1. Objective (READ)

SWBAT identify the causes of desertification.

2. Question of the Day. (TURN OBJECTIVE INTO A QUESTION)

3. Warm-up (ANSWER)

A. What is the biggest problem of being a landlocked country?

B. Predict a definition for desertification.

Table of ContentsDate Title Lesson #

4/16 Population Problems 84

**AFRICA UNIT**

4/21 Cover Page 85

4/23 Physical Geography 86

4/26 Desertification 87

1. Create a new page called Desertification

Desertification…Against the wind

Sandstorm in Mauritania.

Desertification

• WHAT?

• Desertification = SPREAD, or GROWTH of the desert.

• WHERE?

• SAHEL region

Directions: Copy what is in the box

Sahel – a narrow band of grassland along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert

GE PICSSahel Region in Southern Sudan

Clip - Desertification

1. How does desertification affect the environment?

2. How does it affect the people?

Directions: Create a T-chart

Causes of Desertification Effects of Desertification

Causes of Desertification

1. OVERGRAZING – when land is exposed to continuous grazing for too long

Causes of Desertification

1. OVERGRAZING

– when land is exposed to continuous grazing for too long

- Land needs time to recover

Directions: Create a T-chart

Causes of Desertification Effects of Desertification

1. OVERGRAZING

– when land is exposed to continuous grazing for too long

- Land needs time to recover

Causes of Desertification

2. Deforestation – the cutting down and clearing away of forests.

- Trees and their roots hold the soil in place

Causes of Desertification

3. Drought – long periods of little or no rain.

Desert ghost-town in Mauritania.

- Creates huge dust storms and harms crops

Causes of Desertification

4. Poor Farming Techniques

- Overuse of land and groundwater

- Bad irrigation techniques

Utilizing any available water source in Somalia.

1. Objective (READ)

SWBAT identify the effects of desertification.

2. Question of the Day. (TURN OBJECTIVE INTO A QUESTION)

3. Warm-up (ANSWER)

A. Sketch a picture that demonstrates desertification.

B. Which cause of desertification is the most difficult to solve?

DesertificationDAY 2 – EFFECTS OF

DESERTIFICATION

Sand dunes approaching the Mauritanian capital

Sahel region is becoming desert.

The Sahel

Effects of Desertification - Migration

1. Environmental Refugees

– People are forced to move to other regions or countries

- Migration causes conflict with people in their new homeland

Lake Chad – The lake is shrinking greatly. The lake itself can been seen in blue.

READ

ONLY

5. What effect does drought have on African economies?

Directions:

Answer the question in a complete sentence on your t-chart

Effects of Desertification

2. Decrease in arable land

3. Increases food prices and food shortages

4. Increases sandstorms that cause illnesses and economic loss

Solar ovens are being given to African communities. They use the sunlight as an energy source. How do these help desertification?

Effects of Desertification

Directions: Answer the question underneath the picture in one of the boxes on your worksheet.

Solar ovens are being given to African communities. They use the sunlight as an energy source. How do these help desertification?

ACTION PLANS ASSIGNMENT• You have been elected the new President of Mauritania,

a country in West Africa.

• Create an action plan to solve four of the problems (causes or effects) related to desertification in the Sahel region of your country.

• Your plan must include the following1. An explanation of at least FIVE strategies or solutions for

Desertification.

2. Predict what will be the biggest hurdle to making your strategy work. Think about potential problems that could hurt your ability to fight desertification. (Who will get mad? What else do you need? What could make this hard?)

3. Rank your strategies in terms of priority. #1 being the highest priority, #4 being the lowest priority. Explain your rankings for each strategy.

Action Plan

• You have been elected the new President of Mauritania, a country in West Africa.

Directions: 1. Take a piece of official Mauritanian government

paper and divide it into four sections.

2. Create an action plan to solve each of the four desertification causes OR EFFECTS in the Sahel region.

Drought

- Provide drip irrigation so that the crops can be watered

In each square, include the following: 1. A picture of each step of your plan (4 total)2. Explanation of how each strategy will work.

DIRECTIONS:• In each square, include the

following:1. A picture of each step of your

plan (4 total)2. Explanation of how each

strategy will work.

Answer the question below on the back of your paper. Conclusion question – Which part of your plan is the best? Explain why.

Remember:

When making solutions to big problems you can either:

A. Fix the causes or,

B. Make the effects better

Help: How would you fix each of these problems?

1. Drought?

2. Deforestation?

3. Overgrazing?

4. Poor Farming Techniques- Overuse of water and land- Bad irrigation techniques

How would you make these effects better?

1. Environmental Refugees

2. Decrease in arable land

3. Increase in food prices

4. Increase sandstorms illnesses, economic loss

Clip – China’s Plan

1. How is China fighting desertification?

2. Could this plan work in Africa too? Explain why or why not.

Exit Ticket

Directions: Complete the exit ticket in the remaining box at the bottom of your paper.

1. Answer the question of the day that you wrote in one of the other boxes.

2. Describe one economic, political, and social problem associated with desertification that you will be forced to deal with as President of Mauritania. - Label each problem, economic, political, or social.

Exit Ticket

Directions: Complete the exit ticket in the remaining box at the bottom of your paper.

1. Answer the question of the day that you wrote in your notebok like normal.

2. Turn any desk that you see so that is facing, like we did on Monday.

Directions:

- Go to http://geology.com/records/sahara-desert-map.shtml

- Click on the + sign in the upper left to zoom in on the placemarks that are circled below.

- Title each placemark and write a short description about it in your notebook.

Water Video Analysis

1. Create a list of the problems with water that you see on the video.

PUT YOUR LIST ON THE BACK OF YOUR DESERTIFICATION PLANS