Non-fiction: West Africa Desertification in West Africa West Africa Desertification in West Africa In Arabic, Sahel means shore, or coast. The Sahel is the place where the waves of the ocean crash onto the beach. It can also be a place of sand dunes. Dunes are like big hills of sand that look a little bit like waves. Like the ocean, they are always moving with the wind. The wind blows the top layer of sand off of one side of the dune until it slides down the other side. Eventually, little by little, the entire dune will move! Deserts also have sand dunes. In West Africa, the grassland 1 bordering the Sahara desert is called the Sahel. Just like the waves of the ocean, the wavy sand dunes line the edge of the Sahel. The line between the desert and the grassland is always moving. Lately, the desert has been creeping farther and farther into the fertile 2 part of West Africa. The grassland dries out and turns into desert. Once the grassland becomes desert, the ground loses all of its ability to grow plants. This process is called desertification. Why does desertification happen? Sometimes it is due to changes in the climate. Much of the desertification between the Sahara and the Sahel happens because of people, however. Rainfall in the Sahel changes from year to year. Some years are wet years and some years are dry years. During dry years, the grassland is almost completely bare. Yet, some herders who live on the grassland continue to graze their animals. The animals destroy the little vegetation 3 that is still left. The vegetation cannot grow back. The soil loses all of its nutrients and turns sandy. Wind continues the process, destroying the rest of the grass roots. Good herding practices can help stop this process. Desertification and water shortages are problems confronting people all around the Sahel today. Desertification has become a huge problem in West Africa. People can no longer live off of the land. They cannot grow crops. They also can t grow enough grass to feed their livestock. If desertification continues, people will have to move. 1 Grassland- a large open area of grass, often useed for animals 2 Fertile- land that is good for growing lots of crops and plants 3 Vegetation- plants that cover an area 1
Questions: West Africa Desertification in West Africa Name: Date: 1. How do sand dunes compare to the waves of the ocean? a. They both move constantly because of the wind. b. They both are made of waves. c. They both make a sound when they hit the shore. d. They both have some water in them. 2. What is NOT a cause of desertification? a. a dry year because of less rain b. farmers who continue to let their animals graze c. the movement of the grasslands into the desert d. wind destroying the weak grass roots 3. Which of the following is an opinion? a. Rainfall in the Sahel changes from year to year. b. If desertification continues to happen, people will have to move. c. Deserts also have sand dunes. d. The vegetation cannot grow back. 4. What could help stop desertification? a. more sheep b. good herding practices c. more wind d. more people planting vegetables 5. What happens when herders continue to graze their animals on the grassland? a. The animals give nutrients to the vegetation. b. The animals stop desertification. c. The animals help the grassland. d. The animals destroy the vegetation that is left. 2
Questions: West Africa Desertification in West Africa 6. Why might people who live on the grasslands continue grazing there even though it is being destroyed? 7. What are some of the causes of desertification? 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Desertification has a huge problem in West Africa. a. where b. because c. become d. but 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below. During dry years, the grassland is bare because there is little rain. When? during dry years What? (is) What? Why? 10. Vocabulary Word: fertile: land that is good for growing lots of crops and plants. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: 3
Answers: West Africa Desertification in West Africa Passage Reading Level: Lexile 720 Teacher Guide and Answers Featured Text Structure: Cause/Effect - the writer presents the reason an event happened and its results. Passage Summary: The passage describes the process of desertification and how it is happening between the Sahara Desert and the Sahel. Desertification destroys the little vegetation that is left in the Sahel. 1. How do sand dunes compare to the waves of the ocean? a. They both move constantly because of the wind. b. They both are made of waves. c. They both make a sound when they hit the shore. d. They both have some water in them. 2. What is NOT a cause of desertification? a. a dry year because of less rain b. farmers who continue to let their animals graze c. the movement of the grasslands into the desert d. wind destroying the weak grass roots 3. Which of the following is an opinion? a. Rainfall in the Sahel changes from year to year. b. If desertification continues to happen, people will have to move. c. Deserts also have sand dunes. d. The vegetation cannot grow back. 4. What could help stop desertification? a. more sheep b. good herding practices c. more wind d. more people planting vegetables 5. What happens when herders continue to graze their animals on the grassland? a. The animals give nutrients to the vegetation. b. The animals stop desertification. c. The animals help the grassland. d. The animals destroy the vegetation that is left. 4
Answers: West Africa Desertification in West Africa 6. Why might people who live on the grasslands continue grazing there even though it is being destroyed? Suggested answer: They need the income to survive, and because they might not understand the effect they are having on the land. 7. What are some of the causes of desertification? Suggested answer: Sometimes desertification is due to changes in the climate. Much of the desertification between the Sahara and the Sahel happens because of people. 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence. Desertification has a huge problem in West Africa. a. where b. because c. become d. but 9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below During dry years, the grassland is bare because there is little rain. When? during dry years What? the grassland (is) What? bare Why? because there is little rain 10. Vocabulary Word: fertile: land that is good for growing lots of crops and plants. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary. 5