SUMMARY
In the heart of the country, Great Plains farmers and ranchers produce a quarter of all U.S. crops and 40 percent of its beef. But they rely on a resource that has been slowly drying up, water.
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News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What worries Brant Peterson most about the drying wells?
- Where is the Ogallala Aquifer?
- How much of the U.S. crops and beef are produced in the Great Plains?
- Who is Steve Compton?
- Why is the Ogallala Aquifer overdrafted, according to Peter Gleick?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
The episode shows us how farmers are taking “local control” to conserve water and continue to farm on their land. What do you think are the responsibilities of the local and national government in protecting water resources and our climate?
Media literacy: What would you want to hear more about to understand the water crisis for Great Plains farmers and the agriculture industry? What about non-farming or non-industry community members?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
FOR MORE
What students can do:
Learn more about climate change and how young people have engaged with the climate crisis. Discuss: what do you think is the best way for farmers and for young people to address climate change?
This post was written by Stacey Zhang, a junior at Amherst College, and an intern with PBS NewsHour Classroom, and edited by NewsHour's Vic Pasquantonio.
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