Geographic Alliance of Iowa

Putting Iowa in its place

How Humans are Creating Desertification in Africa

This lesson plan was created by Casey Conover (Riverside CSD) for students in 9th grade. In this lesson plan, students will learn about the process of desertification, discover how it is affecting Africa, and research possible solutions.

Discipline/Subject

World Geography

Physical Geography

Science

Theme

Environmental

Rural/Agriculture

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Africa

Five Themes of Geography

Location

Place

Human-Environment Interaction

Region

National Geographic Standards

3. How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface

4. The physical and human characteristics of places

7. The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth's surface

8. The characteristics and spatial distribution of ecosystems on Earth's surface

14. How human actions modify the physical environment

15. How physical systems affect human systems

18. How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future

Iowa Core Social Studies Standards

GE 2. Understand how physical and human characteristics create and define regions

GE 4. Understand how physical and human processes shape the Earth's surface and major ecosystems

GE 5. Understand how human actions modify the environment and how the environment affects humans

GE 7. Understand how cultural factors influence the design of human communities