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LESSON: BRINGING THE RAIN TO KAPITI
PLAIN
Lesson Summary
This book tells the story of how a young boy, Ki-pat, brings the much
needed rain to the dry Kapiti Plain.
Concept: Scarcity
Definition: Scarcity is the condition of
not being able to have all of the goods and services that you want.
Comprehension Questions
Ki-pat was a herdsman. On the Kapiti Plain, what does a
herdsman produce?
Cattle, which provide food, milk, leather,
etc.
Identify the severe scarcity problem facing the herdsman of the
Kapiti Plain.
There was not enough grass for the animal
herds. The animals grew hungry, dry, and lean.
What scarce natural resource did Ki-pat need in order to have enough
green grass to feed his herds so that they could become healthy and
fat?
Water (rain)
What is it called when a region has such a severe scarcity of rain
that it affects the land and all who depend on the land?
Drought.
List other animals (natural resources) besides the cows that were
affected by this scarcity of
grass.
Birds
Giraffes
Gazelles
Tigers
Explain how Ki-pat solved the severe scarcity of grass caused by the
drought.
Ki-pat shot an arrow (capital resource) with an eagle
feather into the dark clouds to pierce them and loosen the rain so that it
would fall down on Kapiti Plain. This watered the grass, making it
green for his herd and all the other creatures.
Is this really how people get rain to fall?
No, this is a
folktale. Shooting an arrow in the sky cant cause it to rain.
Explain what would have eventually happened to all the creatures,
including humans, on Kapiti Plain if the scarcity of grass had continued?
(Answers will vary)
The people and animals would have to move to
another area with green grass or they would all die.
In more developed countries, what do people do to make sure there is
water in time of drought?
Build reservoirs, canals, storage tanks,
etc. to store water. Dig deep wells to find water for animals and
for irrigation. Pump water for irrigation from lakes or
rivers. In some places there are desalinization plants to get fresh
water from salt water! (But this is expensive!)
Do these methods always work?
No. Sometimes the drought
is so severe that the canals, reservoirs, and rivers run low or dry
up. Sometimes there is not enough water from wells to irrigate the
fields.
Other concepts: Economic
Wants, Natural
Resources, Capital
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