Teachers.netDiscover the Desert: The Driest Places On Earth
Ever wonder what it would be like to visit the desert? Is it as dry and barren as it seems, or are there exciting discoveries waiting to be found? And how would you survive the extremes of temperatures, the rough terrain, and the vast distances? Discover the Desert takes readers ages 8 to 12 across breathtaking landscapes to explore the plants and animals of the desert, its lost civilizations, and today's desert-dwelling cultures.
Discover the Deserts wins 2010 Skipping Stones Award
Skipping Stones Magazine Summer 2010—This fun-filled, easy-to-read educational gem will inspire you to explore the diversity of our world’s deserts through their unique climates, geography and ecology. But that’s not all! Among the engaging illustrtions you will find helpful vocabulary, fascinating facts, survival skills and fun at-home projects. It may even compel you to pick up a sandboard. Imagine snowboarding in the desert! Projects ideas include solar cooking, building an underground shelter, or planting an indoor cactus garden. Don’t forget, pack a copy of this book on your next expedition to the desert!
School Library Journal - 3/2010—Chock-full of definitions and facts, this exploration of deserts provides a lot of information about their location, formation, and characteristics.. . Produced to promote conservation of resources, the book includes illustrations and backgrounds in various shades of brown and gray, a logical choice for the subject… Those who peruse even some sections, though, can come away with topics they want to investigate in more depth by consulting additional sources, including the many books and Web sites noted at the end.
Wired Magazine, GeekDad- 1/2010 - Discover the Desert gives a great overview of deserts of the world, with plenty of specifics and important safety tips. You will come away with a much greater knowledge of what the world's deserts are like, culturally, meteorologically and biologically....the included activities and projects will be very memorable.
Booklist February 2010— This large-format book introduces deserts and helps readers imagine traveling through different types, observing their features, and coping with the challenges they present…. These relatively simple, hands-on activities will be useful to teachers and parents looking for ways to engage children with the subject.
“Deserts are the least understood among the land features of the earth because of their vastness and harsh conditions. Yet they remain one of the most fascinating regions of the earth, invoking mysteries and legends, especially in young minds. This book explains in simple terms the various features of deserts with practical lessons of how to travel in and enjoy that wilderness. Today’s young individuals are concerned about preserving the natural features of our planet. This book teaches them how to learn about and how to appreciate one of the most fragile environments on Earth.”
—Dr. Farouk El-Baz, renowned desert explorer, Boston University
“Children will learn a great deal about what deserts are like. I enjoyed Discover the Desert. Combines science with the excitement of discovery.” —Andrew Goudie, Master of St Cross College, Oxford, Emeritus Professor in Geography, recipient of the 2007 Geological Society of America’s Farouk El-Baz Prize for desert research
“Important concepts about the diversity of deserts, human habitation and use, and
geology are reinforced in a child-friendly and accessible manner. Discover the Desert
provokes excitement about a biome that has been traditionally and erroneously treated
as barren and devoid of life. Readers will be left with an increased understanding of the desert and, perhaps more importantly, an increased appreciation for the value of
deserts.” —Frank van Breukelen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Life Sciences,
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Deserts of the World
California Academy of Sciences: The Great Sahara Desert
Deserts: Geology and Resources by Alta Sharon
Walker (US Geological Survey)
Living Desert, Palm Desert, CA
Missouri Botanical Garden Biomes of the World:
Desert
National Geographic Deserts Information
United Nations Environment Program: Global
Deserts Outlook
Deserts of the United States
Desert Survivors (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)
USGS Death Valley National Park Virtual
FieldTrip
Utah Geological Survey
Desert Travel and Recreation
California Deserts Visitors Association
The Cultured Traveler (February 2006 issue)
Dreamride Mountain Bike Skills
United Nations World Tourism Organization:
Sustainable Development of Ecotourism in
Desert Areas
Desert Survival
Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety
Agency Clothing and Solar UV Protection
Discovery Survival Zone: Desert
Expert Village Video Series: How to Survive in the
Desert
Lawrence of Arabia (PBS)
Maricopa County Dept. of Emergency Management
Desert Awareness Booklet
U.S Army Field Manual 3-05.70: Survival (May, 2002)
Desert Preservation and Desertification
The Center for Sonoran Desert Studies of the Desert
Research Institute, NV
The International Center for Agricultural Research
in the Dry Areas
The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research,
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
United Nations Conference on Desertification
United Nations World Food Program
General
Google Maps
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization World Heritage Convention
United States Department of the Interior Bureau
of Land Management
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Geological Survey
BOOKS
Allaby, Michael. Deserts. Chelsea House, 2006.
Annerino, John. Desert Survivor: An Adventurer’s
Guide to Exploing the Great American Desert.
Four Walls Eight Windows, 2001.
Brown, John. Journey Into the Desert.
Oxford University Press, 2002.
Castaldo, Nancy F. Deserts: An Activity Guide
for Ages 6-9. Chicago Review Press, 2004.
Davenport, Gregory J. Surviving the Desert.
Stackpole Books, 2004.
Flegg, Jim. Deserts: Miracle of Life.
Facts on File, 1993.
Guiberson, Brenda Z. Cactus Hotel.
H. Holt, 1991.
Harris, Nathaniel. Atlas of the World’s Deserts.
Fitzroy Dearborn, 2003.
Jenkins, Martin. Deserts.
Lerner Publications, 1995.
Lazaroff, David Wentworth. Arizona-Sonora Desert
Museum Book of Answers. Arizona-Sonora
Desert Museum Press, 1998.
Le Rochais, Marie-Ange. Desert Trek:
An Eye-Opening Journey Through the World’s
Driest Places. Walker & Co., 2001.
Pipe, Jim. Desert Survival.
Gareth Stevens Pub., 2008.
Reynolds, Jan. Sahara: Vanishing Cultures.
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991.
Rozario, Paul. Spreading Deserts.
Raintree, 2004.
Silver, Donald M. Cactus Desert.
W. H. Freeman, 1995.
Simon, Seymour. Deserts. Morrow Junior
Books, 1990.
Stilwell, Alexander. The Encyclopedia of Survival
Techniques. The Lyons Press, 2000.
Storm, Rory. Desert Survivor’s Guide.
Scholastic, 2001.
Warren, Andres and Tony Allan. Guide to Deserts.
Firefly Books Inc., 2006.
Sam Carbaugh received a BA from Cornerstone University and is earning his MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies. He currently lives in Vermont and enjoys hiking and playing Scrabble with his wife, Kristin. Check out his website at Carbaughcomics.wordpress.com
Learn how light rays bend as they go from lower-density air to
higher-density water. The object you’re looking at will appear to be floating upside down
above the table!
