IN THE DESERT
Tune:  “Oh, My Darling Clementine”

In the desert, in the hot sun,
Grows a cactus big and tall.
It is green and it is spiny,
It’s the best one of them all.
Oh saguaro, oh saguaro,
Oh, saguaro cactus,
You are green and you are spiny,
And the strongest of them all!
                        Gayle Bittinger

FIVE GILA MONSTERS
Have your children hold up five fingers as you begin reading the following rhyme.  At the end of each verse, have them put one finger down.  Or have your children act out the rhyme.

Five Gila monsters and not one more,
One ran away, then there were four.

Four Gila monsters by the paloverde tree,
One ran away and then there were three.

Three Gila monsters – poisonous, it’s true,
One ran away and then there were two.

Two Gila monsters warmed by the sun,
One ran away and then there was one.

One Gila monster had lots of desert fun,
It ran away and now there are none.
                                  Gayle Bittinger

The cactus lives out in the desert.
The cactus lives out in the West.
The woodpecker drills them with holes,
So birds can build their nests.

IN THE DESERT
Tune: “Oh, My Darling Clementine”

Five Gila monsters and not one more,
One ran away, then there were four.

Four Gila monsters by the paloverde tree,
One ran away and then there were three.

Three Gila monsters – poisonous, it’s true,
One ran away and then there were two.

Two Gila monsters warmed by the sun,
One ran away and then there was one.