How do I temporarily hide desktop icons on a MacBook Air?

Use this AppleScript which toggles the Desktop icons to shown or hidden:

use scripting additions

tell application "SystemUIServer"
	activate
	
	set userCanceled to false
	set myReturn to ""
	
	try
		set dialogResult to button returned of (display dialog ¬
			"OS X Desktop Appearance" buttons {"Cancel", "Clear Icons", "Normal"} ¬
			default button 2 with icon note)
		
	on error number -128
		set userCanceled to true
		return
	end try
end tell

if dialogResult is "Normal" then
	(do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool true && killall Finder")
else if dialogResult is "Clear Icons" then
	(do shell script "defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false && killall Finder")
end if
return

Perhaps an easier alternative from those already offered: just Quit Finder.

With no Finder there are no desktop icons.

Then launch Finder again (either from the Dock, Launchpad or - my preferred way - Spotlight: press command-space, type Fin and press enter).