Desert

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/desert

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is the Desert?Approximately 33% of Earth's land surface is classified as arid or semi-arid
2. What is a desert?A desert is a place where there is very little rain, so the land stays dry and hot or cold.
3. Why are deserts so dry?Deserts are dry because they get almost no precipitation, and the air is very hot or very cold, which keeps moisture from staying on the ground.

Xerophyte: A plant species adapted to survive in environments with little liquid water, such as a desert.
Denudation: The process of wearing away or eroding the land surface by natural agents like wind and water.
Ephemeral: Lasting for a very short time; refers to desert plants that complete their life cycle quickly after rain.