Building a Great Green Wall

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: In what ways is protecting the environment important to human survival?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence: 

• How has the spread of the Sahara desert changed the landscape and affected people in the region? (Areas that are now desert used to be fertile and were in some places so dense with vegetation that you couldn’t see very far. The loss of fertile land has contributed to food insecurity and poverty in the region, displacing millions.)

• What is the Great Green Wall? What is its purpose? What other effects might it have? (The Great Green Wall is a planned 9-mile-wide belt of trees and shrubs that will stretch across Africa from the coast of Senegal to Djibouti. Its purpose is to halt the Sahara’s spread, which has been getting worse over the past few decades. The project might also help fight climate change by capturing large amounts of carbon dioxide. It might create jobs, too.)

• What needs to happen for the Great Green Wall to be a success? (So far, only 15 percent of the project is complete. People living near the newly planted trees and shrubs need to take care of them so that they thrive. As more of the “wall” is built, more people need to commit to taking care of the vegetation. Also, the project, which is set to be finished by 2030, requires continued funding.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity In Their Words. Have students use it to identify the speaker for each quotation from the article and paraphrase his or her words.

4. Writing Prompt
Write a letter to potential donors asking them to help fund the Great Green Wall. Use details from the article to support your points.

5. Classroom Debate
Salima Mahamoudou says that the Great Green Wall is “a matter of life and death for our communities.” Do you agree?

6. Quiz & Skills
Assess comprehension with the quiz. Use Be the Editor to review grammar skills.