DESERTS
A Pathfinder for
Grade 1 Teachers
Normal Park Museum Magnet Lower School
Have you ever wondered about other places or regions of the world? The desert is one of many
regions of the Earth’s surface that receives very little rainfall. The weather is dry and hot. Desert
plants are widely scattered while many of the animals that live there avoid the heat by sleeping
during the day and roam at night.
Reference
Online Databases
Fiction
Starting Point
Online Resources
Key Words
Non-Fiction
Magazines
Media Resources
Community Resources-People and Places
Our library has a wealth of information on DESERTS. Below are a few references to help you get
started on you adventure in the DESERT.
BASIC REFERENCE SOURCES

The Eyewitness Atlas of the World
This atlas shows maps of the world and locations of deserts.
R 912 GRE

Dorling Kindersley Animal Encyclopedia
R 590.3 STO
Dive into a world of diurnal and nocturnal animals that roam and adapt to the deserts.

Dorling Kindersley Nature Encyclopedia
Discover a beautiful world of plants of the desert.

The World Almanac for Kids 2006
R 031.02 WOR
The almanac is full of trivia about deserts and the characteristics that surround this dry, hot
place.

The Reader’s Digest Children’s World Atlas
R 912 Rea
What a way in introduce your students to their world in a colorful, easy-to-use format.

The Earth Atlas
R 912 VAN
Layers upon layers of rock and sand are illustrated to show how the amazing Earth is
surrounded by beautiful lands.
R 508 BUR

McMillan First Dictionary
R 423 MIL
This encyclopedia is designed for students who are beyond picture books. Guide words,
definitions, and illustrations will guide your students to understanding the meaning of the
words.
Childcraft Places to Know (10)
R 081 CHI
 This dictionary and encyclopedia 15 volumes filled with illustrations on many topics.
Deserts can be found in Volume 10.
World Book Encyclopedia 2012
R 031 WOR
 These encyclopedias will assist in researching deserts or any other topic.

Scott Foresman Beginning Dictionary
R 423 SCO
This dictionary gives definitions, pronunciations, syllables, and examples of each word within
a sentence.
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STARTING POINT
Capture your students’ attention as an introduction to deserts. This video features the desert
environment and animals and plants that live there because of their adaptations.
Magic School Bus: Holiday Special/
Rainforest:Deserts:Recycling
DVD577MAG
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ONLINE DATABASES
These online databases can help you plan your lessons and provide games for your students on
DESERTS.
If password is required, please ask the librarian for the user name and password information.
OPAC
Log on to our library of other libraries in Hamilton County to help assist you or your students in
finding books about DESERTS.
http://library.hcde.org/
Use the following directions:
1. Scroll down to Normal Park Lower and click “log on.”
2. From here you can search our catalog to help find items you want.
3. User name and pin—Use the user name and pin you provided to us at the beginning of the
year. If you do not have one, we can set one up for you. Ask the librarian for help.
4. A student’s user name is the first and last name and the pin number is their lunch number or
their six digit Power School Number.
5. You can reserve items on this site. Our parent volunteers in the library will pull these items
from the shelves and have them in the reserve bin for you within one school day.
Kidsinfobits
This database is tailored especially for students in kindergarten through grade five. Students will get
lost in a world of adventure and learning about the desert.
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/KidsInfoBits?locID=tel_s_tsla&finalAuth=true
BRAINPOP
Go here to find animated videos, quizzes, and activity pages on regions of the world such as the
deserts.
(Password required) Use the following steps:
Log in with the username and password provided by the librarian.
2. In the search bar, type deserts.
1.
Select the video that relates to your subject area.
http://www.brainpop.com/science/earthsystem/deserts/
DISCOVERY EDUCATION
Transform your classroom into a habitat of deserts. Learn about the desert and how animals and
plants survive in a land of sand and rock.
(Password required) Use the following steps:
1. Log in with the username and password provided by the librarian.
2. In the search bar, type deserts.
3. Select the video that relates to your subject area.
Go here to find information about animals that live in the desert.
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/
Go here to find information about plants that live in the desert.
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/
Go here to find about the landforms of the desert.
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/
ENCHANTED LEARNING
Lessons plans, activities, maps, and quizzes are available for K-3 who want to learn about the desert
or any habitat in the world.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/desert/desert.shtml
WORLD BOOK KIDS
Watch the desert come to life in this online encyclopedia.
(Password required) Use the following steps:
1. Log in with the username and password provided by the librarian.
2. In the search bar, type deserts.
3. Select your interests.
Watch the desert come to life in this online encyclopedia.
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student
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ONLINE RESOURCES
The following on-line resources will help you plan step by step lesson plans on the DESERT. Each
site is filled with games and hands-on activities.
TEACHER PLANET
http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/desert.php
A to Z Teacher Stuff
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Deserts/
INCH IN A PINCH
http://inchinapinch.com/hab_pgs/terres/desert/desert.htm#forgot
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NONFICTION BOOKS
Title

