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Lesson 3 of 3 · Plate Tectonics

Experiment30 XP

Hot and Cold Deserts

🧪Lab Brief #3

Plate Tectonics.

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

🤯

Mind = Blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

Deserts receive less than 25 centimeters of rain per year. Hot deserts have extreme daytime temperatures, while cold deserts like Antarctica are dry but freezing.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

  • thermometer
  • rain gauge
  • plastic tray

Safety First

  • Check glassware for chips before use and carry it with both hands.

Steps

Step 1Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2Do

Set up a weather station: use a thermometer, rain gauge (a jar with a ruler), and wind sock (a plastic bag on a stick). Record data for one week.

Step 3Observe

Look for patterns in your observations.

Step 4Record

Make a graph or chart showing your results.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is the water cycle?

🌍

Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

🏆

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

What's the most surprising thing you learned today?

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

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🌍Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

Ready?

Hot and Cold Deserts

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

Full screen — no distractions

🖨️

Checkout complete lesson on Plate Tectonics for 6th Grade

Get the full Plate Tectonics track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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Hot and Cold Deserts — Plate Tectonics | 6th Grade Science | LittleActivity