Desert Biome Mystery | Biome Homeschool Curriculum

This Desert Biome Mystery is the first mini unit study I am writing in a Biome Mystery curriculum series! If you're looking for unique biome lesson plans, introductions to animal adaptations, a fun lesson on the desert or desert animals, this is the set for your! (Plus, it's free. A free homeschool curriculum is always a bonus!)

So here is my brilliant idea: The kids learn about a new biome by solving a mystery that takes place in that biome! I'm starting with the desert biome because that's what we were in the mood for!

Desert Biome Mystery

This particular mystery is pretty straightforward (some of the others are more complicated) -- by the time your kiddos read all the materials (about 10-15 minutes), they should have the problem solved!

Here's my suggestion:

1- Print all the supplies.

2- Place the SOLUTION in an envelope. Give it to your kiddos after they make their own conclusion.

3- Give your children the letter on a clipboard, Case Introduction, Biome Card, Plant Cards, Animal Cards, Suspects Card, and Clue Cards all at once. When they give you their conclusion, give them the SOLUTION envelope!

4- Follow up with any of the following discussions or other activities:

a- What adaptations do you see in the animals or plants you encountered? How do those adaptations help in the desert?

b- Which plants and/or animals did you already know about? Which were new to you?

c- How is the desert similar/different to where you live?

Make it a Desert Biome Unit Study

Homeschool Curriculum

with #5 & #6:

5- If you purchase the Desert Mystery Packet below, follow up with the desert science experiments, a game of Memory, and a round of the Desert Biome Board Game. Each activity introduces and reinforces different aspects of the desert biome.

6- Extend the theme by researching different deserts around the world! Deserts make up about 1/3 of the world's land, and they vary a lot! This unit study focused on deserts in southwest America...what does it have in common with other deserts around the world? What is unique? What animals live uniquely in each desert? What plants? What do you notice about the latitudes that deserts occur at? Why do you think that is? Choose one aspect to study in more depth and create a biome project by putting together a presentation of some kind (diorama, poster board, PPT, travel brochure, infomercial, etc)!

GET THE FREE DESERT BIOME MYSTERY BY CLICKING HERE!