Geography · Week 13 · Environment, Society, and the Future
Water in a Thirsty Land
Examining how wells, canals, and Colorado River water turned the desert into farmland and how different groups negotiate scarce water fairly.
- Students will
- Students explain how wells, canals, and Colorado River water changed the desert, analyze how different users describe their needs, and propose a fair compromise using evidence.
- SEL skill
- Share a reasoned idea honestly while taking other people's needs into account
- What it looks like
- Students practice weighing the needs of different groups and supporting a fair choice with honest reasons.
- Content focus
- Water in a Thirsty Land
- Format
- Structured discussion
Responsible decision-making
Responsible decision-making means making caring, constructive choices by thinking about ethics, safety, and the consequences for everyone affected. More responsible decision-making activities
What you get
A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.
Standards
- NGS.14: National Geography Standard 14
- NGS.16: National Geography Standard 16
- CA HSS Analysis Skill: HI5 Analyze human changes to landscapes and the environmental policy issues that result. (Historical Interpretation)
- C3 Framework (national): D4.6.9-12 Use disciplinary lenses to understand the causes of local, regional, and global problems and the challenges people face in addressing them.
- Literacy in history: RH.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author's claims.
More responsible decision-making activities for Geography
- Maps Tell Stories Responsible decision-makingComparing map projections and who made them, and noticing how choices about what a map shows can shape feelings and judgments.
- How Towns Grow Responsible decision-makingAnalyzing why settlements like Indio grew along water, rail lines, and highways and weighing growth decisions where neighbors want different things.
- Planning the Valley's Future Responsible decision-makingUsing geography to propose a plan for a cooler, greener neighborhood and setting a hopeful goal students can work toward.
Previous: How Towns Grow · Next: When Heat Shapes a Community
RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.