San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Hetch Hetchy: The Story of San Francisco's Water
How did San Francisco supply enough water for its residents over the last two centuries? Learn about droughts and water conservation in California, as well as specific historical events that led to the water system today. Kids read...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
What is Drought? No Rain, No Water
How can climate change affect our water supply? Have kids read a passage about the water cycle and water conservation, which includes six questions that challenge them to use context clues.
Curated OER
Water: Access and Use
Young scholars get a personal sense for another culture's way of doing things. Develop a list of sources for water. Practice using the scientific method. Examine means for conserving, or for generating, reliable sources of water.
Peace Corps
Weather and Water in Ghana
Students investigate the climate of their region. Students research statistics and conduct interviews. Students take a virtual tour of Ghana and discuss its climate. Students consider water conservation and the role it plays in both...
Curated OER
Salt Marsh in a Pan
Students create a model of a salt marsh to discover the impact of pollution and human activities on water-based habitats including bays and the ocean. They recognize the relationship between natural and developed areas. Students impact...
Curated OER
Weather and Water in Ghana
Students research the rainy and dry season to investigate Africa's weather. In this African weather lesson, students use the given websites to research the rainy and dry seasons of Ghana in Africa. Students then read stories about life...
Curated OER
People of the Desert
Students study the importance of caring for desert water sources. In this desert lesson, students investigate water resources that are available in deserts. They listen to a read aloud about the Sonoran Desert before working in groups...
Curated OER
Drought Presentation
In this drought worksheet, students are given directions on how to give a presentation of facts, maps, videos, and more. Students inform the audience with 4 of the facts asked.
Curated OER
Extreme Weather and Mapping
For this environment worksheet, students read an article about extreme weather conditions and mapping it out. They respond to 10 multiple choice questions about what they read. Then, students explain how droughts can occur and the...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Students are introduced to the components and importance of the water cycle. They are shown how groundwater moves using a model. Students list 9 places on earth where water is found. They define the terms cycle and water cycle.
Curated OER
Drop in the Bucket
Students study the sources for the water they use. They determine their town's major water supply and how many gallons per day does the population use.
Curated OER
Getting Thirsty?
High schoolers explore the concept of drought and its significance as a natural hazard. In this drought lesson plan, students complete 13 questions on an "Introduction to Drought as an Ecosystem Stressor" worksheet and discuss the...
Curated OER
The Day the Water Ran Out
Middle schoolers explore ecosystems by researching desert characteristics. In this drought lesson, students identify the potential impacts of a drought on their home state and interview people who are familiar with water studies. Middle...
NOAA
Why Should I Care?: Show How Increased Carbon Dioxide Makes the Ocean More Acidic
How does a change in pH affect the ocean ecosystem? Scholars explore the idea by making an acid-base indicator in part seven of the 10-installment Discover Your Changing World series. First, they explore impacts of carbon dioxide in...
Curated OER
Are You Getting Thirsty?
Students study droughts and how they affect communities and coastal ecosystems. In this ecosystems instructional activity students use data to examine drought conditions in certain areas.
Curated OER
Florida's Springs
Students calculate the water usage for irrigation of school grounds. They use maps in determining which areas are irrigated.
Curated OER
Comparing the Effects of El Nino and La Nina
Students examine the differences between an El Nino and La Nina year. In this investigative lesson students create maps and graphs of the data they obtained.
Curated OER
Analyzing Tree Rings to Determine Climate Change
Middle schoolers examine how to locate and access data sets. For this climate change lesson students import data into Excel and graph it.
NASA
Write the Book on Weather Metrics
It's not easy to measure the weather. Pupils learn about what all weather has in common—the atmosphere. Scholars discover how a meteorologists must be able to measure aspects of the atmosphere and decipher the data. They then create a...
Curated OER
Abundant Lakes
Students define lake life zones. They define stormwater runoff and its effects on lakes. They identify the relationship between decaying substances and water pollution. They construct a freshwater food web.
Curated OER
Do They Grow Up or Down?
Students keep a garden journal after planting a garden and discuss environmental stresses put upon the garden for growth. In this garden lesson plan, students plant the plants differently from one another and observe the outcomes.
Curated OER
User-friendly rivers
Pupils explore and explain their connection to rivers through watersheds. They break into three groups. Each group needs: Blue enamel paint, Miniature objects to simulate a model river system, modeling clay, Tempera paint, Toothpicks and...
Curated OER
Your Own El Nino
Students conduct an experiment. For this El Nino lesson, students learn where El Nino storms come from, what they consist of and what effects they have. Students also complete an experiment where they create a miniature El...
Curated OER
Diaper Inquiry
Fifth graders carefully examine and investigate the products contained in a diaper. They particularly analyze the crystal sodium polyacrylate, a product developed for use in astronaut diapers. They follow the scientific method, forming...