Weekly Blog: 5/2- 5/6
Image:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Arizona
Summary: The project we completed was the biome project in which we had to create a text product, such as a trifold poster board, as well as a diorama of our biome. The biome that was assigned to my group was the desert and we decided to choose the Sonoran Desert located in Arizona. For this project we had to find edible plants and animals. To go with the plants and animals we had to describe them to prove that we would be able to locate them. In addition, we needed to know different sources of water, how and what materials you need to start a fire, and how and what you would use to build a shelter. Lastly, we had to know what hazardous organisms would pose a threat to us if we were in our biome. During this project, I not only learned about the Sonoran Desert, but some survival skills, too. Here is what I learned while working on the project:
Plants:
Fishhook Barrel Cactus
Cacti are known to be in deserts and in the Sonoran Desert there is plenty of fishhook barrel cacti. The cactus has hook shaped spines and is around 2 feet in diameter. Red and yellow flowers bloom on top of cactus, as well as yellow fruit. The average height of the cactus is 3 feet, but sometimes it can grow to be much more. Native Americans used the barrel cactus in many ways, like turning it into a stew. In the stew the cactus looked and tasted much like cabbage. Another way to use the cactus is to eat the fruit. The fruit is quite delicious and the pulp contains water. The seeds of the fishhook barrel cactus are edible and can be grounded into a paste like substance that is edible, too. The barrel cactus is a great supply of food and can give us some water if needed.
Saguaro Cactus
The saguaro cactus is a main plant of the Sonoran Desert and acts as one of its trademarks. This cactus is very large and has around two inch spines that cover it. As well as that, white flowers bloom on the saguaro cactus during the spring and later in the summer red fruit begin to grow. The fruit of the saguaro cactus is edible and can be eaten raw, but it contains many black seeds. In the desert, it doesn’t rain much, but the saguaro cactus contains a lot of water. When it rains the cactus stores the water. The saguaro cactus has wonderful fruit and can be a water source if really needed. As well as that, if the saguaro cactus is dead you can use the ribs to help build shelter, as it is used to make fences, roofs, and more.
Foothills Palo Verde Tree
The palo verde tree has very few leaves, but has bright yellow flowers bringing color to the desert. This tree is quite small and is only about fifteen feet tall, but occasionally it can reach thirty feet. The palo verde tree is a nurse plant to the saguaro cactus, which means that it creates a less harsh environment for the young cactus. The Seri Indians have eaten the palo verde tree seeds in many ways. They have taken them and eaten them fresh. In addition, the Seri Indians have toasted the seeds or ground it into flour. The palo verde tree bark can also provide as firewood. The palo verde tree is a great source of food as it gives seeds.
Ocotillo
The ocotillo plant is an easy plant to identify. It is a broad shrub with long, thin stems growing from it. When the plant is moist enough, small leaves grow, eventually leading to the growth of flowers. The red flowers bloom from March through June. The ocotillo can reach the height of twenty feet, which is very tall for a shrub. The ocotillo can be used as a way to protect yourself because it has spines that stop people and animals from invading your space. Many Native Americans have used the ocotillo to help them survive. The flowers of the ocotillo can be eaten raw or soaked in water to make a refreshing drink. Others hardened the nectar of the flower to make a candy like treat. The seeds of the ocotillo can be eaten fresh, but some Native Americans dried them and later pounded them to make flour. The ocotillo can be used as wonderful drinks and food.
Chain Fruit Cholla
The chain fruit cholla is a shrub and a type of cacti. People know the chain fruit cholla by its green and yellow flowers, as well as its straw colored spines This plant can grow from six feet to fifteen feet. The diameter of the chain fruit cholla is around eight feet. The fruit of this plant grow in clusters. They are green in color and do not have spines poking out from them. It has the shape of a pear and it is very juicy. Certain animals, like the bighorn sheep depend on the fruit of the chain fruit cholla during droughts. It supplies the animals with not only food, but water. The chain fruit cholla is very delightful fruit to eat because it gives the person who eats it a source of food, but a great source of water, as well.
Brittlebush
The brittlebush plant is a shrub with yellow flowers. It can grow anywhere from twelve to sixty inches in height. The flowers of the brittlebush are shaped like daisies and have an approximate diameter of 3.25 centimeters. Brittlebush flower between the months of March and May. Native Americans used the brittlebush to make glue and gum. The stems of brittlebush flowers and the base of the plant when heated creates a sticky substance that can now be used as glue.
Animals:
Bobcat
It a carnivore and is 15-30 pounds lives around places with cover from weather, den sites and their prey. Bobcats look like cats with a point at the top of the ears of fur and they have short tails about the size of a thumb bobcats also live in the area all year round and are active all year round. You can eat its meat but you must cook it over the fire first.
