In a nutshell
We start by examining why we should all have a basic understanding about the freshwater resources and, as a class, we jointly decide which water topic we wish to know more about.
Where do I begin?
Group activity
Start with A RIDDLE:
Using only two containers of the same size, how can you show the difference between the quantities of freshwater vs. saltwater on Earth?
DISCUSS IN groups:
- Who needs water? Do you think that freshwater in enough for all people on Earth?
- Have you ever experienced a day without water e.g. due to a damage in the ? How did you cope with it?
- Are you aware of any problem related to water that either your town or neighborhood, your country, or other countries face? Discuss what the problem was (e.g. pollution, scarcity, overconsumption, quality, extreme weather phenomenon, etc.) and how the communities / counties coped with it.
Water-readings
All life depends on water
Water is an essential resource for all living organisms. Animals, plants, insects, micro-organisms, and, of course, humans cannot live without it. We drink it and use it in so many activities, e.g. for washing, cooking, watering, producing goods, etc. Farmers need it to their crops. Water is used in all sorts of factories to for product processing and machine operation.
SPOT THE uses of water
Freshwater of good quality is eventually becoming less and less due to over-consumption e.g. in agriculture but also in tourism, leisure activities, etc. as well as due to pollution (i.e. from untreated sewage disposal in water bodies).
It is important to understand that the water resources are:
(a) for all of us to share
(b) limited
(c) under pressure from the different uses and due to climate change.
This is why we need to protect them in every way we can!
Group activity
The water diamond
- Cut 12 cards sized a half a page A4.
- Divide is small groups, and take two cards each.
- Discuss and decide in your groups on two issues related to water that you are interested to learn more about.
- Write your two topics on the cards: use key-words and avoid long sentences.
- Present as groups, the cards to the class. If two cards are repetitive, keep only one.
- As a class, arrange the selected cards in a diamond shape, starting from the most important topic (top), continuing with the topics of less importance as you move downwards, and ending with the least important one (bottom). With the help of your teacher, keep changing the positions of the cards until you reach consensus for the final content of your diamond.
- Place your diamond on the wall. Give it a title and take a photo!
As a step forward, search for answers for all the issues of your diamond, in whatever order you have chosen, starting, of course, from your top-priority.