5 mins

AIM - What has happened to the Aral Sea?

LEARNING OUTCOMES MINI STARTER
5: I will outline the causes and effects of the shrinking Aral Sea.
Why is water so
6: I will explain the causes and effects of the shrinking Aral Sea important?
7: I will explain with specific detail the causes and effects of the How many times have
shrinking Aral Sea you used water
already today?
8: I will assess the causes and effects of the shrinking Aral Sea. Directly AND
Indirectly?
9: I will assess causes and effects of the shrinking Aral Sea. I will Write your ideas
consider what should be done in the future in the region? down!

AIM HIGH GEO CHALLENGE 🌍

The Aral Sea is not actually a sea! Why therefore is it called one?
 5 mins

STARTER – Where is the Aral Sea?

TASK 📝
Can you find the Aral Sea.
Once you have found it can
you describe it’s location?
Which continent is it in?
Which countries surround it?

Positioned in far-western
Asia, just to the east of
the Caspian Sea, the Aral
Sea is located in the
countries of Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan.
The Aral Sea in central Asia was once the 4th biggest inland sea and one of the world’s most fertile regions

CRITICAL THINKING 🧠 The two rivers feeding the sea [Amu Darya
• What do you think happened?
and Syr Darya] were diverted in a Soviet
• How could you find out more information?
scheme to grow cotton in the desert
• What problems could this cause?
CRITICAL THINKING 🧠

How was this allowed to happen? Why do you think this acceptable or unacceptable?

Would this be allowed to happen, today? Can we expect this to change?

 15 mins

Causes and impacts of the drying sea…

SPEAK LIKE A GEOGRAPHER 🌍💬
Irrigation - artificially supplying dry land with water

TASK 📝
Watch the video (10 mins) on the Aral Sea and answer the following questions.

Questions
1. What uses and positives did the Aral sea bring?
2. How did the Aral Sea dry up?
3. What negatives were caused due to the Aral sea drying up?
4. What are they doing to help solve the problems?

Spelling alert Saxual – plants used to re-green the Aral sea region and stop further desertification
 Evaluating the impacts of the shrinking sea… 10 mins

TASK 📝 1. As water quantity decreased, salinity (salt water content) rose to levels toxic
Choose the for fish and other wildlife. The first drastic increase occurred between 1971
greatest and 1975 when salinity rose to 12-14%.
impact of the 2. Using the water in the region for irrigation has led to desertification and the
shrinking Aral downfall of agriculture (land becoming like a desert).
Sea and 3. Due to a strong NE wind, over 100 million tons of salty dust blows away from
explain your the Sea annually. The dust contains an unhealthy mixture of fertiliser and
reasonings. other agricultural chemicals and household waste. Salt and pesticide
chemicals have caused health disasters and further complications for
AIM HIGH 🌍 agriculture (farming)
What else do
you think 4. Hospitalisation rates increased from 20 to 25 per 100 people between 1980
should be and 1987. Mortality rates have increased by 15 times in a ten year period,
done to stop and diseases such as cardiac, vascular, gallstone, and tuberculosis have risen
further future significantly.
negative 5. Many people in the area worked in fishing and related jobs like fish canning
impacts? these jobs are no longer available so unemployment has risen in the area.
 5 mins

PLENARY – Critically think 🧠

TASK 📝
Watch the video to see what is happening with the Aral Sea now:
What is actually happening at the Aral Sea now?

Think critically:
• Do you think this is enough?
• Realistically, what else can be done?
• What do you think the future holds?

Write your ideas down!