Coral Snake
They have three colors on them red white and black and it is thick stripes in a continuous pattern it also can have yellow in place of the white sometimes as well it is 20-30 inches long. The bite does not hurt and just swells and no symptoms activate for about 12 hours but if untreated it causes between the brain's control system of your body you may speak slurred have double vision and your muscles will be paralyzed this all causes a cardiac failure. There have been no deaths reported though from this snake since 1967 and they only strike if they have been stepped on or been hurt.
Grey Fox
The grey fox looks like any fox but just has a mostly grey coat with bits of orange/reddish on their chest,legs, and sides of the face. It has a long bushy tail with black on the tip. They will commonly be in the rocky canyons or on the open desert land. It is 7- 11 pounds . They can climb trees. They also are available all year
Mountain Lion
A wild cat with sandy colored fur and a black tipped tail. They It is the around the same size as the other cats in the wild cat family. They have white around there mouth and they have white bellies. Some of these adaptations are they are fast and have powerful legs. The males are 8-9 feet long and the female 7-8 feet long. Also the average male's weight is 125- 160 pounds. The females average weight is 80-100 pounds. We could use them for skin, and meat. They are dangerous animals though they will attack and have powerful legs to pounce on your with.
Black Vulture
They have featherless black faces and have light yellow tips of the beak. The tips off their wings are white as well about 7 feathers are white on the wings tip. The rest of them is just black feathers. They have long feathers as well. They have strong families so they would be in groups. They also have no sense of smell. They have a 5 feet plus wings span. They even have long legs. They mostly eat carcass but they are quick eaters. Don’t attack when eating they get aggressive. They are content on the ground though so that would be the best time to attack. They have wonderful daytime vision.
North American Porcupine
Do not be fooled by its fuzzy look because it really is thousands of spike needles. They can have as many needles as 30,000. These shark deceiving needles are very dangerous and hurt a lot. There needles are usually flat unless they are in danger. If there needles are up them you better leave.They are herbivore. They live in caves, decaying logs,and hollow trees. The are 11-40 pounds and 23-35 inches long. The are very dangerous though because of those needles so you have to make sure to attack it when it is unaware so it won’t spike up.
Camel
Camels are animals with humps on the backs most likely one but sometimes two and they are a sandy brown color. The hump on its back is made out of stored fat so you could eat it if necessary. They are big animals with long legs. They have long eyelashes to protect themselves from the sand. They can carry 500 pounds on their backs. They are very important to survival because you can use their skin, meat, fat, and more. They are something that could really help you out if you were in the desert because of what resources they give.
Hazardous Organisms:
The Banded Gila Monster
They are easy to identify by their black bodies are covered in red,orange, or pink spots. They are very shy but they are quick to attack. They are also one of two venomous lizards in the world. They are a threatened species which could be good because there threatening. They’re up to 2 feet long and about 4 pounds. They are the USA largest native lizard. They are dangerous so watch out for them. There bite is extremely painful. None have been reported to cause human death though. They do spend 95 percent of their life in an underground burrow so watch out for burrow. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS BITE BECAUSE IT IS POISONOUS!
Mountain Lion
A wild cat with sandy colored fur and a black tipped tail. They It is the around the same size as the other cats in the wild cat family. They have white around there mouth and they have white bellies. Some of these adaptations are they are fast and have powerful legs. The males are 8-9 feet long and the female 7-8 feet long. Also the average male's weight is 125- 160 pounds. The females average weight is 80-100 pounds. We could use them for skin, and meat. They are dangerous animals though.THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS TEETH AND POUNCE BECAUSE IF IT JUMPS ON YOU IT CAN USE ITS BODY WEIGHT AND PIN YOU. ITS TEETH ALSO ARE SHARP SO THEY CAN REALLY BE PAINFUL WHEN IT BITES YOU.
North American Porcupine
Do not be fooled by its fuzzy look because it really is thousands of spike needles. They can have as many needles as 30,000. These shark deceiving needles are very dangerous and hurt a lot. There needles are usually flat unless they are in danger. If there needles are up them you better leave.They are herbivore. They live in caves, decaying logs,and hollow trees. The are 11-40 pounds and 23-35 inches long. The are very dangerous though because of those needles so you have to make sure to attack it when it is unaware so it won’t spike up. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS QUILLS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY PAINFUL AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM!
Bark Scorpions
Bark scorpions are made up of two main parts, a cephalothorax and abdomen. It uses its eight legs to grasp prey and to sense other things around it. The bark scorpion hibernates during the winter, hides during the day and comes out to hunt at night. Their shelter is normally under rocks or in rock crevices. Bark scorpions eat insects, spiders, centipedes, and even other scorpions while large centipedes, tarantulas, lizards, birds (especially owls), and mammals such as bats, shrews, and grasshopper mice eat bark scorpions. They live anywhere between two to six years and are normally two to three inches long. The species in Arizona, where Sonoran Desert is located, is one of the only places where the bark scorpion is life threatening. The venom of the scorpion is compared to deadly snakes. This animal is dangerous so it is important not to come in contact with it.
