DROUGHTS
Teacher Guidelines ▶ pages 1 – 2
3-4
Instructional Pages ▶ pages 3 – 6
Activity Page ▶ page 7 – 8
Practice Page ▶ page 9
GRADE Homework Page
Answer Key
▶
▶
page 10
page 11 – 14
Classroom Procedure: Approximate Grade Level: 3 – 4
1. Ask students: What are the many ways water is used Objectives: The students will be able to define
drought, identify causes of droughts, list four
throughout the world, in a city, town, or in your home? How kinds of droughts, and explain some effects of
do you use water? droughts and the history of notable droughts
in the world.
2. Allow for responses and discussion. List the students’
responses for display which should include personal reasons State Educational Standards*
for water use as well as how it is used by farmers, industries, NGSS.4-ESS3-1
etc. Ask students what it would be like during a water shortage. NGSS.4-ESS3-2
NGSS.3-ESS3-1
3. Allow for responses and discussion. Introduce Droughts Class Sessions (45 minutes):
to the class. 1 - 2 class sessions.
4. Distribute Droughts content pages. Read and review the Teaching Materials/Worksheets:
information with the students. Save the final question for Droughts content pages (3), Activity pages
the lesson closing. Use the additional resources to enhance (2), Practice page, Homework page
understanding. Student Supplies:
handouts
Distribute Activity pages. Read and review the instructions.
Pair students. Allow sufficient time for students to review the Prepare Ahead of Time:
map and respond to each of the questions. Pair students for the activity.
Copy handouts.
5. Once completed, conduct a class discussion based on
Options for Lesson: Students may work alone
students’ responses. or in groups for the activity. Allow students
6. Distribute Practice page. Check and review the students’ to place containers of water in different
areas of the school, inside and outside,
responses. identify factors affecting evaporation.
7. Distribute the Homework page. The next day, check and Students do further research about the
impact of droughts on jobs, residents, etc.
review the students’ responses.
Students compare drought maps during
8. In closing, ask students: Imagine what it would be like different seasons of the year. Students
research historical droughts and present
during a drought. What would you miss the most about being
the information to the class. Students
restricted to only a small amount of drinking water each day? compare droughts to flooding- what causes
9. Allow for responses and discussion. Remind students the most problems for an area?
they cannot shower, swim, wash their hands, wash clothes, *Lessons are aligned to meet the education objectives and goals of
etc. What would they miss the most? What inconveniences most states. For more information on your state objectives, contact
your local Board of Education or Department of Education in your state.
would be caused?
1
Teacher Notes
The lesson introduces students to droughts, their causes, effects, and more. Many students do not fully
understand droughts and may simply think droughts occur only due to the lack of rain. The lesson discusses
the different types of droughts, conserving water, and facts about historical droughts. The lesson may be
used in conjunction with weather, natural disaster, or other similar lessons.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2
Droughts
There is water nearly everywhere throughout the world as 70% of
the Earth’s surface is covered with water. However, the distribution
of water throughout the world is not the same because some places
have lots of fresh water such as rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, etc.,
and those bodies of water are regularly replenished by rainfall,
runoffs, and underground water sources.
On the other hand, there are areas in the world where there is an
absence of water for long periods of time, and in a place where
it is considered not normal compared to its usual conditions. In
these areas, they are suffering droughts.
A drought is mostly defined as a relatively long time when there
is not enough water because of dry weather. A drought will
negatively affect humans, animals, and plant life. In some areas,
a drought may take place in a shorter period, but in other areas
where there may be more water available, it may take longer for
a drought to occur.
For example, a farmer who relies on rain for crops, a month
without water could be called a drought. However, in another
area, a month without rain may not be called a drought because
there are reserves of water available.
Droughts become an issue when the lack of water affects the
usual water supply for irrigation, municipal and industrial needs,
energy, and the ecosystem. Droughts that last a long time can
be called natural disasters just like a hurricane or tornado, but
instead of flooding, there is no water available. Severe droughts
can have extremely severe consequences, and there are four
main types of droughts.
