Desert Biome

Today we continued our exploration of the desert biome with some experiments to investigate how desert plants conserve and create water.

First we wet some paper towels. One we wrapped in rolled up wax paper, one we just rolled up and the third we laid flat. It was a sunny, slightly windy day. We checked back at 10 minute intervals and noted how quickly the third towel dried out, and that the second towel also dried out although it preserved its moisture for longer. The towel wrapped in wax paper was still damp the next day.

Boronia was very fascinated by our next project and quickly dismantled it. We made it again while she was napping, and set it out of her reach.

First we filled a dish with slightly damp sand, and some freshly picked leaves.

We made a space in the middle of the leaves and put in a small pie tin.

We then sealed the project in a ziploc bag and put it in the sun, noticing how quickly condensation began to form on the surface of the plastic.

Finally, we placed a heavy marble on the bag, over the pie tin, to weight the bag down.

The finished project was left in a sunny place for the rest of the day and the next morning. Our aim was to see how much water we could "create" because we had read about this being a desert survival technique.

S1 HSIE: ENS1.6 Demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between environments and people.

S1 Science: PSS1.5 Grows, makes or processes some products using a range of techniques and materials.

S1 Science: ESS1.6 Identifies and describes ways in which people and other living things depend upon the earth and its environments.

S1 Science: INVS1.7 Conducts guided investigations by observing, questioning, predicting, collecting and recording data, and suggesting possible explanations.

S1 Science: DMS1.8 Develops and implements own design ideas in response to an investigation of needs and wants.

S1 Science: UTS1.9 Selects and uses a range of equipment, computer-based technology, materials and other resources to undertake an investigation or design task.