion in the next assignment.

Poorly written response Name: Joe Smith

Answer: Me- I dont think that animals live in the desert. If they do they must be really used to hot temperature. I know that there are plants and animals that live there so they must have some way that they are able to survive otherwise they would be dead. The only things that Ive seen in movies are cacti that hold water and camels hold on their backs. Person 2: I havent learned anything about the desert. I know that on shows there are only camels and the prickly trees. I dont know if theres water somewhere that they find. Person 3: Ive previously discovered that animals and plants in the desert can go for days without food or water and that is how they survive. Conclusion: The desert really isnt an environment where a lot of things can grow or live.

Teacher comments: This students answer needs significant improvement. They show that they attempted the assignment, but wasnt intrigued or convinced there was anything beyond their own knowledge to expand what they already knew to new information.

The student could elaborate on what they believe they know and/or discuss with the third person they question since it seemed that that person had a bit more knowledge than the student did.