Desertification! What the devil are we doing?
An Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Thematic Study of the desert biomes around the world. The word desert brings to mind powerful images for many people. Some believe a desert to be a hot, barren place without surface water. Others think of a desert as a dry region covered with sand dunes and tall, branching cacti that resemble human forms. One-fourth of all desert surfaces are made of sand - the rest are dirt, clay, rock, ice or some other mixture of organic and inorganic materials. And although deserts generally have little precipitation, many have at least one rainy season each year.
Deserts support large, diverse populations of animals, plants, and human cultures. Desert life has made interesting adaptations to their unique conditions. Desert biomes are complete ecological communities that are very fragile and in danger of extinction.
The primary goal of this unit is to enlarge the world concept of the student to include the culture and resources of an area, which may be unfamiliar to him/her. Essential concepts include the rich tapestry of growing things in the desert, the unique culture of its people, and how both have adapted to their harsh environment. Essential concepts also include the uses and misuses of the area as it has been colonized. This unit has been designed for the following curriculums: Environmental Science, World Geography, Geometry/Algebra, Native American Cultures, and World Literature.
Deserts support large, diverse populations of animals, plants, and human cultures. Desert life has made interesting adaptations to their unique conditions. Desert biomes are complete ecological communities that are very fragile and in danger of extinction.
The primary goal of this unit is to enlarge the world concept of the student to include the culture and resources of an area, which may be unfamiliar to him/her. Essential concepts include the rich tapestry of growing things in the desert, the unique culture of its people, and how both have adapted to their harsh environment. Essential concepts also include the uses and misuses of the area as it has been colonized. This unit has been designed for the following curriculums: Environmental Science, World Geography, Geometry/Algebra, Native American Cultures, and World Literature.