This lesson helps students understand why Earth is considered the "water planet." …
This lesson helps students understand why Earth is considered the "water planet." Students analyze how much of Earth's water is available for humans to use for life-sustaining purposes, and they explore the concept of water scarcity in both physical and economic terms. They look at the many ways that humans use water and investigate international trends in agricultural, industrial, and household water consumption. The lesson also sets up the focus of this course: the concept of water footprints. Students explore how water footprints are an invaluable tool for identifying patterns of water use so that individuals, businesses, and even nations can more effectively manage their use of one of the most precious resources on Earth: water. Critical to this exploration is a visit to Watercalculator.org, where students calculate their personal water usage, analyze the results, and set a base point for tracking and conserving their water use.
This is the first of the three-part Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint: Middle School Lesson Plans.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
This lesson centers on a deeper exploration of the water footprint associated …
This lesson centers on a deeper exploration of the water footprint associated with food. Students learned in Lesson 1 that virtual water, especially as it relates to food, typically makes up the majority of their water footprint. In this lesson, they find out why. First, they see an attention-grabbing demonstration of how much water is needed for three food products. Second, they break into groups to do research, and then they teach their classmates about key aspects of water use related to food and agriculture. Next, they think about how their diet is influenced by social groups, advertising, and structures in place at home and at school that encourage them to potentially eat food with large water footprints. Finally, they brainstorm ways they might be able to influence change in those areas. The lesson concludes with students sharing their ideas and providing one another with constructive feedback.
This is the second of the three-part Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint: High School Lesson Plans.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
This lesson centers on a deeper exploration of the water footprint associated …
This lesson centers on a deeper exploration of the water footprint associated with food. Students learned in Lesson 1 that virtual water, especially as it relates to food, typically makes up the majority of their water footprint. In this lesson, they find out why. First, they see an attention-grabbing demonstration of how much water is needed for three food products. Second, they break into groups to do research, and then they teach their classmates about key aspects of water use related to food and agriculture. Next, they think about how their diet is influenced by social groups, advertising, and structures in place at home and at school that encourage them to potentially eat food with large water footprints. Finally, they brainstorm ways they might be able to influence change in those areas. The lesson concludes with students sharing their ideas and providing one another with constructive feedback.
This is the second of the three-part Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint: Middle School Lesson Plans.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Session 1 of this lesson begins with a quick activity to get …
Session 1 of this lesson begins with a quick activity to get students thinking about their direct and virtual water use. It introduces a few new ideas for virtual water use that may surprise students, including the virtual water required for the products we buy and use. Then students form marketing teams to explore five categories of water use (indoor, outdoor, diet, electricity, and buying habits) and create infographic posters to share what they learn. Then, in Session 2, students remain in five teams to audit the school's indoor and outdoor direct water use as well as several categories of virtual water use: food, energy, and electronics. They use what they learn to create a strategic conservation action plan that incorporates their How to Save Water awareness campaign in an effort to decrease the school's overall virtual water use. The lesson can be conducted as a short project or a more comprehensive capstone project.
This is the third of the three-part Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint: High School Lesson Plans.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Session 1 of this lesson begins with a quick activity to get …
Session 1 of this lesson begins with a quick activity to get students thinking about their direct and virtual water use. It introduces a few new ideas for virtual water use that may surprise students, including the virtual water required for the products we buy and use. Then students form marketing teams to explore five categories of water use (indoor, outdoor, diet, electricity, and buying habits) and create infographic posters to share what they learn. Then, in Session 2, students remain in five teams to audit the school's indoor and outdoor direct water use as well as several categories of virtual water use: food, energy, and electronics. They use what they learn to create a strategic conservation action plan that incorporates their How to Save Water awareness campaign in an effort to decrease the school's overall virtual water use. The lesson can be conducted as a short project or a more comprehensive capstone project.
This is the third of the three-part Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint: Middle School Lesson Plans.
(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)
Students collect various evidence showing that the world climate has been changing …
Students collect various evidence showing that the world climate has been changing over the last decades (global warming, sea level rise, melting of glaciers and sea ice, extreme events...).
The students debate the role played by sea ice in the Earth’s …
The students debate the role played by sea ice in the Earth’s climate and carry out an experiment to understand the importance of the cryosphere as a surface with a high albedo.
The students perform an experiment to understand the link between acidity and …
The students perform an experiment to understand the link between acidity and pH, and also between CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and ocean acidification.
The students carry out two experiments to determine how differences in the …
The students carry out two experiments to determine how differences in the density of seawater (which depend on salinity and temperature differences) can drive ocean currents.
Through a documentary analysis and an experiment, the students learn about the …
Through a documentary analysis and an experiment, the students learn about the role of the ocean’s thermal inertia (compared to the land) in climate regulation.
Through documentary research and / or an artwork / ar- tistic performance, …
Through documentary research and / or an artwork / ar- tistic performance, students learn about the cultural importance of the ocean and cryosphere for human populations across history.
The students realise that there are many solutions to deal with climate …
The students realise that there are many solutions to deal with climate change, either through adaptation or mitigation, and that many people and organisations are already taking action.
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