Imagine it's the year 1848, the gold rush has just begun, and you and your family are seeking a better life out west. Crossing Death Valley during that time would have been extremely difficult if it hadn't been for the spring from the Amargosa Mountain Range. This spring created a natural oasis at Furnace Creek.
An oasis is a unique water landform surrounded by desert. It has a water source underground and supports vegetation and animal life. Though there are many oases in the deserts of the world, they are not always easy to get to because of the vast distance between them.
Underground water sources, called aquifers, supply water sources to most oases. These natural springs may rise to the surface naturally, or people may dig in the ground to release the water. This allows the water to make the ground fertile; this means the soil has nutrients, so plants can grow. Plant life may first begin in an oasis when birds carrying seeds stop for water. Then other animals are also attracted to the water source, and people may decide to live there.
The same aquifer may supply several springs or wells. In some desert garden settlements, these wells have been consistently maintained because the people of the area know how important keeping their water source is. An oasis can be as small as an acre or thousands of square miles of land.
There are certain plants that people often plant at oases. These include date palms, which are a main source of food, and carob trees. Fruits such as figs, apricots, and peaches can be grown in the shade of these bigger trees, and people who live here even grow grains like wheat.
Egypt, in the Sahara Desert, has many oases. You might have heard of the Nile River. Did you know this famous river is actually an enormous oasis? It's 22,000 square kilometers! Another oasis town in Egypt is called Farafra, where 5,000 people live.
Oases can also be found in other countries in the Sahara Desert, like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Oases are also found in the Arabian Peninsula, like in the country of Saudi Arabia, and in the Atacama Desert in South America, like in the country of Peru. They can also be found in the United States. Las Vegas used to be an oasis, and there is a huge oasis in Texas. There is even a place called Oasis State Park in New Mexico.
An oasis is a unique water landform. In order to be considered an oasis, the area has to be surrounded by desert, have a water source, and have vegetation. Many oases have underground water supplies called aquifers that make the land surrounding the oasis fertile, able to grow plants, like date palms, a food source. Oases are important for people who live in the desert to be able to survive.
Make a drawing or diagram of an oasis using items you can find around your home. Be sure to consider some important characteristics, including where the oasis is located, as well as the types of plants that you can find growing there. Show your oasis to a friend or family member, and explain to them what you have learned about oases.
Write a story from the perspective of a desert traveler who has stopped at an oasis to rest. Be sure to describe the oasis in detail, including its structure and the types of plants that you can find there. When you're done, share your story with a friend or family member.
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