Jigsaw Activity Instructions
1. Read your article silently and note the main ideas on loose-leaf or scrap paper. (5 minutes)
· what scientists/geographers know about the water cycle,
· technology involved in using or learning about water,
· human-environment interactions involving water
Do NOT write on the article!
2. Join the other people who have the SAME article. (10 minutes)
· Discuss the main ideas.
· Identify the 3 – 5 most important ideas. (All must agree)
· Get a copy of the jigsaw handout.
· Record the ideas IN ORDER from most important to least.
3. Join the other people who have the same NUMBER on their article. (10 minutes)
· Share the key ideas from your article, and
· record the key ideas from their articles.
4. Pass in your handout.
5. Pass in your article.
In each column, give 3 – 5 MAIN Ideas about the article:
Please focus on how the article CONNECTS to topics in class as well!
Title of My Article:Plant Buffers May Limit Spread of Antibiotics … / Title of another:
Cultivation Changed Monsoon in Asia / Title of another:
Watering the Air / Title of another: Irrigation Draining Calif. Groundwater … / Title of another:
The Sky Is Not Falling…
Main ideas in this article:
Buffer strips of grasses and other plants can trap and break down antibiotics from manure
Buffer strips are already recommended to reduce sediment, nutrients and herbicides in surface runoff
30 – 80% of antibiotics given to livestock animals may end up in waste
Antibiotics in soil and water may cause drug resistant bacteria to emerge, or harm ecosystems by disrupting soil microbes which are needed for nutrient cycles. / Main ideas in this article:
Forest cover in China and Asia was reduced from 40-50% to 5-10% between 1700 and 1850.
Monsoon rains decreased by 20% and fewer clouds increased heating and drying of surface soil.
A (computer) climate model was used to create simulations that reflected what really happened, showing that calculations based on deforestation seem to be correct.
Since changes occurred before 1850, when CO2 levels in air began to rise, the research shows that deforestation can play an important role in climate change. / Main ideas in this article:
In contrast to changes around the world, summers in the US Midwest are cooler and wetter, possibly due to farming.
Scientists suggest that air is more humid due to crops such as soybean and corn which release a lot of moisture, are planted over larger areas and more densely than in the past.
Using groundwater for irrigation causes more moisture to enter the atmosphere.
More studies are needed to be sure of the cause-effect relationship. / Main ideas in this article:
Scientists think the use of groundwater for irrigation is unsustainable in California.
Satellites can measure movements of water above and below ground
2/3 of lost water (about 20.3 km3) was used for irrigation.
Water tables have dropped all over the region, but worse in the San Joaquin River basin.
Drought since 2006 has limited use of surface water, so farmers use aquifers instead.
Lower aquifer levels could threaten food security and economy. / Main ideas in this article:
Air pollution in Eastern China has reduced light rains that are necessary for healthy crops, but not always affecting total rainfall.
Amount of moisture in the air has not changed, or where the moist air traveled.
Small particles called aerosols are responsible for forming droplets that create clouds. Too many particles make smaller droplets that don’t form rain.
Droplet size measured in polluted skies was confirmed to be up to 50% smaller.
Title of My Article: / Title of another: / Title of another: / Title of another: / Title of another:
Main ideas in this article: / Main ideas in this article: / Main ideas in this article: / Main ideas in this article: / Main ideas in this article: