Water Around the World Overview: Youth gain an understanding of the limited amount of water available for every living thing on the planet to share, e...
Water Around the World Overview: Youth gain an understanding of the limited amount of water available for every living thing on the planet to share, emphasizing the need to protect and conserve water now and in the future.
Rainwater harvesting recognizes that water is limited and exemplifies the preservation of the earth’s most precious resource.
Materials: • • • • • • • • • •
Globe or world map 1 gallon water container Blue food coloring (if desired) so that the water is more clearly visible 1 tablespoon measuring spoon 3 clear plastic cups Cotton ball Water dropper Water labels (included) Chalkboard or whiteboard Access to water
Activity Duration: 15 minutes
Preparation: • • •
Fill the gallon water container with water and add blue food coloring if desired. Cut out the water labels (consider laminating them for longevity, durability, and water resistance). Lay out all materials on a table visible to everyone.
Activity Steps: 1. Draw participants’ attention to the materials on the table. 2. Show participants a globe or map of the world. Ask them how much of the surface of the earth is covered with water. Get responses. (The answer is approximately 72%.) Ask participants if we can use all the water in the world for drinking, cooking, cleaning, bathing, and all our other needs. Get responses. Ask, “How much of the water on the earth is available to people, animals, and plants?” 3. Hold up a gallon jug filled with water (blue food coloring will make it more visible). Explain to participants that a gallon container filled with water can be used as a model to look at water available on the earth. The full jug represents all the water on the earth.
4. Use the water dropper to take one drop of water out of the gallon. Put the drop onto the cotton ball, which represents the atmosphere (water in clouds). This is 1/1000 of 1% of the total. Label the cotton ball (atmosphere). 5. Show how much water is potentially available for human use by taking 7 tablespoons (3.2 oz.) out of the gallon of water and placing them in a plastic cup. The 7 tablespoons represent all the 2.5% of fresh water on the earth, while the remaining water in the jug (125 oz.) represents the 97.5% of salt water in the oceans. Label the gallon container (Oceans) and the plastic cup (Fresh Water). 6. Out of all the fresh water, 79% (5 tablespoons) is frozen in polar ice caps and glaciers. Take 5 tablespoons out of the cup labeled “Fresh Water” and place them in a second plastic cup. Label the cup (Glaciers/Ice Caps). 7. The remaining 2 tablespoons in the “Fresh Water “ cup represent groundwater and surface water on the planet. Use the water dropper to put 2 drops into a third cup to represent the amount found in lakes, rivers, and streams. Label the cup (Lakes and Rivers). 8. Cover the label “Fresh Water” with the label “Groundwater.” 9. Show the participants the two drops of water (the surface fresh water). This is all of the fresh water that is readily available to many people on the earth. In many parts of the American Southwest there is very little surface water. Many people rely exclusively on groundwater. 10. Hold up the cup representing groundwater. Explain to participants that this is the amount of groundwater that is available worldwide, not only in the Southwest. Groundwater is a resource that cannot be seen and must be pumped from the ground using wells. Groundwater is being removed in some areas faster than it is being replaced by rainfall. 11. Write the information in the table below on a chalkboard or whiteboard to emphasize the limited fresh water available. 12. Discuss how catching and storing rainwater can preserve limited groundwater and surface water resources. 13. Discuss ways that people can conserve water.
PERCENTAGES OF WATER ON EARTH OCEANS FRESH WATER Distribution of the 2.5% of fresh water on Earth
Source: This activity was adapted with permission from Southern Rhode Island Conservation District's Active Watershed Education Curriculum Guide. Southern Rhode Island Conservation District
Glaciers/Ice Caps
Atmosphere
Photocopy the pages with labels. Cut out the labels and fold them on the dotted lines to make table tents. Use the labels in demonstrating the water amounts in cups, jug, and cotton ball. (Consider using card stock and laminating the labels to make them sturdier and water resistant.)
