Overview:

Irrigation is a way of life for many farmers of the Arkansas and Cimarron River valleys of southwest Kansas. Irrigation is done through a variety of methods, some of which conserve water better than others. Students uninformed of all of the issues concerning irrigation will not understand what farmers must go through in terms of education and cost in order to irrigate effectively. This lesson will explore these issues as students analyze the factors involved with efficient irrigation on the High Plains.

 

Grade Level: 5 - 8 (with adaptations to higher grades)

 

Time Needed: Four 45-minute class periods

 

Geographic Themes:

Location, Place, Human/Environment Interactions, Movement, and Regions

 

Kansas Social Studies Standards for Benchmarks, Grade Levels 8-K:

The students will understand the connections among people, places, and environments in the local school and community, Kansas, the United States, and different nations in the world.

 

The student will understand the effects of economics, science, and technology in the local school and community, Kansas, the United States, and different nations in the world.

 

National Geography Standards, Grades 5-8:

#14	The geographically informed person knows and understands how human actions modify the physical environment.
#16	The geographically informed person knows and understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.
#18	The geographically informed person knows and understands how to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

 

Outcomes:

1. Students will understand how irrigation has affected the aquifer levels of Southwestern Kansas.
2. Students will know and understand the various methods of irrigation and which methods are most conserving of water
3. Students will realize the importance of planning how to use water today so that it will be available tomorrow.

 

Performance Objectives:

1. Students will be able to define the following terms: Ogallala aquifer, center pivot irrigation system, chemigation, ditch irrigation, low-energy precision application (LEPA), dryland farming, evapotranspiration, ground water, and water table.
2. Students will be able to describe these major forms of irrigation: ditch, center pivot, LEPA, and gated pipe.
3. Students will evaluate the major forms of irrigation used in southwest Kansas and assess the relative effectiveness of these methods.
4. Students will describe the importance of irrigation to agricultural production in southwest Kansas.
5. Students will analyze the importance of conserving water today.


Vocabulary Terms (see Glossary):

Ogallala aquifer chemigation low-energy precision application evapotranspiration water table

center-pivot irrigation ditch irrigation dryland farming ground water

 

Materials Needed:

• poster board (1 piece per group) box of soda straws painted silver box of tooth picks
• 1 container of green paint
• 1 container of blue paint
• 1 piece of cardboard (18" by 18") per group
• 1 box of buttons (black and all the same size)
• Assorted felt-tip markers
• Glue

 

Procedures:


1.	Introduce to the students the concept of irrigation through class discussion. Also illustrate to the students the importance of irrigation to Kansas agriculture. Include these major points in the discussion:  a. Point out to the students where the Arkansas and Cimarron River basins are. Also point out the Ogallala Aquifer and the broad region that it covers both in Kansas and throughout the Great Plains. Make transparencies from pages 12-13 of Kansas Ground Water. (Complete citations are given in the resources section.)  b. Point out the parts of southwestern Kansas where irrigation occurs. Make transparencies from page 5 of 1994 Irrigation Water Use, and page 30 of Kansas Ground Water.  c. Discuss the crops that are grown through irrigation in southwestern Kansas.  d. Discuss the impact of irrigation in the southwestern part of the state to Kansas agriculture.
2.	At this point you will divide the class into groups of two to work on an assigned task. It will be important to have resources from the list attached to this article available to the students for investigation. Assign the main types of irrigation first and fill in with the projects listed last with any remaining students. Type of Project Ditch irrigation poster Ditch irrigation model Center-pivot irrigation poster Center-pivot irrigation model LEPA system poster LEPA system model Gated pipe irrigation poster Gated pipe irrigation model Dryland farming poster Irrigation use map Irrigation terms Ogallala Aquifer poster Ogallala Aquifer map Those students doing a poster of an irrigation type should give a description and its characteristics, tell why it is used at that location, give a short history, and give an evaluation of its effectiveness. Those students doing a model of an irrigation type should use the materials provided to provide an idea of how that system is used. They should also discuss its effectiveness as a type of irrigation. Those doing the terms poster should look through the resources available to compile a list of terms and then define them on a poster large enough to display to the class. Several maps of irrigation use and of the Ogallala Aquifer, in addition to the ones already noted, can be found in the resources listed. A good description of the Ogallala Aquifer is found in Kansas Ground Water on pages 8-17. Monitor closely the progress of the projects. They should take approximately 2 class periods to complete.
3.	When the projects are completed, have each group give a short report indicating what they discovered. If they investigated an irrigation method, have them evaluate its effectiveness. Students should be asking themselves if their method is making the best use of water and why or why not. When the vocabulary terms report is given, have the students take notes so students can write down the terms that are listed in the performance objectives. As a wrap-up activity, discuss with the class how long they think the water will last if it is taken out of the ground at the current rate. Compile a list of things that can be done to increase conservation efforts.

Assessment:
There will be two assessments given for this activity. First, give a group grade for the project. Use the guidelines given below:

Accuracy of information given Neatness of project Creativity shown Cooperation demonstrated

5 points 5 points 5 points 5 points _________ 20 points total

Second, have the students write an essay worth 20 points addressing the following topics:

1. Why is irrigation important in Kansas?
2. What sources of water are used?
3. Which crops are grown with irrigation?
4. Of the methods described and shown, which method of irrigation best conserves water and why?

Resources:

• Bittinger, M. N., & Green, E. B. (1981). You never miss the water till. Linleton. CO: Water Resources Publishers.
• Buchanan, R., & Buddemeier, R. (1993). Kansas ground water: An introduction to the state's water quantity, quality,. and management issues. Lawrence, KS: Kansas Geological Survey.
• Goodin, D.C., Mitchell, J. E., Knapp, M. C., & Bivens, R. E. (1995). Climate and weather atlas of Kansas: An introduction. Lawrence, KS: Kansas Geological Survey.
• Kromm, D. E., & White, S. E. (1990). Conserving water in the High Plains. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University.
• (N.d.). Ground water management in Kansas. Kansas Ground water Management District Association.
• (N.d.). LEPA irrigation management for center Divots. Irrigation Management Series. Manhattan, KS: Cooperative Extension Service.
• (N.d.). 1994 Kansas irrigation water use. Topeka, KS: Kansas Water Office and Division of Water Resources.
• (N.d.). Surge irrigation. Irrigation Management Series. Manhattan, KS: Cooperative Extension Service.

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Example of Student Created Project

 

Center Pivot Irrigation

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