The Bio/Diversity Project

Lesson Title: Symbiotic Relationships in the Sonoran Desert

Teacher: Ms.Meraz
Grade Level: 6th
Time Teaching: 60 minutes

This lesson has been adapted from: https://wise.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/Symbiotic%20Relationships%20in

%20the%20Sonoran%20Desert_0.docx
https://sciencestruck.com/symbiotic-relationships-in-desert

6.L2U3.12
Engage in argument from evidence to support a claim
about the factors that cause species to change and how
humans can impact those factors
AZ Science Science
Standard: 6.L2U3.12
Engage in argument from evidence to support a claim
about the factors that cause species to change and how
Humans can impact those factors.

Learning Objective: ● Students will be able to define symbiosis

Math, Reading, Science, ● Students will be able to define each of the three types of symbiosis:
Writing, Other: mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism

Language Objective: Provide a connection with scientific terms of this lesson in spanish to science terms in
(Optional) english for the Spanish speaking periods.

Dr. Patricia Stock

● Received her degrees from National

University of La Plata, Argentina.
● Professor in entomology (bugs) and
plant sciences at the University of
Arizona for 20 years.
Scientist of the ● She studies symbiotic relationships
Week: between nematodes (worms), insects,
and bacteria.

Vocabulary Materials

● Symbiosis ● PowerpointSymbioticRelationships
● Commensalism in the Sonoran Desert
● Parasitism

Modified from the UA Community and School Garden’s Green Academy Lesson Plan Template
 ● Mutualism Relaciones simbióticas en el
desierto de Sonora
● 12 copies Vocabulary Words
● 12 copies Vocabulario
● 120 Index Cards
● 2 copies of Cards for Lesson 4
● 2 copies of Cartas para leccion 4
● 120 copies of comic strip template

Seasonality:
No specific seasonality is required.

Monsoons Autumn Winter Spring Dry Summer

July-Sept. Oct.-Nov. Dec.- Feb. Mar.-Apr. May-June
Guiding Questions:

● How do organisms relate to each other, besides through predator/prey relationships?

● What are different types of symbiosis?
● What are some examples of symbiotic relationships in the Sonoran Desert?

Engagement/Introductory Activity:
● Show students a picture of a prickly pear cactus and bees. Located on slide two ofSymbiotic
Relationships in the Sonoran Desert
○ Ask students what that they know about that relationship

● Explain to students that the bees and prickly pear have a relationship where they both benefit from each
other.
○ The bee collects nectar(food) from the prickly pear flower
○ The prickly pear cactus collects pollen from the bee, thus creating fruit and seeds.

● Tell students today we’ll be talking about relationships between animals and organisms besides just eating
each other, such as in predator/prey relationships.
● These relationships are called symbiotic relationships. Have the students write the definition down in their
science notebooks.
○ Symbiosis: A close relationship between two or more different organisms of different species.

Exploratory Activity:
Comic Strip Activity
- Students will receive a blank comic strip worksheet
- Students will have 6 minutes to color/create their own symbiotic relationship based on the new
vocabulary words
- There will be a gallery walk at the end of the class

Interactions of the Sonoran Desert:

- An Index card will be passed to each student in the class

Modified from the UA Community and School Garden’s Green Academy Lesson Plan Template
 - These Index card will each have an animal/plant from the sonoran desert on it
- Each card has one other match, which is another organism that it has a symbiotic relationship with.
- Exception is Mistletoe, which has a mutualistic relationship with Phainopepla and a parasitic
relationship with Desert Ironwood
- Instruct students to get up and walk around the room with their card. They should talk to each other and
find their classmate that has the matching partner organism. There should only be one partner/ person. If
there is an uneven number of students, there can be a group of 3 but it should not have more than 2 species
in it. Students will have 1 minute to complete this task.
- List of organisms and interactions:
- Mistletoe and Phainopepla, mutualism
-Bees and Cacti, mutualism
- Coyote and Fruit, mutualism
- Cactus wren and Cholla Cactus, commensalism
- Fringe-Toed Lizard and Desert Rat, commensalism
- Creosote Bush and Holly Shrub, commensalism
- Praying Mantis and Wasp, parasitism
- Mistletoe and Desert Ironwood, parasitism
- Fleas and Coyotes, parasitism

- A second time will be set to give students to discuss with their new partner if the relationship between their
two animals is symbiotic and if it is symbiotic if their relationship is parasitism, mutualism, or
commensalism. Students will have 1 minute to complete this task.
- Repeat until at least one of every interaction is show

Explain:
● Have the students write the vocabulary words of Commensalism, Parasitism, and Mutualism in their
science notebooks
● Give the students time to write the Vocabulary words ( to make this go faster provide the students with the
vocabulary words in print for their table groups to keep the lesson moving
● Show students examples of commensalism, parasitism, and mutualism in the presentation
● Explain to the students with the emojis of happy, sad, and neutral. Try to tie each of the simple words
(Happy, sad, and neutral) with the new vocab words
● Call students to the board to drag the emojis to the appropriate animal in the interaction provided.
● Symbiotic Relationships in the Sonoran Desert

Extension Activity/Questions:
● Show students the following video from National Geographic about a cool parasite that lives in snails:
Zombie Snails | World's Deadliest
● After the video, ask students which type of symbiotic relationship is taking place with the snail
and parasite? What is the parasite doing? What is the snail doing?

Evaluation Activity:
● Have students answer the following question with their partner: what is one symbiotic relationship you learned
about today, and what type is it?

Modified from the UA Community and School Garden’s Green Academy Lesson Plan Template