Water:
(For all the ways to find water you would purify it by boiling it over the fire)
Condensation
Grab about 10 fist sized rocks that were roasted hot during the day and dig a hole (about a foot deep) to put them in. You first get palm leaves on the bottom and place rocks on top of them and them place leaves on top of them once again. Place them overnight and the hot rocks will want to evaporate but since there are palm leaves on top, the heat will come out as little drips of water.
Underground Water Branches
If you find a palo verde tree, you have a chance of digging down and finding an underwater water branch with lots of fresh-water. You can use that water, and even though it may not be much it will still give you water to drink.
Liquids from Animals
If you run into a camel, you could kill it and obtain water. The camel has three stomachs and out of the three, there is one of them that is called the Rumen and that is where a lot of water if it were alive and there would be about, 10L at minimum and before killing it, you could harvest camel milk out of it which is very nutritious.
Getting moisture from soil
If you run into an old water bed (like a pond), even if it is dried out, you can dig down to about 1 foot and get your shirt or something that is like a net and put the moist soil in the shirt and If you wring the shirt enough, There will be at least enough water to wet your lips and get some drops. Year Round.
Using cacti
You can use the water from the pulp of the cactus and the water stored inside the cactus. The two main cacti in the Sonoran Desert are Fishhook Barrel Cactus and Saguaro Cactus. Though it will not provide large quantities, it can give you water to use for a limited amount of time and can really help if you cannot find water anywhere else.
Fire:
Materials:
Foothill Palo Verde Branches
Foothill Palo Verde Bark
Machete
Dried leaves
Animal fur
Stems of Brittlebush (flammable)
Friction Fire
In the desert, there are not many ways to make a fire. And of those ways, one of the if the friction fire. You first get a piece of dry wood and lay it as a base. This is better flat and has a lot of surface area and you then make a divot into the base. After that you get a thin branch like object and start steadily rotating it for about a minute. After that, you really have to start rotating it to get ash and smoke. If you have smoke, get bark from trees, like the palo verde tree and pull it apart slowly to make a thin fiber like wad of bark and then use that as kinder and if you blow slightly, more smoke is a good sign of heat rising and ending with fire.
Another good way to start a fire is by getting a thick medium length branch as a base and get another branch that is a little smaller. You start by making a thin cut down the base and you sharpen one side of the smaller branch. You get the smaller branch and start by putting pressure on the slit of the base and start moving up the crease. You do this rapidly and if you do it enough, there will be ash and smoke to start a fire. You still need some fire starters so that it will light the fire itself.
The Hand Drill
You need to get a tinder nest out of anything that is easily flammable, like the stems of brittlebush.Then get a piece of wood and put a v shaped notch in it. Then you get a stick/ spindle that is about 2 feet long. Make sure it is strong. Then place the stick into the v-shaped notch and start spinning it fast to pick up friction.After you get that going and you see a flame then throw it into the nest of tinder and you will have your fire. You want to make sure that you have enough tinder to last though and once you really get it going you can use the wood.
Shelter:
Materials:
Rocks
Brittlebush Stems (Used as Glue)
Animal skins
Twigs of Palo Verde Trees
Rock Building
There are not many ways to make a shelter in the desert because of the lack of resources but there are ways to get a shelter. You can grab a ton of rocks that are pretty flat and wide and so then you can use the brittlebush to get a glue like substance and you can then glue the rocks together to make a coffin like shape that you can fit and sleep in. If possible, you can use the skin of an animal, such as a grey fox or bobcat, as a sheet of fur that can protect you from the rocks beneath you and as a blanket to keep you warm and not freeze to death.
Backward-Looking: What are problems that you encountered and how did you solve them?
While working on the project we encountered three main problems, two having to do with the text product and one dealing with the diorama. The first problem we encountered was that all the information didn't fit on the trifold. We originally had the regular size trifold, but all the text could not fit, so we switched our board to the larger one. Even though we didn't glue any of the information on before we realized this, it was still a problem because the larger board had to be covered and painted. We did solve this problem by working efficiently to finish setting up the new board. From there we laid everything down and begin to glue. Another problem we faced was that a piece of paper had gotten ripped. The paper tore after we had just glued it to the poster board. The paper was mounted and had a few heavy books stacked on top so it would stick to the trifold. As we were lifting the books off the corner caught the paper and teared it. We solved this problem by printing out a new paper and gluing it on top. It seems like a simple problem to solve, but the original paper was mounted so we had to make sure the size of both papers were exactly the same. The last problem encountered during this project was how one of our pieces for our diorama fell. For each piece we mounted the paper onto cardboard. Then, we placed that on top of a piece of cardboard for a stand. Even with the cardboard the piece was thin so it made it hard to glue it to the stand (piece of cardboard). While the glue was drying the piece started to fall over and no one noticed. It dried like that and it couldn't be used. We solved this problem by printing out a new image, mounting it on cardboard, and finally adding a stand. It sounds simple, but it was more complicated because you had to wait for the glue to dry both times and when gluing the piece onto the stand you have to hold it for quite a while. Even though we encountered problems throughout this project we overcame them and our project turned out great.
