The desert tortoise is a species of tortoise that is endemic to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of northwestern Mexico and southwestern United States.  There are only two species of desert tortoise and their hardiness lies in their ability to dig burrows underground. Desert tortoises are herbivores, capable of living in extreme weather conditions.

They are able to do this by escaping into underground burrows during hot days. To help us connect with this creature, we stacked tortoises made out of egg cartons. Using their fine motor skills, students practiced stacking tortoises on top of one another. This fostered their cognitive skills as students concentrated on balancing their tortoises without allowing them to fall! Once finished, students were encouraged to count their tortoises and start all over again!