Here is some information which you may find useful before you start your webquest with your students.

Student Background Knowledge:

It would be helpful for students to have the following skills, abilities, and content knowledge before starting the webquest:

Students should:

• have an understanding of habitats, interaction between plants and animals in various habitats, and how a food chain works
• be able to take jot notes
• have an understanding of the various attributes of a desert region including the unique climatic conditions
• be able use the index and table of contents as they search for information from printed resources
• possess a number of computer skills, (how to use the scroll bar, how to use the back button, and how to print a page)
• be familiar with the following terms:

Teacher Tips:
1.  Before you begin the webquest, have students identify and locate various desert regions around the world.
2.  Have students make up an airline ticket with a desert region as their destination.  They can take their ticket with them when they use the computer!
3.  You may want to pair students up in hetrogeneous groups to ensure that at least one student in each pair is a fairly strong reader.
4.  There are many modifications you could use depending on the abilities of your students.  The use of parent volunteers or care partners may be viable options for your situation.  
 

Resources:

Websites:

• Desert Biomes by Desert USA
• Desert Biomes
• The Desert Biome - Desert Animals
• The Desert Biome - Desert Plants
• Desert Animals
• What's It Like Where You Live - Desert
• Desert Animal Cards - Scorpion
• Desert Animal Cards - Desert Tarantuala
• Desert Animal Cards - Mesquite
• Desert Animal Cards - Saguaro
• Desert Animal Cards - Ocotillo
• Desert Animal Cards - Palo Verde Tree
• Desert Animals Cards - Gila Monster
• Desert Animals Card - Creosote bush
• Desert Animal Printouts

Books:
O'Mara, Anna.  (1996).  Deserts.  Mankato, Minnesota:  Bridgestone Books.

Mariner, Tom.  (1989).  Deserts.  Bath, Avon:  Cherrytree Books.

Rinard, Judith E.  (1976).  Wonders of the Desert World.  U.S.A.:
National Geographic Society.

Savage, Stephen.  (1997).  Animals of the Desert.  Austin, Texas:  Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers.

Simon, Seymour.  (1990).  Deserts.  New York:  Morrow Junior Books.
 

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