Main Idea
What is a drought?
A long period with less rain or snow than usual.
What does precipitation mean?
Rain and snow.
What causes a drought?
Less precipitation than usual.
Find one sentence that tells what a drought is.
Any sentence explaining that a drought is a long period with less precipitation.
Would a town with less rain than usual be more or less likely to have a drought?
More likely.
What is this article mostly about?
Droughts.
What is the atmosphere?
The layer of air around Earth.
What can happen to rivers during a drought?
They may have less water or dry up.
What evidence shows that not every dry place is in a drought?
The article says some dry places are normal and some green places can still be in a drought.
Why does the article compare what is "normal" for different places?
Because every place gets different amounts of rain.
Which sentence best tells the main idea of the article?
Droughts happen when places get less precipitation than usual, they affect living things, and people can help reduce their effects.
In the article, what does vulnerable mean?
Easy to harm or damage.
How can changes in the atmosphere lead to a drought?
They can cause less rain and snow.
What evidence shows that people use a lot of water?
The article says people use water for drinking, bathing, washing dishes, and more.
A city replaces grass with plants that need less water. Why is that a good idea?
It saves water.
Why did the author include sections about causes, effects, and ways to help?
To explain droughts completely.
Which word in the article means "easy to be harmed"?
Vulnerable.
Why are wildfires more likely during a drought?
Because the land becomes very dry.
What evidence shows that saving water can help?
The article says using only the water we need helps reduce the effects of drought.
A town has plenty of green plants but has had much less rain than normal. Could it still be in a drought? Explain.
Yes. A drought depends on what is normal for that area.
What is the author's main message about droughts?
People cannot stop droughts, but they can help reduce their effects by saving water.
Why is it important to understand words like precipitation and atmosphere when reading this article?
They help explain what causes droughts.
Explain how one cause of drought can lead to two different effects.
Example: Less rain → rivers dry up → plants and animals have less water.
Use two facts from the article to explain why droughts are a problem.
Use two facts from the article.
A friend says, "If it looks green, it can't be a drought." Use the article to explain why your friend is wrong.
The article says some places can still be in a drought even if they have green plants because drought depends on how much precipitation is normal for that place.