Death Valley Facts for Kids

Death Valley is located in Eastern California in North America. The area hit record air atmospheric temperatures in 1913 when it reached 56.7 degrees Celsius (134 degrees Fahrenheit) in Furnace Creek, making Death Valley one of the hottest places on Earth! Discover the reasons why Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America.

Feel free to print out our interesting Death Valley facts sheet about the driest and hottest region of North America with key information and facts about desert wildlife including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects and birds, vegetation and plant life, weather conditions, record temperature, annual precipitation, formation, size and location of the hottest desert of North America.

Interesting Death Valley Facts for Kids:- Our printable Death Valley factfile offers printable facts and info for school teachers and kids. Our list of interesting Death Valley facts can provide assistance with student homework as well as an information guide to North America's hottest desert. Did you know that Death Valley is a desert valley of self-moving rocks? Do you know how the rocks move in Death Valley? Did you know that the Death Valley is located in Eastern California? Did you know that the term 'desertification' can be defined as the process by which fertile land becomes desert? Did you know that Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world with record temperatures?

Interesting Death Valley Facts for Kids:- Our free list of Interesting Death Valley Desert Facts for Kids is easy to print and includes fun Death Valley about including how the desert was formed, why it is important, why it is classed as a desert valley, how big the area of Death Valley is, which American states it is located in, what the weather conditions are like, how high the temperature can reach in Death Valley, what plant life grows in Death Valley and which animal species survive within its ecosystem which offers little vegetation or water? Find out why experts believe that rocks are able to move by themselves in this part of the world with their solution to the moving rocks phenomena that occurs in Death Valley.

Interesting Death Valley Facts for Kids

Death Valley Fact File for Kids:- Official Name Facts: The name derives from a group of pioneers that became lost in Death Valley, resulting in the loss of a life ***  Location Facts: Death Valley is located in Eastern California, North America close to the border with the state of Nevada *** Size: The Death Valley is approximately 7,800 square kilometers *** Annual Rainfall Facts: 2.36 in (60 mm) average rainfall per year in the Death Valley area

Interesting Facts for Kids 1:- Where is the Death Valley located?
The Death Valley is a desert valley located in the United States of America, in the state of California. It is situated in Eastern California close to the border with Nevada, between the Great Basin Desert and the Mojave Desert.

Interesting Facts for Kids 2:- How big is the Death Valley?
The Death Valley measures approximately 7,800 square kilometres (3,000 square miles). It is located near the border of the states of California and Nevada and can be found in the Great Basin, in Inyo County, California.

Interesting Facts for Kids 3:- What is the temperature in the Death Valley?
Death Valley is officially one of the driest and lowest areas in North America, as well as the hottest region of North America during summer. The temperature ranges between 28 and 37 degrees Celsius. As Death Valley is surrounded by four mountains, the rain shadow effect is produced which causes extremely high temperatures and low precipitation. In 1917, the hottest day on Earth was recorded in Death Valley. During this same year, there were 52 consecutive days where temperatures reached in excess of 49 degrees Celsius. The average annual temperature is 25.1 degrees Celsius, with 47 degrees Celsius in summer and 19 degrees Celsius in winter.

Interesting Facts for Kids 4:- What is the hottest temperature recorded in Death Valley?
The hottest day on record occurred on July 10, 1913, in Furnace Creek, Death Valley, United States. The air temperature recorded on this day was 56.7 degrees Celsius (134  degrees Fahrenheit) and is considered the highest recorded temperature on Earth.

Interesting Facts for Kids 5:- What is the climate of the Death Valley?
The Death Valley has a subtropical, desert climate, characterized by long hot summers and mild, warm winters. Lower altitudes determine higher temperatures. Death Valley has been compared to an oven as heat moves in circles from the sun to the ground, then back again into the atmosphere. As Death Valley is situated below sea level, a barrier is created above the ground that prevents heat from going back into the air. Instead, the heat returns to the ground. It is this incredible process that makes the temperature of Death Valley so high.

