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The Desert Solitaire curriculum was designed as a basis for exploring Edward Abbey's book, of the same name, in a high school field ecology class. Students read the book over a period of six weeks during the middle of the school year. Lessons were designed to aid students in exploring their home ecosystem, the Mojave Desert, via comparison with Arches National Monument as described in Desert Solitaire. This exploration fosters in students a sense of place and connection with their home environment. With little alteration, the curriculum can be used by students to examine their own ecosystem, even if it is not a desert. Furthermore, this curriculum can be used for delving into environmental issues, exploring environmental values and/or beliefs, or as an introduction to the genre of nature literature.

Field guide -- Map -- Nature trail plant species -- Plant identification key -- Species test plot -- Climate -- Cloud identification -- Desert soils -- Tortoise station -- Animal track and pond.

Focusing primarily on the ecological relationships of the Joshua tree in Joshua Tree National Park, this teaching unit includes ten pre-visit, in-class lessions; Ranger-led lessons at Joshua Tree National Park Education Center; and ten post-visit, in-class lessons. Lessons are for students in grades three and four and formatted using the breakthrough lesson strategies, based on the constructivist educational theory. The teacher background section addresses classification, structure, range, xerophytic adaptations, ecological relationships, and natural history of the Joshua tree.