1. STANDARDS:
SS7G2 Explain environmental issues across the continent of Africa.
Explain how water pollution and unequal access to water impacts irrigation, trade, industry, and drinking water.
Explain the relationship between poor soil and deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Explain the impact of desertification on the environment of Africa.
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2. Africa’s Environmental Issues
Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution, Deforestation, & Desertification
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3. Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution
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4. Africa & Water Water has always been vital to Africa.
The oceans, rivers, & seas that surround and run through Africa have allowed Africans to engage in trade and to have access to the outside world.
The interactions around these bodies of water have enabled certain cities to become thriving centers of commerce.
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6. Limited Supply
Countries with large river systems have enough water for farming and for people in villages, towns, and cities.
Unfortunately, the majority of Africa has trouble getting enough water for people to survive.
Most African countries have very little clean water for drinking and washing.
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8. Walk to Water
People who live in rural areas of Africa typically don’t have running water or plumbing in their homes.
Women and children must walk several miles to gather it from a water source.
This has caused serious economic problems for many African countries.
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10. Poverty
Because fetching water is so time-consuming, women are unable to work and children don’t have time to go to school.
Lack of education and employment leads to a low GDP and slow economic growth.
Many Africans cannot escape the circle of poverty.
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12. Drought
Droughts (long periods of very little rainfall) have hurt many parts of Africa.
When the rains do not come, crops wither away and livestock die.
People who live in areas affected by drought often face famine and begin to die of starvation.
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13. Pollution
Many countries in Africa do not have enough clean water, even the ones that have large rivers.
African countries have the problem of increasing pollution from factories and contamination from animals & human waste.
Industries also contribute to the problem by dumping toxic mining chemicals and industrial wastes into the waters.
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15. Diseases Clean water is needed for basic health and sanitation.
Lack of clean water to wash with increases the frequency of skin and eye infections.
People who are not able to have access to clean water are at risk for many water-borne diseases that spread by parasites living in standing water.
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17. Diseases
Millions of Africans are hospitalized yearly from ingesting unsafe water.
Sick people are unable to work, with negatively impacts the economy.
Also, unclean drinking water is a leading cause of death for thousands of children in Africa.
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18. Industries
Local industries that depend on water sources for their livelihood have been devastated by water pollution.
Water pollution either kills fish or makes them unsafe to eat.
It can also kill livestock, which destroys the livelihood of herders and traders.
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19. Clean Up
Overpopulation and poor sanitation regulations have made life along Africa’s water sources difficult.
Some countries in Africa have tried to improve their economies by building factories.
Unfortunately, government officials often ignore the industrial wastes that are being flushed into rivers and streams as long as the factories are profitable.
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21. Deforestation
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22. Deforestation
As Africa’s population increases and nations try to develop economically, deforestation has become a growing concern.
Deforestation is the process of forests being destroyed to make way for human development.
Deforestation is a major issue in many African nations.
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24. Logging
A main cause of deforestation in Africa today is commercial logging.
The timber is exported all over the world and helps boost the economy of many African countries.
Unfortunately, the environment is destroyed as a result.
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26. Population
Another reason Africans are cutting down so many trees is population growth.
In the last 50 years, Africa’s population has tripled to over 1.2 billion people.
Cities have grown and have cleared large areas of forests for housing.
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28. Rainforest
Many of the rainforests that once ran from Guinea to Cameroon are already gone.
Nigeria is losing its rainforests at the fastest rate.
The United Nations estimates that Nigeria has now lost about 55 percent of its original forests to logging, clearing land for farming, and cutting trees to use as fuel.
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29. Since the 1990s, more than 90% of West-African rainforests have been cut down.
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31. Effects
As the number of trees shrinks, so does the amount of oxygen produced.
Meanwhile, the amount of harmful carbon dioxide in the air increases.
Less rainforests could also mean fewer medicines.
About one-fourth of all medicines people use come from rainforest plants.
Deforestation also leads to extinction of species of both plants and animals.
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32. Effects Crops grow best in topsoil, a nutrient-rich layer of dirt.
When trees are cut down, there is nothing to hold the topsoil in place.
The wind and rain carry away the important nutrients, and the land eventually loses the nutrients necessary for growing crops.
The sun bakes the exposed soil into hard clay, which leads to desertification.
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33. Desertification
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34. Desertification
The Sahel is one part of Africa that is experiencing severe problems with desertification, the process of the desert expanding into areas that had formerly been farmland.
As the land is overused, the soil becomes poor and powdery.
The winds coming from the Sahara gradually blow the dry topsoil away, leaving a barren and rocky land that loses its ability to hold water.
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37. Growing Desert
A majority of the desertification is the result of the actions of people rather than climate.
Desertification in Africa is caused by:
Poor farming practices.
People cutting down the trees that help hold the soil in place.
Animals being allowed to graze too heavily in an area and stripping all of the vegetation from the soil.
Draining the surface & underground water for industrial & home use.
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39. Effects
The survival needs of the people living there are clear, but they are destroying major parts of their environment in the process.
Africans who have lived for generations by farming and raising grazing animals are finding they have less and less land available to them.
The people who live in these areas often face starvation and poverty.
Many move into urban areas hoping to find work, but most find only more poverty.
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41. Solution?
Some Africans work hard to try to replant trees, to build windbreaks to keep out the sand, and to push the desert back whenever they can.
In many parts of Africa, this has become a losing battle, as the desert claims more land each year.
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43. Solution?
In recent years, the United Nations and the World Food Bank have come to the aid of those living in parts of the Sahel.
They have worked to find solutions to help the people survive and live a better life.
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44. Print off the following slide for each student.
TEACHER INFO:
Print off the following slide for each student.
They should complete the chart while discussing the presentation.
Check answers as a class when finished. If time, have students color their pictures.
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45. Africa’s Environmental Issues
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ILLUSTRATION
EFFECTS
CAUSES
Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution
Directions: Complete the chart below with information that you learn during the presentation. If time allows, color your illustrations.
Africa’s Environmental Issues
Deforestation
Desertification

