Water Conservation

Goals for the Lesson

• Students will describe how they use water at home.
• Students will tell possible ways of wasting water at home.
• Students will learn how to conserve water at home.

Materials Needed

• Water Use Checklist (available in Water Conservation with the Water Lion )
• Average Daily Water Use Tally (available in Water Conservation with the Water Lion )
• posterboard

State Standards Addressed: Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources (4.2)

Teaching Model: Focus - Explore - Reflect - Apply Learning Cycle (National Science Resource Center; National Academy of Science & Smithsonian Institute, 1992)

Subject Covered: science

Topics: water conservation

Focus

Have students use their Water Use Checklist to write down the different ways that they use water at home. Try to have every student write five ways they use water at home. Discuss and share the checklist.

Explore

Have students take home Average Daily Water Use Tally to record how water is being used in the home. The students will mark a tally for every time water is used in the home (toilet, faucet, bathtub, shower, wash clothes or dishes, drink, water lawn or car).

Reflect

Have students discuss how water was being used in their homes and how much. Ask them what it means to waste water or to use it excessively. After discussion you could have students take Average Daily Water Use Tally home again and make notes on if water is being wasted or used excessively. Another discussion could be done on how to be Water-Wise. Have the students discuss ways to conserve water after the experiences of observing how water was being used in their homes.

Apply

Have students make posters for display on how to conserve water. They will use their ideas from discussions and observations in their home for how water is wasted and how it can be conserved.

Wrapping Up the Lesson

All students will share poster with the class and also try to incorporate what was learned at home.

Assessment

1. The students will be assessed on having five ways they knew they used water at home.
2. They will also need to complete an Average Daily Water Use Tally and discuss ways of how water was wasted and how it can be conserved. The final assessment will be if their poster reflects that observations of wasting water were made and ways to conserve were shown.

References

Dorham, Joy R., William E. Sharpe, and Sanford S. Smith (2001). The 4-H Water Project Unit 1, Water Conservation with the Water Lion . University Park, Pa.: The Pennsylvania State University.

Author

Chad Packer, Bald Eagle Area School District