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Data Puzzle: Megadrought in the Colorado River Basin
https://cires.colorado.edu/outreach/resources/data-puzzle-lesson/data-puzzle-megadrought-colorado-river-basin

Jonathan Griffith, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences - Education and Outreach

Through this resource from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), students will define, investigate, and answer questions about what caused the megadrought in the Colorado River Basin from 2000-2021. This lesson uses text, contextual videos, and datasets from NOAA and NASA to teach the concepts of megadrought and evapotranspiration.

This learning activity takes two 60 minute class periods.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»


Grade Level

Regional Focus

Online Readiness

Topics

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Energy Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • The notes in the slide deck provide more information and context.
  • This lesson teaches concepts like evapotranspiration and megadrought, but it does not always support students in understanding the full scope of the problems these events create. Consider using this resource in a larger unit about agriculture, fresh water use, hydropower, and urban planning.
  • After teaching this lesson, work with students to research options for avoiding tragedy in the context of the megadrought. What can we do to lower water usage in the Southwest? What could dry farming options, plant-focused diets, and civic planning do to help with the issues outlined in this lesson? After researching pathways to action, consider what the school and the community can do to reduce water use.

About the Content

  • The resource provides an excellent scientific overview of the megadrought impacting the Colorado River and the Southwest United States.
  • It includes expert interviews, data, and model creation that all involve sound science.
  • This resource occasionally acknowledges climate change as the driving force for longer droughts.
  • Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

  • This resources uses videos, drawing/illustrations, text, and discussion to engage students with a variety of learning styles.
  • A teacher's guide and answer key, slide deck, and student worksheet are included. The answer key is linked in the materials section of the teacher guide.
  • This unit provides an excellent overview of an environmental issue that will likely cause massive problems in the United States in the coming decades. It highlights data and analysis that show a megadrought is already happening and likely to get worse. However, the lesson may leave students feeling overwhelmed and/or hopeless. It presents a massive problem without any foreseeable solutions. Consider guiding students through pathways to action after this lesson.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • The guide, worksheet, and slide deck are accessible on Google Docs. The CBS video produced pop-ups ads that may be disabled by browser settings. YouTube advertisements were also present in some videos.
  • Students will need access to a computer and internet to fully interact with this lesson.
Entered the Collection: September 2023 Last Reviewed: June 2023

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