What Counts as a Desert?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What counts as a desert?

The Big Idea

A desert is a place that gets very little rain or snow, usually less than 10 inches in a whole year! It is the dryness that makes a desert, not the heat or the sand. Deserts cover about one third of all the land on Earth.

Count the Rain

Step one: count the rain. Scientists measure all the rain and snow that falls in a year. If a place gets less than about 10 inches, or 25 centimeters, it counts as a desert.

Look at the Land

Step two: look at the land. With so little water, plants grow far apart and the ground is often bare. The plants and animals there are experts at saving every single drop.

Many Kinds

Step three: deserts come in many kinds. Some are hot and sandy, some are rocky, and some are freezing cold. What they all share is that they are dry.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! First, a desert gets very little rain. Second, the plants grow far apart. Third, much of the ground is bare. And fourth, deserts cover about one third of the land on Earth. That is a lot of dry land to explore!

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Some deserts go for years with hardly a drop of rain. A desert gets under 10 inches of rain a year. Heat is not the rule, because some deserts are very cold. Always carry water and ask a grown-up before any desert trip.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Set a straight-sided jar outside, with a grown-up, for one month. Measure how much rain collects inside. A desert gets less than one inch a month on average. Is your yard wetter or drier than a desert?

Outro

A desert is a place that is dry, whether it is hot or cold. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!