Desert plants and animals are buddies. They rely on each other for their survival. Students discover how saguaros and Gila woodpeckers, creosote bushes and ground squirrels, and palo verde trees and pocket mice are buddies.
- Draw a picture to describe how desert plants and animals depend on each other
- Use a thermometer and record the data
- Act out animal behavior of collecting and hiding seeds
- Recognize that other living things live in their habitat
- Explain that living things are interconnected in the environment
- Deduce the outcome of removing a type of living thing from the habitat
- Identify a saguaro, palo verde, creosote, gila woodpecker, pocket mouse, and ground squirrel
- Buddies Fun booklet
- Saguaro boot
- Animal Stickers
- Thermometer
- Cactus fruit and cactus candy
- Cactus cross-section
- Life-size puppet mouse
- Palo Verde seeds
Sung to I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.
Saguaro and Gila WoodpeckerVerse:Woodpeckers like to build their nests inside tall saguaros.The birds help fly the cactus seeds away where they can grow.Chorus:It’s a perfect friendship-It makes the woodpecker sing,“I depend on you. You depend on me.” Palo Verde and Pocket MouseVerse:When palo verdes grow their seeds, they make enough to share-With the hungry pocket mice, who plant them everywhere.Chorus:It’s a perfect friendship-It makes the pocket mouse peep,“I depend on you. You depend on me.” Creosote and Ground SquirrelVerse: The creosote has roots that help the ground squirrels build their homes.The ground squirrels help to loosen dirt so plant roots really grow.Chorus:It’s a perfect friendship-It makes the ground squirrel squeak,“I depend on you. You depend on me.”Mesquite Tree and Lots of BuddiesVerse:Mesquite trees give the desert life. They shade us from the sun.Mesquite trees need homes just like us, so let the rivers run!Chorus:It’s a perfect friendship-It makes the mesquite tree wooossssshhhhh,“I depend on you. You depend on me.”
