How Irrigation Affected the Geography of Northeast Oregon

Transcription

1 Delia Wallis How Irrigation Affected the Geography of Northeast Oregon Grade Levels: 4 (with ability to move up or down) Time: two x 45-minute sessions Overview: Students are going to study topographical and land use maps of the United States and of Oregon, looking at how river systems and later, manmade irrigation systems, impacted agriculture production. Essential Question: How has irrigation changed the landscape and impacted agriculture production in northeast Oregon? The following is general preparatory information to help a teacher mentally prepare: The Importance of Geographic Skills: The geographically informed person must understand the varying forms of human settlements in terms of their size, composition, location, arrangement, organization, function, and history. People seldom live in isolation. Instead, they live in clusters ranging from small villages with hundreds of people to megacities with tens of millions of people. The organized groupings of human habitation are the intense focus of most aspects of human life: economic activities, transportation systems, communications media, political and administrative systems, education, culture, and entertainment. Geographic skills provide the necessary tools and techniques for us to think geographically. They are central to geography s distinctive approach to understanding Earth s physical and human patterns and processes. Geographic skills are used in making decisions important to everyday life and all of these decisions involve the ability to acquire, arrange, and use geographic information. Daily decisions and community activities are linked to thinking systematically and spatially about environmental and societal issues. 1. Asking Geographic Questions Identifying questions that help explain the importance of the features or location of places 2. Acquiring Geographic Information Identifying and describing the characteristic information required for a map to be accurate and helpful 3. Organizing Geographic Information The different forms for displaying geographic information: Constructs digital and paper maps, graphs, tables, and charts to display geographic information, as exemplified by constructing a data table with represented values and a map to display the values represented by colors (e.g., areas of increased crops due to access to irrigation.) 4. Analyzing Geographic Information The process of analyzing data to identify geographic relationships, patterns, and trends: Constructing a graph representing geographic information from a data table to identify trends (e.g., comparing available crop land in late 19 th and early 20 th Century to current crop use in northeast Oregon, statewide, and Pacific Northwest.) 5. Answering Geographic Questions The process of making generalizations and drawing conclusions to answer geographic questions: Constructing a digital or paper map that answers a geographic question and describing the data used to inform the answer.

2 National Geography Standards: Standard 12 The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement Oregon Standards: (Geography within Social Sciences, core standards) 7. Locate and examine physical and human characteristics of places and regions, their impact on developing societies, and their connections and interdependence. 8. Evaluate how human cooperation and competition for resources shape the earth s political, economic, physical, and social environments. 9. Evaluate how technological developments, societal decisions, and personal decisions and actions influence the earth s sustainability. Grade 4: Oregon Geography Content Standards: Historical Knowledge 4.3. Give examples of changes in Oregon s agricultural, industrial, political, and business development over time. Geography Identify conflicts involving use of land, natural resources, economy, and competition for scarce resources, different political views, boundary disputes, and cultural differences within Oregon and between different geographical areas Explain how people in Oregon have modified their environment and how the environment has influenced people s lives Describe how technological developments, societal decisions, and personal practices influence Oregon s sustainability (dams, wind turbines, etc.) Oregon Science Standards (NGSS): 4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth s features. (Maps can include topographic maps of Earth s land as well as maps of the locations of mountains and river systems.) Connections to Common Core: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.4 Determine meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area, such as geography. Objectives: In completing this activity, students should be able to: Read topography and land use maps, and identify physical features and land use by comparing with the symbol and/or color legend. (Map Analysis Tool) Examine how river systems and man-made irrigation has impacted agriculture production in northeast Oregon. (Map Analysis Tool) Label a land use map showing irrigated areas of northeast Oregon. (blank map) Identify and explain the basic function of natural, flood, and mechanized irrigation after exploring a diagram. (discussion) Materials: (overhead projector and document camera is helpful) Ø Three various maps of both the United States and Oregon topography, early years and later years land use,(class sets of photocopies) Ø Map Analysis Tools to match each map (class sets of photocopies) Ø Outline Oregon basic physical map (class set of photocopies) Ø Student Atlas of Oregon (class set) Ø Diagram of natural, flood, and mechanical irrigation (class set of photocopies) Note: Each appendix A through L is noted in procedures, also adjacent each sample and full size image.

