Deserts: Land of Extremes (Part 2)

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

climate
precipitation

Materials Needed

sand
clay
water
plastic tray

Safety First

Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
Keep small objects away from young children.

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?