Inward-Looking: What does this piece tell about yourself and how you learn?
I personally feel like this piece of work shows a lot about me, how I learn, and how I work during projects. For example, the trifold shows that that I pay attention to detail, as well as execute it. It shows this by not only the careful cutting of the information and pictures, but with the outlines, too. The neat cutting shows that I care about detailed work and the outline shows that I pay attention enough to notice that the black marker outline on the information would look nice. Another quality this project shows me is that if I try I can come up with creative and out of the box ideas. I did this when working on the trifold. While working on the trifold I realized there wasn't enough space to put the title in the middle. Since I couldn't take out any information on the board I thought back to the other titles of my past projects. When I was thinking I remembered my Charity Fair trifold and that title. (The Charity Fair board had a cupcake sticking up and from that a two for one dollar sign.) I then decided to have the title stick up from the back, but at that moment I didn't know what to have it on. Previously, it was a cupcake because that is what we were selling, but now we the trifold explains different components on survival in the desert. Finally, I noticed the board was painted to look like the desert so a sun at the top would work perfect, especially since the desert is hot. The last characteristic shows me more on how I learn. I saw how I learned while I was working on the diorama. When I looked at the diorama I understood more than while reading the information which notified me, once again, that I am a visual learner. Even though I have known that I learn better visually, this time I really noticed it. Compared to reading a bunch of text, I understood how our camp or setup would be and how everything would work by studying the diorama. My project has shown me that I can think creatively, I work in detail, and that I understand things better when they are presented in a model.
Out-Looking: How was your project similar and different to other students projects?
In most cases our project was similar to some projects and different compared to others, but I feel like our project stands out. For the aspect of the diorama, our project stood out in a few ways. One way our project stands out is how we made our pieces for the diorama. Some people in our class made them out of clay while others bought figures, but we mounted pictures onto cardboard. So the pieces would stand we added another piece of cardboard under the piece to act as a stand. We also stood out because we used natural materials in the diorama. This means that for the sand that represents the desert we covered the ground with real sand and for the dug up area we glued dirt to make it look as if it was dug. Using natural items such as sand and dirt, made our diorama more realistic and gave people the effect of looking at the desert. As well as that we attached a paper with the name of our specific biome and our names so people know who made the diorama. The last way our diorama stood out was because painted the sky and the ground. Even though some people painted the sky, painting was really helpful because it brings the diorama to life which is wonderful. Painting the ground helped especially because not every single spot on the box is covered in sand, so the paint makes it look fine. As for the trifold, it stands out from others projects, as well. For instance, our title stands out because it is on top of the trifold and it is painted to look like the sun. In addition, our trifold is painted to look like the desert, which our biome. Our board also contains flaps for all the plants and animals. The flaps have a picture of the organism and when you open/flip it you can see the information we wrote. Some groups did this, but we did it because it saves space, but still shows what the plant or animals looks like. For most things throughout this project, what we did was similar to some groups, while other groups didn't.
Forward-Looking: What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?
I am very happy with the way this project turned out, but if I had a chance to do it over I would change a few things. First of all, I wouldn't do a specific desert, which is our biome. I would do this because it makes it easier. It would mean that I could find different components to the project faster because it could be for any desert. Another reason why this is easier is because there is a larger variety of plants, animals, hazardous organisms, water sources and materials for fire and shelter. It would also mean we would have extra time and with the time we could go more in depth for each aspect of the project. If I couldn't do that I would make the project on a different desert to learn more about that biome. By doing a different desert you could compare and contrast the two for each piece of the project. I would also like to add a picture of the real desert on our text product, or trifold. Even though the trifold is painted like the desert and our diorama will be right in front of the board, I feel like a picture of the actual desert will help whoever is reading the information understand how it all connects. Lastly, I would have made the pieces for the diorama out of clay or bought figurines to use. I would have bought figurines because they save time so we could have worked more on the rest of the diorama or more on the trifold. In addition, it would have been easier to label the different pieces. For each piece you could glue the name onto the animal or plant. If we made it out of clay we would have had more creative freedom with how we wanted the animals to look like, even though it takes quite a long time to make. For the pieces, the figurines were very expensive and the clay pieces would have taken too long which is why we did what we did for the pieces. As for the picture of the desert, there wasn't that much room left on the board and we didn't want it to look cramped. Finally, for the specific biome we chose a specific one because we received extra survival days, but mainly the specific desert we chose was interesting. Overall, I am very happy with the way our biome survival project turned out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Arizona
Summary: The project we completed was the biome project in which we had to create a text product, such as a trifold poster board, as well as a diorama of our biome. The biome that was assigned to my group was the desert and we decided to choose the Sonoran Desert located in Arizona. For this project we had to find edible plants and animals. To go with the plants and animals we had to describe them to prove that we would be able to locate them. In addition, we needed to know different sources of water, how and what materials you need to start a fire, and how and what you would use to build a shelter. Lastly, we had to know what hazardous organisms would pose a threat to us if we were in our biome. During this project, I not only learned about the Sonoran Desert, but some survival skills, too. Here is what I learned while working on the project:
Plants:
Fishhook Barrel Cactus
Cacti are known to be in deserts and in the Sonoran Desert there is plenty of fishhook barrel cacti. The cactus has hook shaped spines and is around 2 feet in diameter. Red and yellow flowers bloom on top of cactus, as well as yellow fruit. The average height of the cactus is 3 feet, but sometimes it can grow to be much more. Native Americans used the barrel cactus in many ways, like turning it into a stew. In the stew the cactus looked and tasted much like cabbage. Another way to use the cactus is to eat the fruit. The fruit is quite delicious and the pulp contains water. The seeds of the fishhook barrel cactus are edible and can be grounded into a paste like substance that is edible, too. The barrel cactus is a great supply of food and can give us some water if needed.