3 Background: (specific to this lesson) Procedures: SESSION ONE (United States/irrigation intro) An understanding of topographical maps and an ability to identify physical features such as mountains and rivers, helps students understand geographic relationships and probable land use. An understanding of land use maps and ability to compare different time periods, helps students identify and describe patterns of human settlement. Lastly, a basic understanding of how natural, flood, and mechanized irrigation operates helps students identify processes and functions of human settlement. Materials for session one: US topography map (2 choices) Appendix B full-page maps & analysis tools follow in pages Appendix A Early years land use map Appendix D Later years land use map services/iiif/service:gmd:gmd370m:g3701m:g3701gm:gct00013:ca000113/full/pct:25/0/default.jpg Appendix F

4 1 While displaying a topography map of the United States [Appendix B] (or circulating if no projection), guide students (Ss) through map reading by looking at coloration and symbols provided in the legend. 2 (Teacher discusses terms observe, reflect, question; and then models and guides how to use/fill in in the Map Analysis Tool [Appendix A]. Teacher leads through the analysis and Ss can copy, especially the topography and early years land use map reads.) Share rubric [Appendix C] so Ss know assessment expectations. 2a Topography map and analysis discuss terms and emphasize observation. Let Ss read and answer tool questions on their own for about 10 minutes; then teacher leads Ss through same process via the projection so able to copy. 2b Early years land use map [Appendix D] and analysis [Appendix E] - discuss difference in terms and again emphasize observation. Let Ss read and answer tool questions on their own for about 10 minutes; then teacher leads Ss through same process via the projection so able to copy. 2c Mental map teacher has students look at either map or close their eyes and focus on what physical changes might have been made to therefore predict what the current land use map might look like. 2d Later years land use map [Appendix F] and analysis [Appendix G] - Let Ss read the map in comparison to the early years map and answer tool questions on their own for about 5 minutes; then teacher leads Ss through same process via the projection. 3 Hand out the irrigation diagram sheet [Appendix H], teacher explains that the next session will be similar, only with a map focus on Oregon and specifically northeast Oregon. Have Ss look over diagram sheet for a few minutes and let students ask questions and/or share their thoughts about the diagrams. Collect back. Procedures: SESSION TWO (Oregon/explore irrigation) Materials for session two: Oregon topography map Appendix I Oregon land use map

5 Appendix J Irrigation diagram Appendix H Oregon outline map Appendix K 1 Have previous session checked work at students desks and then review, first reminding of key terms on maps and in use with analysis, then looking over maps and the analysis tools and rubric. 2 Teacher reminds Ss that this map study focus is on the state and northeast Oregon. (Similar to session one, except reduce guidance as is comfortable.) 2a Oregon topography map [Appendix I] and analysis [Appendix B, relabeled as desired] review terms, emphasizing observation. Let Ss read and answer tool questions on their own for about 10 minutes; then teacher leads Ss through same process via the projection so able to copy. 2c Student Atlas of Oregon have Ss find reference pages: 13 & 15 for topographical; 21 for precipitation; and 30 for major rivers and lakes. 2c Irrigation diagram [Appendix H] hand sheet again to students. Teacher leads Ss through each diagram for basic understanding of key irrigation methods. 2d Mental map teacher has students look at either map or close their eyes and focus on what physical changes which they know have been made to therefore predict what the current land use map might look like. Hand out and look over Oregon land use map [Appendix J] and discuss. 2c Student Atlas of Oregon have Ss find reference pages: and for farm lands and crops. Discuss findings.

6 3 Hand out outline map of Oregon [Appendix K] with the labeling rubric [Appendix L] and have Ss use their atlas and other map tools to draw in the following features and create a legend with symbols and/or colors. Have Ss label: Hermiston; crop land use in our area; the Umatilla River. Assessments: Ø The three Map Analysis Tools for the United States (Session One) and then similarly for Oregon (Session Two) completed in coordination with a rubric. Ø Label key geographical features on an outline map of Oregon: Hermiston (city name), Umatilla River (important to our local river system), and area crop land (to show an understanding of local land use). Extensions and/or Adaptations: Ø Dams both earthen such as Willow Creek, and concrete such as McNary. Ø Read excerpt and explore first-hand account of designing and constructing irrigation systems. Use the 1939 interview of William Mackenzie from Library of Congress. [Irrigation in Oregon] He describes a failed earthen dam and what it was like to help design irrigation systems in central/eastern Oregon. Sources: Library of Congress website; U.S. Geological Survey Appendices Each appendix A through L is noted in procedures, also adjacent each sample and full size image.