Deserts: Land of Extremes

What You'll Learn

Deserts receive less than 25 centimeters of rain per year. Hot deserts have extreme daytime temperatures, while cold deserts like Antarctica are dry but freezing.

Key Words

volcano
landform
soil

Materials Needed

sand
clay
water

Safety First

Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Protect your work surface with newspaper or plastic.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.

Step 2 — Do

Build a working model of a volcano using baking soda and vinegar. Observe the eruption and explain what causes real volcanic eruptions.

Step 3 — Observe

Note any unexpected results and think about why they happened.

Step 4 — Record

Share your findings with the class or a partner and discuss what you learned.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is a watershed?