Desert Giant: The World of Saguaro Cactus
From Reading Rainbow · 1989
28 min1st2nd3rd4thReading & Writing (ELA)Science
Summary
Barbara Bash's nonfiction book reveals how the towering saguaro cactus supports an entire community of desert animals — from owls nesting in its trunk to bats drinking its nectar. LeVar Burton visits the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Barbara Bash traces the life of a saguaro cactus over 200 years.
- How does the saguaro cactus survive the desert heat and drought?
- Name three animals that depend on the saguaro. How does each use it?
- How long does it take a saguaro to grow an arm? Why does slow growth make it more special?
- How is a saguaro cactus like an apartment building for desert animals?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: saguaro, cactus, Sonoran Desert, ecosystem, adaptation.
Try it: Draw a saguaro cactus and add three animals around or inside it. Write one sentence for each animal explaining how it uses the cactus.