The Vanishing Aral Sea: An Inquiry to Teach About Human Impact on the Environment

An interdisciplinary lesson helps elementary students understand human impact on the environment while strengthening geographic skills.

According to the United Nations, human activity has affected 75% of Earth’s land surface, disrupting ecosystems and contributing to climate change, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity. The disappearance of the Aral Sea highlights the severe consequences of environmental mismanagement. Climate change is a compelling topic for elementary social studies because it fosters critical thinking and global awareness through an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based approach that integrates science and technology. Its high media visibility and politicized nature make it an ideal subject for engaging students in a range of social studies disciplines, including civics, current events, geography, history, economics, and government. This article demonstrates, through an inquiry-based framework, how the social studies classroom provides an ideal space to explore climate change and help students understand its global impact.

1. Should humans change their environments to meet their needs?

2. What has happened to the Aral Sea over time?

3. How did human action affect the Aral Sea?

Since the 1960s, the Aral Sea has lost half of its size due to two main factors. First, the rivers that feed it were diverted for irrigation, drastically reducing its water inflow. Second, the surrounding hot, dry desert causes significant evaporation each year. The shrinking of the Aral Sea has had severe impacts on both the physical and human ecosystems, including desertification, increased dust and salt winds, regional climate changes, and a rise in health problems among the local population.

The C3 framework of social studies addresses climate change within the geography domain. A central aspect of geography is understanding human-environment interactions, as well as the spatial patterns and movements of populations. Climate change affects all these dynamics, shaping both the environment and how people interact with it.

One effective approach for teaching this complex issue is the use of relevant sources, such as satellite images. Incorporating remote sensing activities engages students interactively and helps connect the disciplines of science, technology, and social studies.

The impacts of climate change are evident across all sectors of society, and elementary students need to understand these effects to consider possible solutions. Additionally, learning how to communicate about and respond responsibly to climate change fosters essential lifelong skills for civic engagement.

Oigara, J., and Simmons, C. (2026). “The vanishing Aral Sea: An inquiry to teach about human impact on the environment. Social Studies and the Young Learner,” 38, no. 3: 27–33. National Council for the Social Studies.