Saguaro Cactus
The saguaro cactus is a main plant of the Sonoran Desert and acts as one of its trademarks. This cactus is very large and has around two inch spines that cover it. As well as that, white flowers bloom on the saguaro cactus during the spring and later in the summer red fruit begin to grow. The fruit of the saguaro cactus is edible and can be eaten raw, but it contains many black seeds. In the desert, it doesn’t rain much, but the saguaro cactus contains a lot of water. When it rains the cactus stores the water. The saguaro cactus has wonderful fruit and can be a water source if really needed. As well as that, if the saguaro cactus is dead you can use the ribs to help build shelter, as it is used to make fences, roofs, and more.
Foothills Palo Verde Tree
The palo verde tree has very few leaves, but has bright yellow flowers bringing color to the desert. This tree is quite small and is only about fifteen feet tall, but occasionally it can reach thirty feet. The palo verde tree is a nurse plant to the saguaro cactus, which means that it creates a less harsh environment for the young cactus. The Seri Indians have eaten the palo verde tree seeds in many ways. They have taken them and eaten them fresh. In addition, the Seri Indians have toasted the seeds or ground it into flour. The palo verde tree bark can also provide as firewood. The palo verde tree is a great source of food as it gives seeds.
Ocotillo
The ocotillo plant is an easy plant to identify. It is a broad shrub with long, thin stems growing from it. When the plant is moist enough, small leaves grow, eventually leading to the growth of flowers. The red flowers bloom from March through June. The ocotillo can reach the height of twenty feet, which is very tall for a shrub. The ocotillo can be used as a way to protect yourself because it has spines that stop people and animals from invading your space. Many Native Americans have used the ocotillo to help them survive. The flowers of the ocotillo can be eaten raw or soaked in water to make a refreshing drink. Others hardened the nectar of the flower to make a candy like treat. The seeds of the ocotillo can be eaten fresh, but some Native Americans dried them and later pounded them to make flour. The ocotillo can be used as wonderful drinks and food.
Chain Fruit Cholla
The chain fruit cholla is a shrub and a type of cacti. People know the chain fruit cholla by its green and yellow flowers, as well as its straw colored spines This plant can grow from six feet to fifteen feet. The diameter of the chain fruit cholla is around eight feet. The fruit of this plant grow in clusters. They are green in color and do not have spines poking out from them. It has the shape of a pear and it is very juicy. Certain animals, like the bighorn sheep depend on the fruit of the chain fruit cholla during droughts. It supplies the animals with not only food, but water. The chain fruit cholla is very delightful fruit to eat because it gives the person who eats it a source of food, but a great source of water, as well.
Brittlebush
The brittlebush plant is a shrub with yellow flowers. It can grow anywhere from twelve to sixty inches in height. The flowers of the brittlebush are shaped like daisies and have an approximate diameter of 3.25 centimeters. Brittlebush flower between the months of March and May. Native Americans used the brittlebush to make glue and gum. The stems of brittlebush flowers and the base of the plant when heated creates a sticky substance that can now be used as glue.
Animals:
Bobcat
It a carnivore and is 15-30 pounds lives around places with cover from weather, den sites and their prey. Bobcats look like cats with a point at the top of the ears of fur and they have short tails about the size of a thumb bobcats also live in the area all year round and are active all year round. You can eat its meat but you must cook it over the fire first.
