Cotton Farming and the Clothing Industry taught through making a cotton rain cloud.

How cotton is grown followed by Cotton Rain Cloud Art Activity and Resources Needed (Skip to End) .

How Cotton is Grown

Cotton is grown in cotton fields mostly in third world countries, like in the African Continent. Cotton is an extremely thirsty crop which requires lots of water to grow. Often in third world countries, they do not have clean water for drinking like we do in Ireland. It is also often very hot in the countries so there is not very much water as the sun evaporates the water.

The farmers who grow these crops are very poor. They need to use the water they do have to water the cotton crops so that they will grow. They then pick and sell their cotton to make money to feed their families. However, the farmers only get very little money for the cotton.

In order to make the cotton grow faster, they often spray it with fertilizers which is like plant food. Fertilizer is like plant medicine. Too much of it and it makes our land very sick so nothing grows on the land after a few years. If no cotton grows, the farmer cannot make money to feed his/her family.

It takes 2,7000 litres of water to make 1 cotton tshirt. That is enough water for one person to drink water every day for almost 3 years. And often the farmers do not have access to clean water to drink themselves.

Art Activity: Making a Cotton Rain Cloud

Resources Needed:

Cotton Balls

PVA Glue

Paint brush for glue

Colouring Pencils

Paper

Method:

Pull cotton ball apart carefully to make a fluffy cloud.

Use PVA Glue to stick cotton to sheet of paper.

Use colouring pencils to draw raindrops.