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Overview:
In this lesson, students will learn about nomadic pastoralism by examining the roles of animals and the relationship between available natural resources and nomadic life in Central Asian societies. Students will discuss basic human needs, why people live where they live, measures of wealth, and the role of animals in a community. They will then compare and contrast their own experiences with those of nomadic pastoralists. Finally, they will determine factors which are affecting the decline of nomadic pastoral communities.
This lesson is one in a series developed in collaboration with The Asia Society, with support from the Freeman Foundation, highlighting the geography and culture of Asia and its people.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, world history, social studies
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 9: "The characteristics, distribution, and migration of human population on Earth's surface"
Standard 12: "The processes, patterns, and functions of human settlement"
Time:
One hour
Materials Required:
Objectives:
Students will
- discuss the emersion of nomadic pastoralists, based on geographical factors of Central Asia;
- compare and contrast their society with that of nomadic pastoralists; and
- describe the effect that influences from modern societies are having on nomadic pastoralists.
Geographic Skills:
Asking Geographic Questions
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Begin by telling students that they will be working in groups to answer one of four questions. Divide the students into four groups, and give each group one of the following four questions to answer:
- What do you need to survive?
- Why do you live where you live?
- What shows how wealthy or successful someone is?
- How are animals treated and respected in our society?
Allow students to discuss their responses for five minutes. Then reconvene the class and have each group share their responses. Finally, allow students from other groups to share their own reflections on each of the questions.
Development:
Explain to students that people have not always lived the way we currently live. Describe how in different times, and in different places, peoples' ideas of what they need to survive, their reasons for where they live, their measures of success, and their relationships with animals may have been different.
Ask students to share an example of a time or place where people may have felt differently about:
- what they needed to survive;
- why they lived where they lived;
- what showed wealth or success; and
- how animals were treated or respected.
Tell students that they will be learning more about communities in Central Asia that are nomadic, or communities that have no fixed home and wander according to their needs. They will learn especially about nomadic pastoralists, or nomads who raise domesticated animals as a means of income and sustenance.
Introduce the idea of nomadic pastoralism as it has existed, and continues to exist, in Central Asia. The development of nomadic pastoralism was a true advance in the evolution of human civilization. About 9,000 years ago, the domestication of sheep and goats in this specialized form of agriculture was first found in Central Asia. Herds of animals were moved to rangeland areas where consistent water supplies and extreme weather conditions made growing crops difficult. People became experts in raising their livestock and moved frequently based on the weather and the availability of food and water. While mobility is an important part of nomadic life, the movements are usually planned based on rotating livestock through different seasons. Since it is difficult to move many possessions with such frequency, the number and health of the animals became the measure of wealth for the family or community.
Have students explore one or more of the following Web sites. Tell them that they should find three interesting facts to share about nomadic people.
National Geographic: The Story of the Weeping Camel
National Geographic Kids: Creature Feature—Przewalski's Horses
National Geographic: MapMachine Student Edition—Peoples: Mongols (Pastoral Nomads)
National Geographic: MapMachine Student Edition—Food and Agriculture: Nomadic Traditions
National Geographic: MapMachine Student Edition—Central Asian Steppes
Ask students to again reflect on the questions they answered at the beginning of the lesson, and compare and contrast how the students in your class live and how nomadic pastoralists live.
Arrange students into small groups, assigning one animal to each group (horse, sheep, goat, camel, bovines, or dog). Pass out the "Animals of the Nomads" worksheet (PDF, Adobe Reader required) and have the students read about their assigned animal, discuss the characteristics of it, and answer the questions on the worksheet.
Then reconvene the entire class to discuss the differences in use and value of animals.
- Are animals as important in our culture?
- Are we as dependent on them?
- What additional value do we place on animals?
- What similarities exist between our culture and the pastoral nomads of Central Asia?
- What conditions would demand a change in their lifestyle?
- What conditions would demand a change in our value for these animals?
- Consider the value and use of animals in other conditions.
Closing:
Explain that nomadic pastoralism is a lifestyle that is rapidly disappearing from the world. Begin a class discussion on what the students feel may be impacting the existence of nomadic pastoralism (students may suggest economic, political, and cultural reasons.) Have students share examples of current events that might impact pastoral nomadic communities.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Have students write a short story where the main character is an animal owned by pastoral nomads. The story should be written from the first-person point-of-view and should describe the relationship between animal and owner in a nomadic community.
Extending the Lesson:
- Have students watch the National Geographic film The Story of the Weeping Camel. This film explores the life of a nomadic pastoralist family in Mongolia and their daily lives. (Note that the film is rated PG and should be previewed by the teacher prior to showing in the classroom. You may wish to show only portions of the film as it contains some mature content [characters smoking, a camel giving birth, a child being bathed, etc.].) After viewing the film, allow students to discuss examples of how the family members are nomadic pastoralists and modern influences on the family that might threaten the existence of that way of life.
- Tell students to think of a modern-day example of a nomadic pastoralist, such as a cowboy. Then have them list ways in which those people would be considered nomadic pastoralists.
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