| 2. |
Tell
students that you are going to shift topics a little bit. Ask
the question: "What are the most important natural resources
a country or state can have?" Allow them a minute to think
and then share ideas. You may want to write them on the board.
After several have been mentioned, focus on water. If no one
said it, suggest to them that it may be one they missed, or ask
if they consider it a significant resource, and why or why not. |
| 3. |
Discuss
with the class the economic, cultural and political impact that
water has on the world. Talk about areas where there is an abundance
and a scarcity. How do they handle the problems associated with
too much or too little water? Ask whether they believe Kansas
has an abundance or a scarcity. |
| 4. |
Show
map or overhead of precipitation in Kansas. Allow students a
few minutes to study it. |
| 5. |
Hand
out the information record sheet. Have students answer questions
1-3 independently. Compare answers with a neighbor and discuss. |
| 6. |
Ask students
to define drought. Allow several to share. |
| 7. |
Read
"Area Farmers Keep Hope Alive for Rain, But Know It Could
Be Awhile" aloud to class. |
| 8. |
Ask students
whether they have ever heard parents, grandparents or others
have a conversation like this. (In our rural area, it is very
likely. In urban areas, perhaps not. Possibly ask about historic
droughts they know of or those in other parts of the world.)
Ask students to better clarify what makes a drought and who it
impacts (those trying to grow crops, anyone financially dependent
on agriculture and others). |
| 9. |
Assign
for individual or group reading the article "Low Water in
the American High Plains." (It may be too difficult for
some students to read independently.) Have students define the
vocabulary words from the article
that are on their information record sheets (aquifer, specific
yield, depth to water, ground water, riparian water rights, appropriation
doctrine, surface water). |
| 10. |
Students
complete questions 4-11 on information record sheet. |
| 11. |
Show
overhead of aquifer. Discuss what it is and where it is located.
Discuss the vocabulary from the article and the answers to the
questions. |
| 12. |
After
discussing problems with ground water, ask the students if there
might be any alternatives to using the aquifer. Lead them to
discussion of importing water, using more surface water and increasing
precipitation. |
| 13. |
Explain
to students that they will next be exploring the concept of weather
modification. Ask what they think of when they hear the term
"cloud seeding." (They may think of rain dances, etc.)
Define weather modification for them. They should record it on
their sheets. |
| 14. |
Assign
packet of articles from North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board.
There are three separate articles here. A variety of methods
could be used to cover these, including expert groups, groups
of three with each student reading and reporting to group on
a separate article or all students reading all the articles.
Also we would cover this material in science class. |
| 15. |
Students
answer questions 12-15 on the information sheet and complete
the following vocabulary words: water vapor, dissipation, condensation,
condensation nuclei, supercooled water, riming, aggregation,
evaporation new cloud cell, updraft, deposition, feeder cloud. |
| 16. |
Discuss
vocabulary and questions in small groups and then as a class. |
| 17. |
Read
"Blame Weather on the Jet Stream Pattern" to class
and discuss. (This would be done in our science class.) |
| 18. |
This
step could be done along with step 14 if students are able to
handle a substantial amount of reading at one time, perhaps suited
for high school students. Students read "Does Weather Modification
Really Work?" for information about Texas. Answer questions
16-19. Discuss. |
| 19. |
Read
aloud to students the article "Hail Suppression: Fact or
Fiction?" and discuss. |
| 20. |
Summarize
information presented in class and gathered from readings. Ask
students for their overall impression of weather modification.
Have them support their ideas. |
| 21. |
Explain
the final project to students. They will be writing an essay
based on the information they have read. They should answer the
questions presented on the guide sheet and organize their information
according to the format provided on that sheet. They need to
be sure to provide facts to back up their opinions and use data
given. Remind them to think about this issue from a variety of
different perspectives (i.e., farmer, politician, environmentalist,
citizen). |
| 22. |
Students
create rough draft of essay. (This would be done in English class
in my school.) |
| 23. |
Students
peer edit, teachers read, and students rewrite and type final
drafts of essays. |
| 24. |
Students
may, as part of their final project, be required to make some
kind of presentation and defense of their essay, either to a
small group of students and/or teachers or to the entire class.
An oral presentation rubric is included in the handouts. |
| 25. |
After
students have written their proposals on the future of weather
modification in Kansas, show the CBS Evening News video and read
the article "Evaluation of the Western Kansas Weather Modification
Program." Discuss their proposals in comparison with what
is currently being done. |