4th Graders Explore the Saguaro Cactus

 

 

 

       We read “Saguaro Cactus” in our reading book.  Saguaro cacti are found in the Sonoran Desert, which is located in southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, and parts of Mexico. 

The Sonoran Desert is the hottest desert in North America.

 

       

              Picture courtesy of DesertUSA                            Picture courtesy of DesertUSA                          Picture courtesy of R. Hunter

 

        The saguaro cactus is an amazing plant.  They can live to be 200 years old, 50 feet tall, and weight up to 10 tons!  Saguaro cacti grow very slowly, sometimes only an inch a year.  The saguaro cactus is important to desert animals.  They depend on the saguaro for food, shelter, and hunting grounds.  We learned about the animals that need the saguaro for survival.  A woodpecker will often peck a hole in the side of the saguaro for a home.  When the woodpecker leaves, an elf owl moves in.  Bats and birds find insects and nectar on and around the saguaro.  Even when it dies, the giant saguaro is home for scorpions, lizards, and insects.

 

       

Saguaro cactus flowers                                                  Growing saguaro cacti

Photo courtesy of DesertsUSA                                                                                         Photo courtesy of DesertsUSA

 

 

 

 

CACTUS HOTELS

After reading “Saguaro Cactus” the students made “Cactus Hotels”.  In their drawing, they included animals they read about.  Some guests of the “Cactus Hotels” include coyotes, elf owls, scorpions, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, ants, lizards, and other insects.

    

 

 

OTHER CRAZY CACTI ACTIVITIES

        The students visited different “cacti centers” and completed different activities related to the Saguaro cactus.  Here are some of the things we did:

 

ê       Students used cactus shapes to create their own “concrete cactus poems”. (a concrete poem is poetry written in a certain shape)

ê       Used the art teacher’s “texture box” to create cactus creations with different textures.

ê       Students played a “saguaro cactus” board game, simulating how few cacti make it to 200 years old.

ê       Students asked each other comprehension questions based on the story.

ê       Students colored in the Arizona quarter, due out in 2008, featuring a saguaro cactus.\

o       Click here to print saguaro cactus mini-book and quarter coloring page – U.S. Mint

 

 

      

Asking each other questions                    Creating a cactus concrete poem              Creating cactus texture creations                 Playing the Saguaro cactus gam

 

 

 

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