3
Types of Droughts
All droughts are not the same. If you do not get rain for a month, your town may not experience a drought.
However, the same conditions in another area where there is no rain for a month, it could be called a drought.
In addition, remember, precipitation comes in many different forms such as rain, snow, sleet, ice, dew, and
frost. If it doesn’t rain where you live, but there is moisture on the ground each morning when you wake,
your area may not be experiencing a drought.
Review the four different types of drought:
• Determined by lack of moisture in the weather; lack of precipitation
• May include dry winds, high temperatures, no humidity
Meteorological
• Occurs relative to what the average conditions in the area might be like
Drought
• If the condition is prolonged it could turn into a water crisis
• A meteorological drought can begin and end quickly
Towns experiencing a meteorological drought may order residents to reduce the use of water such as not
permitting people to wash cars, water grass, or do other activities that may waste water.
• Determined by reduced moisture in the atmosphere and soil moisture is
negatively affected
Agricultural • Evapotranspiration (combination of evaporation of water into the air from
Drought plants and other sources) is affected
• Crops and animals are affected by agricultural droughts
• The effects are those seen during a meteorological drought
An area experiencing an agricultural drought may lead to a shortage of some foods that normally would
be available, such as those growing or being raised by farmers in the area.
4
• There is much less precipitation leading to a deficiency in surface and groundwater
supply
Hydrological • Farming and energy begins to rely too much on the surface and groundwater
Drought supply when there is no precipitation
• Does not happen at the same time as meteorological drought but may be an
effect of a meteorological drought
During a hydrological drought, there is also a decline in the quantity and quality of surface and sub-surface
water. The quality of water often decreases with nearly all drought types.
• Supply of goods and services such as energy, food, and drinking water are
reduced
Socioeconomic • Might be worsened by growing populations and excessive demands of such
Drought goods creating a stress on the small amount of water available
• It takes a long time for a drought to get to this point, and it takes a long time to
recover from it
Depending on the length of a drought, the effects can be minor such as some restrictions on the personal use of
water by residents of a city or state. However, there are many effects of drought which are not always obvious.
5
Effects of Droughts
There are several effects of droughts besides just the shortage
or lack of drinking water. There are three main consequences
of droughts:
• Environmental: Includes lower water levels, increased
pollution of water, drying out of wetlands, more and larger
fires, biodiversity loss, unhealthy trees/plants, appearance
of pests and diseases
• Economic: Agricultural losses, lower game and fishing
output, higher food production costs, lower energy levels
in hydroelectric plants, tourism losses, losses in industries
that use water for production
• Social: Negative effect on the health of people, increased
pollution, high food costs, stress, increase the gap between
developed countries and developing countries
There have been many droughts in the history of the Earth and
are normal recurring features of the climate in most parts of the world. A drought has been linked to hunter-
gatherer migrations in 9,500 BC Chile and early humans’ exodus out of Africa and into the rest of the world
about 135,000 years ago.
Other historical droughts include India in 1900, which killed between 250,000 and 3.25 million people; in
1921-1922, a drought in the Soviet Union led to over 5 million people dying from starvation; and between
1928 and 1930, over 3 million deaths occurred in Northwest China.
More recently, for 13 years beginning in 1997, the Millennium Drought took place in Australia and led to a
water crisis across much of the country, which led to desalination plants being built for the first time to process
saltwater into drinking water. The Australian drought broke in 2010.
In summary, a drought is a consistent period of dry weather when an area gets much less than its normal
amount of precipitation. They can occur over months or years leading to damage to crops, loss of animal
life, and can become dangerous to people, causing famine and deaths. It is a natural event but can also be
triggered by deforestation, global warming, and diverting rivers or emptying lakes. Droughts usually take
place slowly.
Imagine what it would be like during a drought.
What would you miss the most about being restricted
to only a small amount of drinking water each day?
