40
My island
Textbook: Part 3, pp. 20–22
GoalUnderstand the state of the Aral Sea and its causes; express the feeling in a poem.
New words
the Aral Sea · Orolto dry up · qurimoqsaxaul (desert shrub) · saksovulship · kema
Explanation
The Aral Sea was once one of the largest lakes in the world. The waters of the Amudarya and Syrdarya flowed into it. When too much water was taken from the rivers for farming, little reached the sea, and it lost a large part of itself. The textbook has the poem “Orolim” (My Aral) by Rauf Tolib, who wrote many poetry books for children. We do not quote his lines; we read our own text.
Worked examples
“Memories of the Aral”. My grandmother tells how in her youth she fished by the Aral. At that time the water stretched to the horizon and ships sailed. Now the seabed has dried up and turned into dry sand. Saxaul seedlings are being planted on the dried land; they hold the sand. When I grow up, I will learn to save water and teach others. Because every drop is a piece of the Aral.
Cause: much water was taken from rivers. Result: the sea dried up.
Class activity
“Drop and sea”: children discuss how valuable each drop is, with a bowl of water.
Practice
1
What did grandmother do by the Aral in her youth?
She fished.
2
What is the Aral Sea like now?
Much of it has dried and turned into sand.
3
What is being planted on the dried land?
Saxaul seedlings
4
Why did the sea dry up?
Too much water was taken from the rivers.
5
What does the child promise to learn?
To save water