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Unpublished

Where Has All the Water Gone?
  1. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 07. Skills of Civic Engagement
      1. Benchmark MS.4 Analyze information to differentiate fact from opinion based on the investigation of issues related to the common good.

The purpose of this lesson is to raise awareness about the limits of water availability and various ways we use water in our daily lives.

Duration: 
PrintOne Sixty-Minute Session
Objectives: 

The learner will:

  • give evidence that our water supply is something to protect.
Materials: 
  • Common Water Uses and Amounts (handout)
  • Math-counting blocks
  • Student Recording Sheet for Water Usage (handout)
Bibliography: 
  • U.S. Geological Survey.  "Where Is Earth's Water Located?" https://water.usgs.gov/edu/index.htmlearthwherewater.html
  • U.S. Geological Survey. Water Usage Calculator: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sq3.html
Instructions: 
Print

  1. Anticipatory Set:

    Ask participants to estimate the amount of water they use each day. They may write down their estimates and put them aside for future reference.

  2. In groups of three, they brainstorm all the ways they can think of that they use water every day.

    Compile a collective list of the answers the groups made. Have them say aloud the amounts they estimated at the beginning of the lesson. (Note: you will get a very wide range.)

  3. Distribute statistics that show how much water various activities use (handout). Encourage them to look up the statistics to see if they have changed. Discuss ways to find reputable sources for this type of data.

  4. Set in front of the group 100 math-counting blocks to represent the total amount of water on the earth. 

    Say, "This represents all the water on Earth." Move aside about 3/4 of the blocks and say, this is the water in the oceans (we cannot drink it because it is salty). With the 25 blocks left, pull aside 3 blocks. Explain that only three percent of the total amount of water is drinkable, and of that three percent, one percent is actually available for use. 

    The rest of the Earth's water is too deep underground or locked up in ice caps. (Water is extremely limited for actual use.)

  5. Provide Student Recording Sheet for Water Usage (handout) for young people to record the amount of water they use for the next 24 hours. This will be the homework assignment.