Habitats & Plants of the Sahara

Description of Learning Unit:

In this unit, your child will learn about life in the Sahara desert. Your child will learn the charactericstics of a desert biome and how some plants and animals have adapted to survive in this harsh climate. In addition, your child will learn about two plants native to the Sahara Desert; the Date Palm and the Creosote bush. This unit is the first in a two-part series and is designed to last one week, depending on how often you teach science. 

List of Objectives:

• Understand the physical characteristics of a desert biome.
• Identify ways plants have adpated to survive in the desert.
• Learn about the Date Palm.
• Learn about the Creosote bush.
• Understand that humans have not adapted to survive in the desert.

List of Materials and Supplies Needed for This Pathway:

Prior Knowledge Required for This Unit (if any):

Links to Online Lessons:

The Sahara Desert is the largest desert in the world. This webpage provides an introduction to the Sahara Desert, including why it is sometimes referred to as the 'Sea of Sand'.

The Sahara is planet Earth's largest desert.  As you read this lesson, imagine what it would feel like if you were reading it in the middle of the Sahara.

Even though the desert is hot, dry and receives very little rain, there are many different types of plants living there.  As you read this lesson, pay close attention to the plants native to the Sahara desert.

The Date Palm is the largest export crop of the Sahara Desert.  Learn more about them in this lesson.

Not only is the Creosote bush native to the Sahara, it can be found in the United States too.  Read this lesson to learn more about this yellow-flowering bush.

Reference Websites:

This site features detailed information about the different types of animal and plant life found in the Sahara.  It also includes the prehistoric history of the Sahara desert.

Hands-On Projects and Activities:

Imagine you are in the Sahara Desert.  What do you see?  Create a water color painting of the Sarah Desert environment.

Create a desert in your own home.  Be sure to keep a journal of the changes you observe over time.

Grow a garden of cacti and succlents.  It's easy to do and even easier to maintain!

Some species of plants have adapted to the desert enviornment and flourish there.  In this experiment, you will discover how the root systems of these plants are different from plants in other environments.

Learning Tools (worksheets, drills, printables, online games, tests, etc.):

How many different words can you make by using the letter from the words "desert habitat?"  Print this worksheet and give it a try.

Have fun and build your Sahara Desert vocabulary with this fun word search.

You have learned that some plants and animals have adapted to survive the hot Sahara Desert.  Humans can not survive the desert without the proper equipment.  Imagine you are going on a camping trip to the Sahara Desert.  Print this worksheet and make a list of the things you would need to bring to survive.

Print these fun pages, especially designed for keeping notes about the desert habitat.

Free Online Video:

Watch this fun, animated video to learn how plants and animals survive in a desert ecosystem.

Watch this video with your child to learn about Algerian fruit, grown in Saharan oases.

Free Online Audio: 

Free E-Books (and classics available in most libraries):