46. Africa’s Environmental Issues
Will vary
There’s not enough clean water available for many Africans to meet their basic needs
-Women and children cant get jobs or go to school, cycle of poverty continues
-droughts cause famine and people die of starvation
-unclean water leads to diseases
-pollution kills fish & livestock
--Most African countries don’t have enough water for drinking, washing, etc.
--Most of Africa has suffered from drought
Women & children have to walk for miles to gather water
--Many countries suffer from pollution from factories and animal/human waste
Increased carbon dioxide, fewer medicines available, extinction of plants and animals, soil erosion, desertification
--main cause of deforestation in Africa’s is commercial logging.
--Deforestation is the process of forests being destroyed to make way for human development.
-also clearing land for houses (population growth)
--Less and less farmland available
--People are facing starvation and poverty
--Many move to urban areas to find work, but are faced with more poverty
--Desert is expanding into areas that had formerly been farmland, particularly in the Sahel region
--Caused by poor farming practices, overgrazing, cutting down too many trees, draining surface & underground water for industrial use
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ILLUSTRATION
EFFECTS
CAUSES
Water Pollution & Unequal Distribution
Directions: Complete the chart below with information that you learn during the presentation. If time allows, color your illustrations.
Africa’s Environmental Issues
Deforestation
Desertification

47. TEACHER INFO: Political Cartoon Analysis
Print off the Political Cartoon Analysis sheet for each student.
Project the slides with two political cartoons onto the board (or print off several copies for students to share).
Students should choose one of the cartoons and complete the analysis for it.
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48. Political Cartoon Analysis
Directions: Spend some time analyzing the political cartoon, then answer the questions below.
Describe what you see in the cartoon. List the objects/people.
Which of the objects are symbols? What do you think each symbol means?
Describe the action taking place in the cartoon:
Explain the message of the cartoon:
Who would agree with the cartoon’s message? Why?
Who would disagree with the cartoon’s message? Why?
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49. 1
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50. 2
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51. 3
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52. TEACHER INFO: Africa Water Bottle
Print off the Africa Water Bottle handout for each student.
The students will design a water bottle to raise awareness about the water crisis in Africa. They should include facts and images to represent water pollution and unequal access to water in Africa.
In the textbox, they will write a description that explains the water bottle’s design.
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53. Africa Water Bottle Bottle Description: © Brain Wrinkles
Directions: Design a water bottle to raise awareness about the water crisis in Africa. Include facts and images to represent water pollution and unequal access to water in Africa. In the textbox, write a description that explains your water bottle’s design.
Africa Water Bottle
Bottle Description:

