10. A Stop in the Desert

A Stop in the Desert

• “We’re in the Mojave Desert now,” Dad said. “Jodi, keep your camera ready for great shots!” We were on our way to visit my cousins in California. Dad had chosen to drive through the desert, which was unfamiliar territory to us.

​https://youtu.be/y7qwO6Yd6nA

​Video about the Mojave Desert

Multiple Choice

Who is telling the story? 

• Dad

• Jodi

• Cousins

• Mojave Desert

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best describes where Jodi's Cousins live?

• "We were on our way to visit my cousins in California"

• "Dad had chosen to drive through the desert, which was unfamiliar territory to us."

• “We’re in the Mojave Desert now,”

Multiple Choice

Where can you infer the Mojave Desert is at based on this sentence, "We were on our way to visit my cousins in California"

• California

• Alaska

• New York

• Colorado

• I had seen pictures of the Mojave’s symbol, the Joshua tree, in a guide book. Now, I could take my own! I snapped shots of the tree through the car window. “I love the desert,” I said. “We knew you’d like it,” said Mom. “That’s why we decided to go this way.”

Multiple Select

"I love the desert". What are 2 synonyms for the word love? 

• Dislike 

• Enjoyment

• Fondness

• Hate

Multiple Select

Which of the following describes Jodi's reaction to being in the desert? 

• Sad

• Frustrated

• Happy

• Excited

Joshua Trees

• All of a sudden, the car made a funny noise. It rolled to a stop. “Oh, no!” Dad said. “Don’t worry. ’ll check it out. He slowly lifted the car hood. There was a cloud of steam! “You two go take pictures,” he said. “I should have this up and running in no time.”

Multiple Choice

What sentence tells you what Mom and Jodi did while Dad fixed the car?  

• "All of a sudden, the car made a funny noise"

• “You two go take pictures,” he said. “I should have this up and running in no time.”

• “Don’t worry. ’ll check it out. He slowly lifted the car hood."

• "There was a cloud of steam!"

Multiple Choice

Which Sentence best describes what happened to the car in the text?

• "All of a sudden, the car made a funny noise. It rolled to a stop. "

• They lost the car

• It did not have tires

• There was no car

• All of a sudden, the car made a funny noise. It rolled to a stop. “Oh, no!” Dad said. “Don’t worry. ’ll check it out. He slowly lifted the car hood. There was a cloud of steam! “You two go take pictures,” he said. “I should have this up and running in no time.”

• I took a picture of a cactus. The brilliant desert sun beat down on me. “It’s really hot, Mom!” I said. “How do these plants survive?”

Multiple Choice

Using the sentence, "The brilliant desert sun beat down on me." What do you think the word brilliant means? 

• Amazing

• Cold

• Orange

• Dull

Open Ended

Using Prior Knowledge, How do you think Plants survive in the Desert?

"I think plants survive in the desert by______"

• “They adapt,” said Mom. “A desert doesn’t get much rain. So, a cactus soaks up water when it does rain. The cactus’s thick, waxy outside holds the water in. Then the plant can use it later.” “I hope Dad knows as much about cars as you do about plants,” I laughed.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence lets you know what Mom was describing to Jodi? 

• “A desert doesn’t get much rain."

• "I hope Dad knows as much about cars as you do about plants,”

• The cactus’s thick, waxy outside holds the water in. Then the plant can use it later.”

Open Ended

Using a sentence in the story, write down one thing Mom told Jodi about Cacti?

"Mom told Jodi_____"

Mom tried her cell phone. There was no signal. “What do we do now?” I asked. “We just hope that someone comes along,” Mom replied. “What if no one comes?” I asked. “We’re pretty far off the main road.” Dad smiled, “Don’t worry, Jodi. We’ll be fine.” “I’m so thirsty,” I said. Mom got out a bottle of water, and we all had a drink. Still the sun beat down, hotter and hotter. “I have an idea,” Dad said.

Multiple Choice

Which Sentence tells you what Mom told Jodi about what they were going to do about the car?

• “I have an idea,” Dad said.

• “Don’t worry, Jodi. We’ll be fine.

• “What do we do now?”

• “We just hope that someone comes along,” Mom replied.

Multiple Select

“Don’t worry, Jodi. We’ll be fine.”. What are two synonyms for the word worry? 

• Distress

• Happy

• Panic

• Excited

• Dad took blankets from the trunk. He hung one between two cactus plants. “This will give us some shade,” he said, satisfied with his work. He put the other blanket on the ground. We sat down. Hours went by, but no cars came. “Can we eat our sandwiches now?” I asked. “Eating will only make you thirstier,” Mom said. “It’s better to just sit in the shade and stay still.”

Multiple Choice

Which Sentence explains the reasoning behind why Dad put a blanket over the two cacti? 

• "He put the other blanket on the ground."

• “This will give us some shade,” he said, satisfied with his work."

• "Dad took blankets from the trunk."

Multiple Choice

Which sentence explains why Mom didn't let Jodi eat her sandwich?

• I asked. “Eating will only make you thirstier,” Mom said.

• He put the other blanket on the ground.

• Dad took blankets from the trunk.

• Soon the sun vanished behind a hill. The night air was colder. “I was hot before and now I’m cold!” I said. “Is it always like this?” “Yes,” Dad said. “Deserts are hot by day and cold by night. We should get back in the car.” Dad grabbed the blankets and we got into the car. I curled up on the back seat. Just then, I heard a howl. “What’s that?” I asked. “Just a coyote,” Dad said. “Most desert animals come out at night when it’s cooler.”

Multiple Choice

Which sentence best describes the weather in the desert?

• “Deserts are hot by day and cold by night."

• Dad said. “Most desert animals come out at night when it’s cooler.”

• "Soon the sun vanished behind a hill."

• "Dad grabbed the blankets and we got into the car."

Multiple Select

"Soon the sun vanished behind a hill." Using the text, what are two synonyms for the word vanished?

• Notice

• Fade

• Appear

• Disappear

Mohave Desert Virtual Tour

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​https://youtu.be/CA55JxzyQck

• I guess I fell asleep. The next thing I remember, a police officer knocked on our car window. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Dad explained what had happened. The officer called for help. As we waited, I snapped shots of jackrabbits, lizards, and kangaroo rats in the early morning light. I knew they would disappear into shady spots when the sun got too hot.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence describes what the cop did after talking to Dad? 

• "The officer called for help."

• "I snapped shots of jackrabbits, lizards, and kangaroo rats in the early morning light."

• '“Are you okay?” he asked."

Multiple Choice

"As we waited, I snapped shots of jackrabbits, lizards, and kangaroo rats in the early morning light." Using the text, what does "Snapped Shots" mean?

• Snapping with fingers

• Taking pictures of the animals

• Writing about the animals in a journal. 

• Picking up the animals to play with them. 

• I was almost sad we would soon be leaving the desert. I’d learned how to adapt to desert life just like the plants and animals that live there!

Multiple Select

"I’d learned how to adapt to desert life just like the plants and animals that live there!" What are 2 synonyms for the word adapt? 

• Change

• Transform

• Reject

• Disagree

Multiple Choice

Using the text, how did Jodi feel about leaving the desert?

• Sad

• Happy

• Excited

• Disgusted