California History-Social Science Standards Grade 3:  Students describe the physical and human characteristics of place and use contemporary maps, tables, graphs, photos, and charts to organize information about people, places and environments in a spatial context. Students will identify geographical features found in their local region. Grade 4: Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.

Classroom Activities Learn more about deserts by reading The Desert is Theirs by Byrd Baylor. This book is set in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona which is similar to the Mojave of California in many ways. Complete the activities in the SCORE Language Arts CyberGuide at http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/desert/deserttg.html What differences did you find between the Mojave Desert and the Sonora Desert in Ms Baylor's book? In what ways are the two deserts are alike? Biomes Report Do a "Life in California Biomes" report about your region and compare it to California's desert biomes.  http://tepserver.ucsd.edu/people/chris-halter/CaProject/CaBiomes.html (This site is only active during the traditional school year.)   Desert Alphabet Book  http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-literature/moulton/mlitss.html Extension As the population of the world increases, humans must learn to utilize to less friendly environments to supply their needs. They must learn to grow food in areas that were once thought too dry or too wet. You are a scientist who has been asked to find a way to grow food in the desert. Look through the websites in this museum on desert plants. Decide what the characteristics are of plants that survive well in the desert. Then take a familiar food plant and show how it might be changed or bred to live in the desert. Present your idea to the class and take a vote among the students as to whether they would be willing to eat that new food.