People and wildlife in the areas affected by desertification are suffering. By the end of the twentieth century, the health and well-being of over a billion people will be at risk. Students will discover the causes, effects, and some of the solutions as they do the activities in this lesson. Tell students this person is one of the millions who lives in a region of Africa called the Sahel, a region that borders the southern Sahara Desert. The Sahara Desert is spreading into this region.
Life is a struggle there for people and wildlife.
Show students the picture of the young person on page 169 of this National Geographic issue and ask for reactions. Introduce the term desertification - the spread of the desert. Locate the Sahara Desert and note the six countries that are along its southern border. These are the countries affected by the spreading of the Sahara. Ask students to give their ideas on how and why the desert is spreading.