Deserts Dry
Informational (nonfiction), 1,226 words, Level T (Grade 3)

Lesson Objectives

Reading Strategy	Ask and answer questions
Comprehension	Compare and Contrast
Grammar and Mechanics	Compound Adjectives
Word Work	Suffixes

Book Summary

Deserts Dry asks readers to think about what they already know about deserts and adds surprising new facts about three of the most unique deserts in the world: the Sahara, the Gobi, and the Atacama. The book explains that some deserts are home to expert horse herders, lakes of salt, underground oceans of oil, and ancient civilizations. It also describes different animals and plants that can be found in these inhospitable climates and explains how they survive. Photographs and captions support the text.

About the Lesson

Targeted Reading Strategy

• Ask and answer questions

Objectives

• Use the reading strategy of asking and answering questions to understand text
• Identify details to compare and contrast different deserts
• Identify and use hyphenated compound adjectives
• Identify the meaning of and use the suffix -est

Vocabulary

• Content words: Atacama, dormant, dunes, evaporates, Gobi, irrigation, nomads, oasis, rodents, Sahara, turbans

Book Resources

Formats Single-Sided Book Single-Sided Color Cover Double-Sided Book Double-Sided Color Cover Lesson Resources Lesson Plan Worksheets Discussion Cards Comprehension Quiz Level T Answer Sheet