Coral Snake
They have three colors on them red white and black and it is thick stripes in a continuous pattern it also can have yellow in place of the white sometimes as well it is 20-30 inches long. The bite does not hurt and just swells and no symptoms activate for about 12 hours but if untreated it causes between the brain's control system of your body you may speak slurred have double vision and your muscles will be paralyzed this all causes a cardiac failure. There have been no deaths reported though from this snake since 1967 and they only strike if they have been stepped on or been hurt.
Grey Fox
The grey fox looks like any fox but just has a mostly grey coat with bits of orange/reddish on their chest,legs, and sides of the face. It has a long bushy tail with black on the tip. They will commonly be in the rocky canyons or on the open desert land. It is 7- 11 pounds . They can climb trees. They also are available all year
Mountain Lion
A wild cat with sandy colored fur and a black tipped tail. They It is the around the same size as the other cats in the wild cat family. They have white around there mouth and they have white bellies. Some of these adaptations are they are fast and have powerful legs. The males are 8-9 feet long and the female 7-8 feet long. Also the average male's weight is 125- 160 pounds. The females average weight is 80-100 pounds. We could use them for skin, and meat. They are dangerous animals though they will attack and have powerful legs to pounce on your with.
Black Vulture
They have featherless black faces and have light yellow tips of the beak. The tips off their wings are white as well about 7 feathers are white on the wings tip. The rest of them is just black feathers. They have long feathers as well. They have strong families so they would be in groups. They also have no sense of smell. They have a 5 feet plus wings span. They even have long legs. They mostly eat carcass but they are quick eaters. Don’t attack when eating they get aggressive. They are content on the ground though so that would be the best time to attack. They have wonderful daytime vision.
North American Porcupine
Do not be fooled by its fuzzy look because it really is thousands of spike needles. They can have as many needles as 30,000. These shark deceiving needles are very dangerous and hurt a lot. There needles are usually flat unless they are in danger. If there needles are up them you better leave.They are herbivore. They live in caves, decaying logs,and hollow trees. The are 11-40 pounds and 23-35 inches long. The are very dangerous though because of those needles so you have to make sure to attack it when it is unaware so it won’t spike up.
Camel
Camels are animals with humps on the backs most likely one but sometimes two and they are a sandy brown color. The hump on its back is made out of stored fat so you could eat it if necessary. They are big animals with long legs. They have long eyelashes to protect themselves from the sand. They can carry 500 pounds on their backs. They are very important to survival because you can use their skin, meat, fat, and more. They are something that could really help you out if you were in the desert because of what resources they give.
Hazardous Organisms:
The Banded Gila Monster
They are easy to identify by their black bodies are covered in red,orange, or pink spots. They are very shy but they are quick to attack. They are also one of two venomous lizards in the world. They are a threatened species which could be good because there threatening. They’re up to 2 feet long and about 4 pounds. They are the USA largest native lizard. They are dangerous so watch out for them. There bite is extremely painful. None have been reported to cause human death though. They do spend 95 percent of their life in an underground burrow so watch out for burrow. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS BITE BECAUSE IT IS POISONOUS!
Mountain Lion
A wild cat with sandy colored fur and a black tipped tail. They It is the around the same size as the other cats in the wild cat family. They have white around there mouth and they have white bellies. Some of these adaptations are they are fast and have powerful legs. The males are 8-9 feet long and the female 7-8 feet long. Also the average male's weight is 125- 160 pounds. The females average weight is 80-100 pounds. We could use them for skin, and meat. They are dangerous animals though.THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS TEETH AND POUNCE BECAUSE IF IT JUMPS ON YOU IT CAN USE ITS BODY WEIGHT AND PIN YOU. ITS TEETH ALSO ARE SHARP SO THEY CAN REALLY BE PAINFUL WHEN IT BITES YOU.
North American Porcupine
Do not be fooled by its fuzzy look because it really is thousands of spike needles. They can have as many needles as 30,000. These shark deceiving needles are very dangerous and hurt a lot. There needles are usually flat unless they are in danger. If there needles are up them you better leave.They are herbivore. They live in caves, decaying logs,and hollow trees. The are 11-40 pounds and 23-35 inches long. The are very dangerous though because of those needles so you have to make sure to attack it when it is unaware so it won’t spike up. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THIS ANIMAL IS ITS QUILLS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY PAINFUL AND THERE ARE LOTS OF THEM!
Bark Scorpions
Bark scorpions are made up of two main parts, a cephalothorax and abdomen. It uses its eight legs to grasp prey and to sense other things around it. The bark scorpion hibernates during the winter, hides during the day and comes out to hunt at night. Their shelter is normally under rocks or in rock crevices. Bark scorpions eat insects, spiders, centipedes, and even other scorpions while large centipedes, tarantulas, lizards, birds (especially owls), and mammals such as bats, shrews, and grasshopper mice eat bark scorpions. They live anywhere between two to six years and are normally two to three inches long. The species in Arizona, where Sonoran Desert is located, is one of the only places where the bark scorpion is life threatening. The venom of the scorpion is compared to deadly snakes. This animal is dangerous so it is important not to come in contact with it.
