home

The Aral Sea


===//In our last lesson, we learned about how a limited resource like oil can impact people and places in both positive and negative ways. Today, we will be learning about another resource: water. As you know, water found in large bodies tends to be either fresh water or salt water, but did you know that fresh water can actually become salt water? Imagine you have a glass of water in your window. Mix a teaspoon of salt in the glass and then leave it in the window for a few days. What will be left after all the water has evaporated? You guessed it - salt!//===

===//In the following lesson we will see how natural phenomenons and human negligence contributed to the devastation of the Aral Sea. Remember as you learn that while we are talking about the Aral Sea, this process could happen anywhere in the world - even the Great Lakes.//===


 * __Lesson Essential Question:__**
 * How are humans affected by changes they make to their physical environment?

Each student will be able to: (//Objectives aligned with State of Michigan Social Studies// GLCEs//)//
 * __Lesson Objectives:__**
 * 1) Identify and define key terms: environmental degradation, groundwater, salinization, and water stress
 * 2) Explain the history of the Aral Sea, and what occurred to change the physical environment.
 * 3) Evaluate the changes to the physical environment and the impact it has had on the quality of life for human beings.
 * 4) Analyze recent trends in Aral Sea history, and how it may relate to other places in the world.

//You are just completed reading through the lesson introduction. Now complete the remainder of the lesson. Make sure you complete the lesson in the order described below.// 1. Lesson Introduction 2. Reading Activity 3. Visualizing the Information 4. Instruction for Finding Solutions 5. Assessment
 * __Lesson Outline//://__**