This activity guide introduces children to the wild and often misunderstood environment of the desert and the people and cultures that thrive in and around them. Information is included on all types of deserts—hot and dry, coastal, semiarid, and polar. Kids learn what defines a desert and the creative ways plants and animals have adapted to survive in harsh desert environments. Also discussed are urban sprawl and its effects on desert habitats and how children can help protect this delicate environment by conserving energy and reducing consumption of petroleum-based products. Engaging activities include drawing a petroglyph, making a coral snake bracelet, frying prickly pears, conducting a gerbil study, and making sand art.
North America boasts a surprising number of rainforests, including El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, Olympic National Forest in Washington State, Chugach and Tongass National Forests in Alaska, and the forests in Hawaii, which are home to an enormous variety of plants and animals. Rainforests: An Activity Guide takes kids through the common layers of the rainforest, from the forest floor to above the enclosed canopy. Their journey continues through the different types of rainforests as they are introduced to plants, animals, and people around the world, including those from the temperate rainforests of North America to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America. Rainforest-inspired activities include making a West African yam festival gourd rattle, building a model of an Alaskan totem pole, and creating a Japanese Wayang-kuilt, or shadow puppet. Kids are encouraged to make a difference and become active supporters of the rainforests no matter where they live.