Interesting Facts for Kids 6:- Death Valley Rainfall
The Death Valley receives an average of 2.36 in (60 mm) of rainfall per year. Greenland Ranch Station records 1.58 in (40 mm). This means that Death Valley is one of driest places on Earth. The wettest period recorded was registered in January 1995 at 2.59 in (66 mm), and the wettest time in history is believed to have occurred mid 2004 to mid 2005 at 6 in (150 mm). There was even a snow accumulation in January 1992, which led to the creation of some ephemeral lakes.

Interesting Facts for Kids 7:- What animals live in the Death Valley?
There are many types of animals living in the Death Valley including 51 mammal species: the desert bighorn, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, and mule deer are all types of mammals that survive in this North American biome. The Death Valley is also the home to 307 species of birds including red tailed hawks and wild burros, 36 reptile species, and 3 amphibian species. When it comes to fish, there are 5 species of pupfish and 1 subspecies existing within the ecosystem of the Death Valley.

Interesting Facts for Kids 8:-  How do Death Valley animals survive?
In order to survive the hot temperatures of Death Valley, animals have cleverly evolved and procured different ways to adapt to its environment. Most of the adaptations made by various wildlife species include changing of daytime and night time activity, or physical abilities. Some rodents, such as the Kangaroo Rat, survive by collecting water droplets from the air. This particular animal adapts well to desert life as it never drinks water, and survives only through indirect water sources. Some animals have developed different ways to move across the hot ground of the Death Valley such as the rattlesnake which uses the sidewinding technique, allowing its body to move more efficiently across the vast terrain.

Interesting Facts for Kids 9:-  The Desert Tortoise
The desert tortoise is a very special animal found living in the Death Valley. It has an ingenious way of surviving life in the desert. The tortoise hibernates most of the summer, and emerges only when it rains. In order to hydrate itself, the desert tortoise gathers water in its bladder. The bladder acts like a water tank, keeping the tortoise hydrated. This is one of the reasons why those involved with animal welfare advise people not to bother the turtles. If desert turtles feel threatened, they urinate, which results in the animal losing the water they had stored in their bladders.

Interesting Facts for Kids 10:- Death Valley food web
The structure of the Death Valley food web is simple. The largest types of mammals survive by eating the smaller mammals such as rodents. Birds eat small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, while the reptiles eat insects. The insects in turn, survive by eating plants, vegetation or other insects. Of course there are birds which feed on corpses, or leftovers from the big mammals.

Interesting Facts for Kids 12:- What plants grow in the Death Valley?
Many plant species grow in Death Valley including cacti, desert succulents and wildflowers. Among the cacti species, the cottontop barrel, silver cholla, beavertail cactus, hedgehog cactus, and prickly pear cactus can all be found growing in this Californian biome. The types of desert wildflowers which exist in the Death Valley include Desert Gold, Notch-leaf Phocelia, Gravel Ghost, Desert Dandelion, Desert Paintbrush or the Desert Mariposa.

Interesting Facts for Kids 13:-  Death Valley plant adaptations
In order to survive the harsh desert environment and hot climate, the plant life has had to adapt. Some of the desert plants grow long roots beneath the seeds, and they bloom only after it has rained. The raindrops remove the seed's protective coat and so, the plants start to bloom. Most of them grow hairy or prickly spiny leaves in order to protect themselves against the wind.

Interesting Facts for Kids 14:- Death Valley landscape and vegetation
The Death Valley is the best geological example of a basin and a range configuration. Due to its former structure as a salt lake, salt panes still exist. Pupfish have managed to adapt to the salty waters very easily. Their organism retains the water but salt is eliminated through their feces. Although it is a harsh environment, plants and animals have successfully adapted.

Interesting Facts for Kids 15:- Death Valley Name
The story behind the name of the Death Valley derived more than 150 years ago. It seems that in winter of 1949-1950, a group of pioneers lost their way. Unfortunately, one of them died. The rest of the group thought they'd have the same fate but they were lucky as they were saved by two other colleagues. The story says that after the pioneers reached safety, one of them said the words 'Good bye Death Valley!'. The name stuck and has since been used as the permanent name for the incredible Death Valley region.

Interesting Death Valley Facts for Kids