Book Title: Roadrunner

Author: Naomi John

Publisher and Date: New York: Dutton, 1980

Curriculum Developer: Katie Edwards

Summary: This book is a glimpse of the lives of several animals that reside in the desert. It offers the opportunity to further explore the characteristics and behaviors of many desert animals and plants that are mentioned in the story by introducing them as they interact with their environment.

Social Studies Relevance: This book would be a great introduction and resource for the vocabulary, plants, animals, and landscape of a desert. It paints a picture of the animals and their surroundings as they interact with the desert's features. It might be read again later (after learning) to reinforce learning.

Grade Level: 1st - 2nd grades

Relationship to Social Studies State Core:

First Grade:

• Identify the geographical features, climatic conditions, and natural resources of the local area (in this case, Utah's deserts).
• Demonstrate how geographical features, climatic conditions, and natural resources influence how people live (in this case, the peoples of desert communities).
• Identify map symbols which represent real things.
• Identify the meaning of symbols on simple picture maps.
• Students will understand beginning geographical concepts.
• Define scarcity and identify items that are scarce in the classroom.

Second Grade:

• Students will understand basic geographical concepts
• Describe how geographical features vary in different communities.

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