6
Activity Name __________________________ Date _________
Work with your partner and use the U.S. Drought Map to discuss and respond to the questions below.
If you disagree with a response, write both answers to the question. A map showing the names of
states may be used.
7
Activity Name __________________________ Date _________
1. Name three states that are experiencing “No Drought”:
2. Name the seven states showing some “Extreme Drought”:
3. Which regions of the country show the least amount of drought? Why?
4. Why would the southwest coast of California experience a severe drought even though it lies along the
Pacific Ocean?
5. What might be the source of surface water for much of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
Illinois?
6. In what type of drought would forest fires most likely be a hazard?
7. Which state is surrounded by water to its west and east and experiences very little drought? Why?
8. Name the states that would benefit the most by building desalination plants?
9. Describe the drought situation in your state based on the map above:
10. Name some ways people could conserve water each day:
8
Practice Name __________________________ Date _________
Match the statement to the correct type of drought. Meteorological (M), Agricultural (A), Hydrological
(H), Socioeconomic (S).
1 It takes a long time to recover from this drought
2 Crops, animals, and evapotranspiration is affected
3 Supply of goods and services such as energy, food, and drinking water are reduced
4 The effects are those seen during a meteorological drought
5 There is much less precipitation leading to a deficiency in surface and ground water
6 Determined by lack of moisture in the weather; lack of precipitation
7 If the condition is prolonged it could turn into a water crisis
8 Supply of goods and services such as energy, food, and drinking water are reduced
9 Occurs relative to what the average conditions in the area might be like
10 Might be worsened by growing populations and excessive demands of goods
11 It can begin and end very quickly
12 Farming and energy begins to rely too much on the surface and groundwater supply
13 Does not happen at the same time as meteorological drought
14 Determined by reduced moisture in the atmosphere and soil moisture is negatively affected
15 May include dry winds, high temperatures, and no humidity
Tell whether each statement is True (T) or False (F).
16 A drought can be considered a natural disaster just like a hurricane or tornado.
17 Most droughts usually last for the same time-period throughout the world.
18 Millions of people have died due to droughts in China, India, and the Soviet Union.
19 The Millennium Drought took place in Australia and led to a water crisis in the country.
20 Nearly all droughts are the same and affect areas the same way.
9
Homework Name __________________________ Date _________
Identify each drought effect as Environmental (E), Economic (EC), or Social (S).
1 Unrest, stress, and other related issues for people
2 Erosion of the landscape possibly leading to dustbowls
3 Some areas may be turned into desert-like conditions
4 Diminished crop growth or production of foods
5 Mass migration from one area to another area resulting in a refugee crisis
6 People lose jobs because the lack of water cuts down on production of some goods
7 Wildfires, forest fires, appearance of pests
8 War and battles over the limited natural resources
9 Shortage of water for industrial users
10 Malnutrition, dehydration, and other related diseases
11 Increased pollution
12 Reduced electricity production by hydroelectric dams
Answer each question.
13. In what country did hunter-gatherer migrations occur in 9,500 BC? ____________________________
14. In what years did the Millennium Drought occur in Australia? _________________________________
15. Name three ways people may be asked to reduce water: ____________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
16. About what percent of the Earth is covered in water? _______________________________________
17. How are bodies of water replenished? ___________________________________________________
18. What happens to the quality of water during a drought? _____________________________________
19. A drought led to an exodus of people out of what continent 135,000 years ago? __________________
20. Name three other triggers of a drought besides a lack of precipitation: __________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
10
Activity Answer Key (may vary)
Name __________________________ Date _________
Work with your partner and use the U.S. Drought Map to discuss and respond to the questions below.
If you disagree with a response, write both answers to the question. A map showing the names of
states may be used.