Author
Animals of the desert
by Stephen Savage
591.5 Sav
Describes the desert environment and some of the various birds, mammals, amphibians, and
reptiles that live there.
Desert

910 Mac
by Cassie Mayer
577.54 MAY
This book is an introduction to the desert habitat and asks the reader questions to determine
if the objects found there are living or nonliving.
Desert Animal Adaptations

by Miranda MacQuitty
Text and photographs examine the harsh world of hot and cold deserts and the people,
plants, and animals that live there.
Desert

Call Number
by Julie Murphy
591.75 MUR
This book describes desert animal adaptations, including body parts, body coverings and
behavior.
Here is the Southwestern Desert

508.791 DUN
This book describes deserts, including their plants, animals, and land and water features.
Deserts : thirsty wonderlands

by Madeleine Dunphy
by Laura Purdie Salas
577.54 SAL
This book describes deserts, including their plants, animals, and land and water features.
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Fiction Books
Title
Way out in the desert

Author
Call Number
by T. J. Marsh
E MAR
A counting book in rhyme presents various desert animals and their children, from a mother
horned toad and her little toadie one to a mom tarantula and her little spiders ten.
The Cactus Flower Bakery by Harry Allard

E All
A nearsighted armadillo meets a lonely snake in the desert and, not realizing what kind of
animal she is, helps her open a bakery.
Coyote raid in Cactus Canyon

ARN
Four young coyotes harass the animals in a desert canyon until they run into a rattlesnake.
The white wolf

by Jim Arnosky
by Ron Roy
F Roy
Josh, Dink, and Ruth Rose investigate why three white wolf cubs were stolen.
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Keywords and Phrases for Searching
Do you need more information on DESERTS? Ask your librarian to use these phrases or keywords to
help you find out more information on DESERTS.
*dry terrain
*rain shadows
*cactus
*temperature
*sand dune
*dry
*camel
*ecosystem
*flora
*rocky
*lizard
*adaptation
*tundra
*biome
*oasis
*habitat
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Magazines
Get lost in a world of magazines in our library! Ask the librarian for more information on our
magazines that are filled with exciting adventures about deserts around the world. These
magazines are cataloged in alphabetical order, according to thematic units, located in our resource
room.

Climate- Too Hot, Too Cold, Too Wet, Too Dry? Blame it on El Nino
This magazine focuses on weather in the desert.

Click- Exploring rocks
This children’s magazine discusses places around the world that has rocky terrain.

Click- Living in the Desert
This children’s magazine features plants and animals that live in the desert.

National Geographic Kids- Lions of the desert
This well-known magazine features the king of all animals.

Zoobooks- Nocturnal Animals
What a way to explore the animals that roam at night!
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Media Resources
The library is limited to media resources at this time. If you are interested in ordering any media
resources on a specific topic, please let the librarian know. This video could serve as a “hook” to
capture the students attention and used as a review after a study on deserts.
Title
Call Number
Magic School Bus: Holiday Special/
Rainforest:Deserts:Recycling
DVD577MAG
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Community Resources-People and Places
The following community contacts may help you with information on deserts.
Chattanooga Public Library
1001 Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
http://www.lib.chattanooga.gov/
The Tennessee Aquarium
One Broad Street,
Chattanooga TN, 37402
Contact number: 800-262-0695
webmaster@tnaqua.org
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