Desert Hotel Worksheet
Arizona Standards Assessment Standard 3.RI.2 • Reading Informational Text
Score: _____ / 12 pts
Main Idea & Key Details Assessment
Name:
Date:
Directions: Carefully read the passage about Arizona's Sonoran Desert. Then answer Questions 1 through 5 on Page 2.
Part 1: Text Passage
The Desert Hotel
Sonoran Desert Ecology
[1] Rising tall above the sun-drenched soil of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona, the giant saguaro cactus looks like a silent green statue with thick, spiny arms reaching toward the cloudless sky. Saguaros can grow over forty feet tall and live for more than two hundred years. While this desert giant may appear still, it is actually the vibrant center of a bustling wilderness community. The saguaro acts as a living desert hotel, providing vital food, water, and shelter that allow dozens of desert creatures to survive in one of the hottest, driest places on Earth.
[2] First, the saguaro functions as a giant natural water tower. Rainfall is rare in the desert, but when violent summer thunderstorms roll across the mountains, the cactus is ready. Its wide network of shallow roots spreads out like a massive web just beneath the soil, quickly soaking up hundreds of gallons of water before the moisture evaporates in the dry heat. The accordion-like pleats along its trunk stretch and swell to hold this precious liquid. During prolonged droughts when water holes disappear, thirsty desert tortoises, jackrabbits, and bighorn sheep rely on the moist base of the cactus to quench their thirst.
[3] Second, the cactus serves as a safe apartment building with built-in air conditioning. In early spring, Gila woodpeckers and gilded flickers use their sharp beaks to carve deep nesting cavities into the soft flesh behind the ribs. The cactus secretes a tough, waterproof resin that hardens into a sturdy pocket called a "cactus boot." Inside these shaded boots, temperatures stay nearly twenty degrees cooler than the scorching 115-degree air outside. When the woodpeckers leave, other animals move in, including elf owls, purple martins, and desert mice seeking safety from predators.
[4] Third, the saguaro acts as a dependable year-round dining room. In late spring, creamy-white blossoms open at the tops of its massive arms. These flowers bloom only at night, offering rich nectar and sweet pollen to nocturnal bats and daytime honeybees. By mid-summer, these blossoms transform into bright ruby-red fruits that split open to reveal sweet pulp packed with thousands of tiny black seeds. White-winged doves, coyotes, javelinas, and ants feast on this desert buffet, gaining the energy and hydration they need during the hottest weeks of the year.
[5] Even in death, the fallen saguaro continues to protect desert life. When an old saguaro finally falls after centuries of growth, its woody ribs form a shaded skeleton that shelters desert lizards, snakes, and ground squirrels. The decaying plant enriches the sandy soil, helping young shrubs sprout. Without the giant saguaro at the heart of the Sonoran Desert, many Arizona wildlife species simply could not survive.
Desert Words to Know
• Drought: A long period of time with little or no rain.
• Cactus Boot: A hard, waterproof shell that lines an animal hole.
• Nocturnal: Active primarily during the night.
Reading Strategy Focus (AZ 3.RI.2)
As you read each paragraph, identify the main idea (what the whole passage is mostly about) and how each paragraph's key details support that big idea.
Arizona ELA Standard 3.RI.2 • Reading Informational Text Turn page to complete Questions 1 – 5 →
Part 2: Comprehension Assessment • Text: "The Desert Hotel" (AZ 3.RI.2)
Student Name:
1 Two-Part Test Item • Main Idea
Answer Part A, then answer Part B.
Part A: What is the MAIN IDEA of the passage?
A.Saguaros can grow forty feet tall and live over 200 years.
B.The saguaro provides vital resources that help desert animals survive.
C.Woodpeckers chisel holes into ribs to create insulated boots.
D.Fallen skeletons enrich the desert soil for young shrubs.
Part B: Which sentence BEST supports the answer to Part A?
A."Its wide network of shallow roots spreads out like a massive web..."
B."Inside these shaded boots, temperatures stay nearly twenty degrees cooler..."
