From shadoof to pump
In an oasis, clean water comes up from deep under the ground. A very long time ago, people in Egypt used a tool called a shadoof to lift water. A shadoof is a long pole that balances on a post. A bucket hangs from one end and a heavy weight, such as a lump of hard mud or a stone, hangs from the other end. A person pulls the bucket down into the water. When the bucket is full, the weight helps to lift it, and the person pours the water into a channel that runs to the fields. Today people can use an electric pump and pipes to bring water up from deep wells. A pump moves much more water, so farmers can water more crops and grow a bigger orchard of date palms. More dates to sell means more income, which is money earned. But new technology has problems too. If too much water is pumped, some of it can sit in ponds and be wasted. Rain refills the water under an oasis very slowly. A pump costs money, needs electricity and can be noisy. So people must find a balance: earning more money while protecting the water and the environment.
| Shadoof | Pump | |
|---|---|---|
| What moves it | a person’s arms | electricity |
| Water lifted | a little at a time | a lot |
| Noise | quiet | can be noisy |
| Gains | Losses |
|---|---|
| more land watered | pay for electricity |
| more dates to sell | a leaking pipe wastes water |
Play a decision game. Make 10 cards, each with a small gain or loss (for example “Sell a basket of dates: go ahead 3” or “A pipe leaks: go back 2”). Draw a path of 20 spaces. Take turns to pick a card and move. Then talk: which cards came from using too much water? Make one new card that shows a balance between gaining money and protecting water. A grown-up should help with scissors.