54. TEACHER INFO: Environmental Issues Selfies
Print off the Environmental Issues Selfies handout for each student.
The students will “take a selfie” of themselves visiting parts of Africa where deforestation and desertification are occurring.
In the corresponding textbox, they will describe where they are and what they see so that their “followers” are aware of what’s going on in Africa.
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55. Africa’s Environmental Issues Selfies
Directions: It’s time to spread awareness about deforestation and desertification in Africa. Take a selfie of yourself visiting parts of Africa where these issues are occurring. In the corresponding textbox, describe where you are & what you see so that all of your followers are aware of what’s going on in Africa.
#deforestation
#desertification
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56. TEACHER INFO: Comprehension Check
Print off the Comprehension Check handout for each student. (Print front-to-back to save paper.)
Students will complete the assignment after discussing the presentation. This can also be used as a quiz!
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57. Africa’s Environmental Issues
1. What water problems do many African nations face?
2. What do many African women and children have to do in order to get water?
3. What is a drought?
4. What are two major things polluting African waters?
5. Name three problems that result from polluted water:
6. Why do some governments ignore industrial pollution of major rivers?
7. What is one part of Africa that is experiencing major problems with desertification?
8. What are the main causes of desertification in Africa?
9. What is life like for Africans who are forced to leave their farms for major cities?
10. What is the main cause of deforestation in Africa today?
11. What causes the amount of carbon dioxide in the air to increase?
12. Which African country is losing its rainforest the fastest?
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Africa’s Environmental Issues
Comprehension Check

58. Africa’s Environmental Issues
1. What water problems do many African nations face?
Most African countries don’t have enough water for drinking, washing, etc.; many countries suffer from pollution from factories and animal/human waste
2. What do many African women and children have to do in order to get water?
Walk many miles to the closest water source
3. What is a drought?
Periods of very little rainfall
4. What are two major things polluting African waters?
Human sewage/garbage & industrial waste
5. Name three problems that result from polluted water:
Kills fish & livestock; water is unsafe to drink, spreads diseases
6. Why do some governments ignore industrial pollution of major rivers? $
7. What is one part of Africa that is experiencing major problems with desertification?
Sahel
8. What are the main causes of desertification in Africa?
Poor farming practices, overgrazing, cutting down too many trees, draining surface & underground water for industrial use
9. What is life like for Africans who are forced to leave their farms for major cities?
Still live in poverty
10. What is the main cause of deforestation in Africa today?
Commercial logging
11. What causes the amount of carbon dioxide in the air to increase?
Cutting down trees causes amount of oxygen produced to shrink
12. Which African country is losing its rainforest the fastest?
Nigeria
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Africa’s Environmental Issues
Comprehension Check

59. TEACHER INFO: TICKET OUT THE DOOR
Print off the Tweet All About It handout for each student (two-per-page).
Have students write a tweet/summary of each of the issues (less than 140 characters).
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60. Tweet All About It Tweet All About It
Name:
Name:
Tweet All About It
Tweet All About It
Write tweets about the environmental issues across the continent of Africa. Keep them short and to the point, but include enough information to prove you understand the event.
Write tweets about the environmental issues across the continent of Africa. Keep them short and to the point, but include enough information to prove you understand the event.
#Unequalaccesstowater
#Unequalaccesstowater
#Waterpollution
#Waterpollution
#Deforestation
#Deforestation
#Desertification
#Desertification
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61. Thank You! Ansley at Brain Wrinkles
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Ansley at Brain Wrinkles

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