Guide your students on a journey through the desert ecosystem! From the sweeping sands of the Namib and Kalahari in southern Africa, to the dry heart of Australia’s Outback, and the rocky cold of the Gobi, deserts come in many forms.
✨ Perfect for Grades 3–8, here’s what you need to bring ecosystems to life:
- Iconic BBC Videos: Share the clips on this page to introduce the location, plants, animals, and climate of the desert. (Don't miss the lions and lizards!) Brought to you by world-class BBC programs like Planet Earth, Wilderness With Simon Reeve, Africa, and Seven Worlds, One Planet.
- Free Printable: Use the Desert Brochure Template to help students pull it all together in an ecosystem report with facts they’ve learned (and a little extra research).
It’s everything you need to make ecosystems easy to teach and truly memorable for your students.
In The Go Jetters Get Sandy in the Sahara Desert, the Go Jetters crew flies into the Sahara Desert, one of the biggest and hottest deserts in the world! Ubercorn explains that the Sahara is so big, it stretches across many countries in Africa, and guess what? There's no water like you would find at a beach — just sand, sand, and more sand! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In The Go Jetters Visit the Saharan Sand Dunes, the Go Jetters crew shares fun facts about the Sahara Desert! Discover the amazing sand dunes that move and change with the wind, like magic mountains made of sand. Meet camels, the desert’s coolest travelers, who can go without water for a long time, and learn about the Tuareg "blue men," who wear bright blue turbans to keep the sand away. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In Nocturnal Desert Dwellers, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Sahara Desert at night. In the Sahara Desert, nighttime temperatures can drop by as much as 86°F (30°C) . Learn how fennec foxes survive the heat by staying underground during the day and coming out at night. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Formation of the Gobi Desert, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Gobi Desert and its origin. The Himalayas force air upwards, creating rainfall. When the air reaches the other side of the mountains, it is drier. This weather pattern formed the Gobi Desert. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
Guide your students on a journey through the desert ecosystem! From the sweeping sands of the Namib and Kalahari in southern Africa, to the dry heart of Australia’s Outback, and the rocky cold of the Gobi, deserts come in many forms.
✨ Perfect for Grades 3–8, here’s what you need to bring ecosystems to life:
- Iconic BBC Videos: Share the clips on this page to introduce the location, plants, animals, and climate of the desert. (Don't miss the lions and lizards!) Brought to you by world-class BBC programs like Planet Earth, Wilderness With Simon Reeve, Africa, and Seven Worlds, One Planet.
- Free Printable: Use the Desert Brochure Template to help students pull it all together in an ecosystem report with facts they’ve learned (and a little extra research).
It’s everything you need to make ecosystems easy to teach and truly memorable for your students.
In The Go Jetters Get Sandy in the Sahara Desert, the Go Jetters crew flies into the Sahara Desert, one of the biggest and hottest deserts in the world! Ubercorn explains that the Sahara is so big, it stretches across many countries in Africa, and guess what? There's no water like you would find at a beach — just sand, sand, and more sand! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In The Go Jetters Visit the Saharan Sand Dunes, the Go Jetters crew shares fun facts about the Sahara Desert! Discover the amazing sand dunes that move and change with the wind, like magic mountains made of sand. Meet camels, the desert’s coolest travelers, who can go without water for a long time, and learn about the Tuareg "blue men," who wear bright blue turbans to keep the sand away. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Go Jetters, a series that follows the adventures of four plucky international heroes as they travel the globe visiting the world’s most famous landmarks with their friend and mentor, Ubercorn, a disco-dancing unicorn.
In Nocturnal Desert Dwellers, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Sahara Desert at night. In the Sahara Desert, nighttime temperatures can drop by as much as 86°F (30°C) . Learn how fennec foxes survive the heat by staying underground during the day and coming out at night. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.
In The Formation of the Gobi Desert, narrator Sir David Attenborough explores the Gobi Desert and its origin. The Himalayas force air upwards, creating rainfall. When the air reaches the other side of the mountains, it is drier. This weather pattern formed the Gobi Desert. This video is excerpted from BBC's Planet Earth, a breathtaking documentary series that highlights the natural wonders of our planet.