When a Town Runs Dry
Provided by: Global Oneness Project|Published on: November 24, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Science, Geography
Authors: Joris Debeij
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This short film from the Global Oneness Project shows how a fifteen-year drought has changed Stratford, a farming town in California.
- The resource also includes a lesson plan that offers a variety of thought-provoking discussion questions and writing prompts that would be appropriate to use in science, English, and geography courses.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The video shows how the drought has effected three Stratford residents: a white farmer, a Latino high school football coach, and an immigrant from Yemen who owns a grocery store.
- Many elements of the lesson plan, though designed for high school students, are suitable for younger students.
Prerequisites
- The lesson plan offers some background information on the California drought that should be shared with students prior to viewing the video.
- The film was produced in 2016, but the drought has persisted in California.
Differentiation & Implementation
- History and science classes can compare and contrast the Dust Bowl of the 1930s with the current drought in California. Students could research what caused the Dust Bowl and what measures were taken to restore the land.
- Science classes can learn more about the important role of groundwater by reading this article from The National Environmental Education Foundation.
- English and journalism classes can conduct interviews with people who grew up in the local community to find out how local climate and societal conditions have changed since they were children. Students could then bolster the information collected during the interviews with data about local climate change.
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive unit on drought, this firsthand account of living through a drought in California, and this resource on how drought is connected to climate change.
This resource explores strategies to strengthen climate response on people's livelihoods in Stratford. There is no contradiction in the reports provided. Thus, this is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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