Water:
(For all the ways to find water you would purify it by boiling it over the fire)
Condensation
Grab about 10 fist sized rocks that were roasted hot during the day and dig a hole (about a foot deep) to put them in. You first get palm leaves on the bottom and place rocks on top of them and them place leaves on top of them once again. Place them overnight and the hot rocks will want to evaporate but since there are palm leaves on top, the heat will come out as little drips of water.
Underground Water Branches
If you find a palo verde tree, you have a chance of digging down and finding an underwater water branch with lots of fresh-water. You can use that water, and even though it may not be much it will still give you water to drink.
Liquids from Animals
If you run into a camel, you could kill it and obtain water. The camel has three stomachs and out of the three, there is one of them that is called the Rumen and that is where a lot of water if it were alive and there would be about, 10L at minimum and before killing it, you could harvest camel milk out of it which is very nutritious.
Getting moisture from soil
If you run into an old water bed (like a pond), even if it is dried out, you can dig down to about 1 foot and get your shirt or something that is like a net and put the moist soil in the shirt and If you wring the shirt enough, There will be at least enough water to wet your lips and get some drops. Year Round.
Using cacti
You can use the water from the pulp of the cactus and the water stored inside the cactus. The two main cacti in the Sonoran Desert are Fishhook Barrel Cactus and Saguaro Cactus. Though it will not provide large quantities, it can give you water to use for a limited amount of time and can really help if you cannot find water anywhere else.
Fire:
Materials:
Foothill Palo Verde Branches
Foothill Palo Verde Bark
Machete
Dried leaves
Animal fur
Stems of Brittlebush (flammable)
Friction Fire
In the desert, there are not many ways to make a fire. And of those ways, one of the if the friction fire. You first get a piece of dry wood and lay it as a base. This is better flat and has a lot of surface area and you then make a divot into the base. After that you get a thin branch like object and start steadily rotating it for about a minute. After that, you really have to start rotating it to get ash and smoke. If you have smoke, get bark from trees, like the palo verde tree and pull it apart slowly to make a thin fiber like wad of bark and then use that as kinder and if you blow slightly, more smoke is a good sign of heat rising and ending with fire.
Another good way to start a fire is by getting a thick medium length branch as a base and get another branch that is a little smaller. You start by making a thin cut down the base and you sharpen one side of the smaller branch. You get the smaller branch and start by putting pressure on the slit of the base and start moving up the crease. You do this rapidly and if you do it enough, there will be ash and smoke to start a fire. You still need some fire starters so that it will light the fire itself.
The Hand Drill
You need to get a tinder nest out of anything that is easily flammable, like the stems of brittlebush.Then get a piece of wood and put a v shaped notch in it. Then you get a stick/ spindle that is about 2 feet long. Make sure it is strong. Then place the stick into the v-shaped notch and start spinning it fast to pick up friction.After you get that going and you see a flame then throw it into the nest of tinder and you will have your fire. You want to make sure that you have enough tinder to last though and once you really get it going you can use the wood.
Shelter:
Materials:
Rocks
Brittlebush Stems (Used as Glue)
Animal skins
Twigs of Palo Verde Trees
Rock Building
There are not many ways to make a shelter in the desert because of the lack of resources but there are ways to get a shelter. You can grab a ton of rocks that are pretty flat and wide and so then you can use the brittlebush to get a glue like substance and you can then glue the rocks together to make a coffin like shape that you can fit and sleep in. If possible, you can use the skin of an animal, such as a grey fox or bobcat, as a sheet of fur that can protect you from the rocks beneath you and as a blanket to keep you warm and not freeze to death.
Backward-Looking: What are problems that you encountered and how did you solve them?
While working on the project we encountered three main problems, two having to do with the text product and one dealing with the diorama. The first problem we encountered was that all the information didn't fit on the trifold. We originally had the regular size trifold, but all the text could not fit, so we switched our board to the larger one. Even though we didn't glue any of the information on before we realized this, it was still a problem because the larger board had to be covered and painted. We did solve this problem by working efficiently to finish setting up the new board. From there we laid everything down and begin to glue. Another problem we faced was that a piece of paper had gotten ripped. The paper tore after we had just glued it to the poster board. The paper was mounted and had a few heavy books stacked on top so it would stick to the trifold. As we were lifting the books off the corner caught the paper and teared it. We solved this problem by printing out a new paper and gluing it on top. It seems like a simple problem to solve, but the original paper was mounted so we had to make sure the size of both papers were exactly the same. The last problem encountered during this project was how one of our pieces for our diorama fell. For each piece we mounted the paper onto cardboard. Then, we placed that on top of a piece of cardboard for a stand. Even with the cardboard the piece was thin so it made it hard to glue it to the stand (piece of cardboard). While the glue was drying the piece started to fall over and no one noticed. It dried like that and it couldn't be used. We solved this problem by printing out a new image, mounting it on cardboard, and finally adding a stand. It sounds simple, but it was more complicated because you had to wait for the glue to dry both times and when gluing the piece onto the stand you have to hold it for quite a while. Even though we encountered problems throughout this project we overcame them and our project turned out great.
