1. Topic-
Environmental Sustainability
 
2. Content-
water as a finite resource
fresh water Vs salt water
glacier water
water consumption
wasted water
water conservation
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1. Students will learn why water is important and what they can do in their every day lives to conserve water.
2. Students will learn how human practices benefit from and depend on the cycles within nature
 
4. Objectives-
1. Understand the meaning of water conservation
2. Explain how much fresh water is actually available
3. Formulate strategies for conserving water
4. Teach others about water conservation
 
5. Materials and Aids-
2 large, clear tubs big enough to fit 12 liters of water
5 measuring cups
10 water pipettes, 10 tablespoon measurers.
Water
5 watering cans
Letter worksheet
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

5 minutes
1. Fun Fact: Did you know that the water we drink every day is the same water that dinosaurs drank millions of years ago?
2. Earth needs water to be healthy! It is in the air, the ground, vegetables and fruit, animals drink it, and humans need it to survive.
3. However there is only so much water in the world and as our population grows, there is less and less water available for the Earth and ourselves.
 

B. Development-

10 minutes
1. Word Mapping: Write "Water" on the whiteboard and circle it.
2. Have students share ways they encounter water every day.
3. Add in things they may have missed- brushing teeth, taking a shower, etc.
4. Define the word "conserve": to not waste something.
Why is it important to not waste water?
 

C. Practice-

20 minutes

Fill one tub with 12 liters of water. Explain that this represents all the water on Earth. We are going to see how much of this is available for us to use.
Question for class: Is there more fresh water or salt water on Earth? Can we drink salt water?
Have students gather around the tub.
Since we know that the ocean has most of the water, lets pour this out first.
Students are told that the amount of ocean water is represented by 49 cups of water. Students will take turns measuring cups and pouring them into the second, empty container.
Wow that's almost all of the Earth's water! The ocean contains about 97% of the Earth's water.
Next, we will remove the water stored in the Earth's ice caps (explain how its like the north pole). This takes up one cup of water. One student will be selected to pour this cup.
There's hardly any water left!
Have students use water pipettes and tablespoons to collect the rest of the water and place into the measuring cup. Ask students to identify on the measuring cup how much water we have left (~1/3 cup).
Explain that this proportion of water is what we have to share with other humans, wildlife, the soil, and the atmosphere.
Look how little water there is for the Earth to actually use!
Have students fill watering cans and go outside to use this water to water the plants, so we are not wasting it.
(10 min) Discussion
Were you surprised by this activity?
Why is it important to conserve water? What are some ways we can conserve water?
Write the list on the board and add in further suggestions.
-turn off water when brushing teeth
-turn off water when scrubbing hands
-take shorter showers
-make sure the dishwasher is full before turning it on
-if its only number 1, you don't need to flush!
 

D. Independent Practice-

15 minutes
Write a letter to family explaining why water is important and what we can do at home to help conserve it. Draw a picture of one of the activities we discussed. Ask your parents if you can put it on the refrigerator to remind everyone to conserve.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

1. What happened in the water bucket activity? How much water is actually available for us to use?
2. Have students share what they wrote in their letter
 

G. Closure-

1.Conserving water is fun! We are helping the Earth and ourselves stay healthy.
2. Get ready for next class, we will be discussing another way to help our Earth stay healthy-recycling!
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)