Comparing Lake Magadi and Lake Natron

Today you will be finding out more about the lake that Flora and Uncle Willy mentioned as a terrible memory in the Reader's Theater. Go back to Session 1 and re-read that portion.

 

Discuss with a partner why these fictional flamingo characters were so upset when recalling Lake Magadi.

Now it's time find out some facts behind the situation at Lake Magadi about which the Reader's Theater is based. Could Lake Natron now face similar challenges?

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1. First, where in the world are these two lakes?

Let's use Google Maps to find that out (and more too!).

1. Locate the country of Kenya in Eastern Africa and zoom in on that country.
2. Notice the one city in Kenya that has a double circle. That's the code for capital. Which city is it?
3. Go southwest from the capital to locate where Kenya and Tanzania share a border.
4. Search along that border to find Lake Natron. You may need to zoom in a lot! Is it mostly in Kenya or Tanzania?
5. Once you find Lake Natron, search northeast just inside Kenya to find Lake Magadi.
6. Zoom in on Lake Magadi. Switch to satellite view (tap on the square in the lower left corner of the map). Practice switching back and forth between satellite and map view. Also practice zooming in and out on Lake Magadi.
7. In satellite view, carefully search all around the shore of Lake Magadi for signs of industrialization or other human impacts. What do you see?
8. Zoom way out and change from satellite to map view. Find Lake Natron again and zoom in. In satellite view, carefully search all around the shore of Lake Natron for signs of industrialization or other human impacts. What do you see?
9. What other differences did you notice when comparing the two lakes?

 

2. Studying Video Footage from Lake Magadi and Lake Natron

Mr. Turk Pipkin is a filmmaker and a co-founder of the global education nonprofit The Nobelity Project. He is often in East Africa coordinating construction of schools and conservation projects. He made this video to share information about Lake Magadi and Lake Natron. Watch this video clip and then complete the Venn diagram activity below.

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To view the entire video, click here.

An important part of what Mr. Pipkin focuses on in his video is how different Lake Magadi and Lake Natron are. In the Venn diagram below, drag the descriptions so they are positioned in the correct circle (or both circles). Go back and scrub through the video if you need more information.

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3. Connection to Recycling?

Scrub to 2:58 in the video and watch it again from that point until the end.

Discuss with a partner how there can be a connection between the safety of flamingos and glass recycling.