Inward-Looking: What does this piece tell about yourself and how you learn?
I personally feel like this piece of work shows a lot about me, how I learn, and how I work during projects. For example, the trifold shows that that I pay attention to detail, as well as execute it. It shows this by not only the careful cutting of the information and pictures, but with the outlines, too. The neat cutting shows that I care about detailed work and the outline shows that I pay attention enough to notice that the black marker outline on the information would look nice. Another quality this project shows me is that if I try I can come up with creative and out of the box ideas. I did this when working on the trifold. While working on the trifold I realized there wasn't enough space to put the title in the middle. Since I couldn't take out any information on the board I thought back to the other titles of my past projects. When I was thinking I remembered my Charity Fair trifold and that title. (The Charity Fair board had a cupcake sticking up and from that a two for one dollar sign.) I then decided to have the title stick up from the back, but at that moment I didn't know what to have it on. Previously, it was a cupcake because that is what we were selling, but now we the trifold explains different components on survival in the desert. Finally, I noticed the board was painted to look like the desert so a sun at the top would work perfect, especially since the desert is hot. The last characteristic shows me more on how I learn. I saw how I learned while I was working on the diorama. When I looked at the diorama I understood more than while reading the information which notified me, once again, that I am a visual learner. Even though I have known that I learn better visually, this time I really noticed it. Compared to reading a bunch of text, I understood how our camp or setup would be and how everything would work by studying the diorama. My project has shown me that I can think creatively, I work in detail, and that I understand things better when they are presented in a model.
Out-Looking: How was your project similar and different to other students projects?
In most cases our project was similar to some projects and different compared to others, but I feel like our project stands out. For the aspect of the diorama, our project stood out in a few ways. One way our project stands out is how we made our pieces for the diorama. Some people in our class made them out of clay while others bought figures, but we mounted pictures onto cardboard. So the pieces would stand we added another piece of cardboard under the piece to act as a stand. We also stood out because we used natural materials in the diorama. This means that for the sand that represents the desert we covered the ground with real sand and for the dug up area we glued dirt to make it look as if it was dug. Using natural items such as sand and dirt, made our diorama more realistic and gave people the effect of looking at the desert. As well as that we attached a paper with the name of our specific biome and our names so people know who made the diorama. The last way our diorama stood out was because painted the sky and the ground. Even though some people painted the sky, painting was really helpful because it brings the diorama to life which is wonderful. Painting the ground helped especially because not every single spot on the box is covered in sand, so the paint makes it look fine. As for the trifold, it stands out from others projects, as well. For instance, our title stands out because it is on top of the trifold and it is painted to look like the sun. In addition, our trifold is painted to look like the desert, which our biome. Our board also contains flaps for all the plants and animals. The flaps have a picture of the organism and when you open/flip it you can see the information we wrote. Some groups did this, but we did it because it saves space, but still shows what the plant or animals looks like. For most things throughout this project, what we did was similar to some groups, while other groups didn't.
Forward-Looking: What would you change if you had a chance to do this piece over again?
I am very happy with the way this project turned out, but if I had a chance to do it over I would change a few things. First of all, I wouldn't do a specific desert, which is our biome. I would do this because it makes it easier. It would mean that I could find different components to the project faster because it could be for any desert. Another reason why this is easier is because there is a larger variety of plants, animals, hazardous organisms, water sources and materials for fire and shelter. It would also mean we would have extra time and with the time we could go more in depth for each aspect of the project. If I couldn't do that I would make the project on a different desert to learn more about that biome. By doing a different desert you could compare and contrast the two for each piece of the project. I would also like to add a picture of the real desert on our text product, or trifold. Even though the trifold is painted like the desert and our diorama will be right in front of the board, I feel like a picture of the actual desert will help whoever is reading the information understand how it all connects. Lastly, I would have made the pieces for the diorama out of clay or bought figurines to use. I would have bought figurines because they save time so we could have worked more on the rest of the diorama or more on the trifold. In addition, it would have been easier to label the different pieces. For each piece you could glue the name onto the animal or plant. If we made it out of clay we would have had more creative freedom with how we wanted the animals to look like, even though it takes quite a long time to make. For the pieces, the figurines were very expensive and the clay pieces would have taken too long which is why we did what we did for the pieces. As for the picture of the desert, there wasn't that much room left on the board and we didn't want it to look cramped. Finally, for the specific biome we chose a specific one because we received extra survival days, but mainly the specific desert we chose was interesting. Overall, I am very happy with the way our biome survival project turned out.
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