11
Activity Answer Key (may vary)
Name __________________________ Date _________
1. Name three states that are experiencing “No Drought”: Michigan, Ohio, N. Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, Connecticut
2. Name the seven states showing some “Extreme Drought”: Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma,
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas
3. Which regions of the country show the least amount of drought? Why? Northeast, Northwest
There is more freshwater available in those areas, such as lakes, streams, rivers, etc.; cooler temperatures
4. Why would the southwest coast of California experience a severe drought even though it lies along the
Pacific Ocean? The Pacific Ocean is salty, and the water cannot be used in the same way as freshwater.
The temperatures may be higher, and the wind may be dry.
5. What might be the source of surface water for much of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
Illinois? The Great Lakes
6. In what type of drought would forest fires most likely be a hazard? Extreme and Exceptional Drought
7. Which state is surrounded by water to its west and east and experiences very little drought? Why?
Florida, the state has an abundance of sub-surface water, swamps, etc.; freshwater
8. Name the states that would benefit the most by building desalination plants? California, Oregon, Texas,
Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, other coastal states
9. Describe the drought situation in your state based on the map above:
10. Name some ways people could conserve water each day: shorter showers; collecting, saving, and using
rainwater; turning off the water when it is not being used; fix leaky pipes; use a car wash instead of water
from home; fill washers and dishwashers with full loads; etc.
12
Practice Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________
Match the statement to the correct type of drought. Meteorological (M), Agricultural (A), Hydrological
(H), Socioeconomic (S).
1 S It takes a long time to recover from this drought
2 A Crops, animals, and evapotranspiration is affected
3 S Supply of goods and services such as energy, food, and drinking water are reduced
4 A The effects are those seen during a meteorological drought
5 H There is much less precipitation leading to a deficiency in surface and ground water
6 M Determined by lack of moisture in the weather; lack of precipitation
7 M If the condition is prolonged it could turn into a water crisis
8 S Supply of goods and services such as energy, food, and drinking water are reduced
9 M Occurs relative to what the average conditions in the area might be like
10 S Might be worsened by growing populations and excessive demands of goods
11 M It can begin and end very quickly
12 H Farming and energy begins to rely too much on the surface and groundwater supply
13 H Does not happen at the same time as meteorological drought
14 A Determined by reduced moisture in the atmosphere and soil moisture is negatively affected
15 M May include dry winds, high temperatures, and no humidity
Tell whether each statement is True (T) or False (F).
16 T A drought can be considered a natural disaster just like a hurricane or tornado.
17 F Most droughts usually last for the same time-period throughout the world.
18 T Millions of people have died due to droughts in China, India, and the Soviet Union.
19 T The Millennium Drought took place in Australia and led to a water crisis in the country.
20 F Nearly all droughts are the same and affect areas the same way.
13
Homework Answer Key
Name __________________________ Date _________
Identify each drought effect as Environmental (E), Economic (EC), or Social (S).
1 S Unrest, stress, and other related issues for people
2 E Erosion of the landscape possibly leading to dustbowls
3 E Some areas may be turned into desert-like conditions
4 EC Diminished crop growth or production of foods
5 S Mass migration from one area to another area resulting in a refugee crisis
6 EC People lose jobs because the lack of water cuts down on production of some goods
7 E Wildfires, forest fires, appearance of pests
8 S War and battles over the limited natural resources
9 EC Shortage of water for industrial users
10 S Malnutrition, dehydration, and other related diseases
11 E Increased pollution
12 EC Reduced electricity production by hydroelectric dams
Answer each question.
13. In what country did hunter-gatherer migrations occur in 9,500 BC? Chile
14. In what years did the Millennium Drought occur in Australia? 1997 to 2010
15. Name three ways people may be asked to reduce water: restrictions on grass watering, washing cars,
swimming, etc.
16. About what percent of the Earth is covered in water? 70%
17. How are bodies of water replenished? Rainfall, runoffs, and underground water sources
18. What happens to the quality of water during a drought? It decreases
19. A drought led to an exodus of people out of what continent 135,000 years ago? Africa
20. Name three other triggers of a drought besides a lack of precipitation: deforestation, global warming,
diverting rivers, emptying lakes
14