C."The saguaro acts as a living desert hotel, providing vital food, water, and shelter..."
D."When an old saguaro finally falls after centuries, its ribs form a skeleton..."
2 Evidence Selection • Multi-Select
Select TWO answers
Which TWO details from paragraph 3 explain why cactus holes make safe homes for desert animals?
A. The plant secretes a tough, waterproof resin that hardens.
B. The flowers bloom at night to attract nectar-feeding bats.
C. Inside temperatures stay twenty degrees cooler than outside.
D. Shallow roots soak up hundreds of gallons during summer storms.
3 Paragraph Main Idea • Multiple Choice
1 Point
What is the MAIN IDEA of paragraph 4?
**A.**Saguaro flowers bloom only at night to feed migrating bats.
**B.**The saguaro provides an essential supply of food and energy to desert wildlife.
**C.**Ruby-red fruits split open to reveal thousands of tiny black seeds.
**D.**Coyotes and javelinas compete with doves for fallen summer fruit.
4 Key Details Classification Table
Write detail letters into categories
[A] Tortoises nibble the moist, swelling trunk base during droughts.
[B] Owls and mice shelter safely inside waterproof cactus boots.
[C] Flowers and fruits feed bats, bees, birds, and javelinas.
[D] Fallen skeletons provide shaded shelter for desert lizards and snakes.
1. Water Support Write Letter: [ ]
2. Shelter Support (2 details) Write Letters: [ , ]
3. Food Support Write Letter: [ ]
5 Short Constructed Response
3 Points Possible
Prompt: In paragraph 1, the author calls the saguaro a "living desert hotel." Explain how the author supports this main idea. Include at least TWO specific key details from the passage in your answer.
Checklist: Stated main idea Used 2 key details Explained how details support idea
Arizona Academic Standards Assessment (AASA) Format • Grade 3 ELA 3.RI.2 • Page 2 of 2
Desert Hotel Answer Key
Teacher Scoring Guide Arizona Standard 3.RI.2
The Desert Hotel • Master Answer Key & Analysis
Total Value 12 Points Total
Master Scoring Matrix
Item
Question Format
Correct Key
Target Skill (AZ 3.RI.2)
Points
1A
Multiple Choice
B
Determine Overall Main Idea
2 pts
1B
Evidence Selection
C
Key Detail Supporting Main Idea
2 pts
2
Multi-Select (Select 2)
A and C
Identify Supporting Details
2 pts (1 ea)
3
Multiple Choice
B
Determine Paragraph Main Idea
1 pt
4
Classification Organizer
1:[A] | 2:[B, D] | 3:[C]
Categorize Key Details
2 pts
5
Short Constructed Response
Rubric Scored (0-3)
Explain How Details Support Idea
3 pts
Item 1: Part A & Part B Rationales (4 Points) Core 3.RI.2 Standard Item
Part A Key: B
Why B is correct: Statement B encompasses the entire passage (water, shelter, food, and ecological survival). Choices A, C, and D are isolated details from individual paragraphs.
Distractor Alert: Students who select C focus only on the vivid woodpecker detail.
Part B Key: C
Why C is correct: "The saguaro acts as a living desert hotel..." directly states the central thesis. Choices A, B, and D provide supporting evidence for individual points but do not summarize the central claim.
Item 2: Multi-Select Text Evidence Rationales (2 Points) Keys: A and C
Target Concept: Explaining why cactus holes provide safe homes.
Why A & C are Correct:
Choice A describes the physical structure (waterproof resin forming a protective boot). Choice C explains thermal safety (twenty degrees cooler than scorching 115° heat).
Why B & D are Incorrect:
Choice B relates to food (nectar for bats), and Choice D relates to water absorption roots. Neither explains the safety of the nesting holes.
Item 3: Paragraph Main Idea Analysis (1 Point) Key: B
Why B is correct: Paragraph 4 describes the saguaro as a "dependable year-round dining room" and provides details about spring blossoms (nectar/pollen) and summer fruits feeding bats, bees, birds, coyotes, and javelinas. Option B synthesizes this into the paragraph's central idea.
