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Water Education

H2O Facts

 

Fresh water is continually recycled through the land, rivers, lakes, seas and air. The water on Earth today is the same water that’s been around since the dinosaur’s time, and the same water that will always be here. Surface water evaporates from the sun’s heat and becomes water vapor in the atmosphere. After condensation, it then falls back to the Earth as rain or snow and the cycle begins again.

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Evaporation: The process that changes water (a liquid) into water vapor (a gas).

Condensation: The process that changes water vapor (a gas) into water (a liquid).

Precipitation: Water from the atmosphere that falls to the ground as rain, snow, sleet or hail.

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How Much Water Does it Take?

  • Flushing the Toilet 5-7 gallons

  • Taking a Shower 25-50 gallons

  • Taking a Bath 36 gallons

  • Washing Clothes 35-60 gallons

  • Washing Dishes (machine) 10 gallons

  • Brushing Teeth 2 gallons

  • Washing Hands 2 gallons

  • Watering the Lawn 5-10 gallons (per minute)

water and green grass

Every plant, animal and person needs water to live. A person can live more than a month without food, but less than a week without water. Our bodies are made of 70-75%water. Water helps us to digest food, cool our bodies, remove wastes, and clean our eyes. We need to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day to stay healthy.
72% of the Earth is covered in water. Over 97% of the Earth’s water is in the oceans, and 2% of the Earth’s water is stored in glaciers and ice caps. That leaves less that 1% of the Earth’s water available for humans to use.

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  • Every day in the United States we drink about 110 million gallons of water.

  • The water we drink is purified, or cleaned, before it comes through our taps.

  • An average family of four in the U.S. uses 881 gallons of water per week just by flushing the toilet.

  • You use about five gallons of water if you leave the water on when brushing your teeth.

  • The average person in the United States uses over 100 gallons of water each day

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Water Cycle Facts

Water Conservation Tips

  • When you are not using the water, TURN IT OFF!

  • Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or garden or cleaning.

  • Turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth or washing your hands.

  • Check for and repair leaky faucets and toilets.

  • Take shorter showers.

  • Use your dishwasher and washing machine only for full loads.

  • Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator so you don’t waste water getting it cold.

  • Plant drought resistant trees and plants.

  • Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.

  • Use a bucket and hose nozzle when washing your car.

  • Water the lawn only when it needs it. If you step on the grass and it springs back up, it doesn’t need water. If it stays flat, it’s thirsty. Remember not to water if it’s raining or in the heat of the day!

  • Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket.

Activities

Make a Water Filter

 

Supplies: ​

  • 1 coffee can per child or group

  • Sand

  • Muddy water

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  1. Help each child or group punch 5-10 small holes in the bottom of the can. Pour 3 inches of sand into the bottom of each can.

  2. Observe the muddy water, then pour it over the sand. Collect the water coming out in a clean container.

  3. Discuss what is observed about the water coming out of the filter compared to the water going in. How does this relate to the water we use every day?

Make a Water Cycle Model

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​Supplies:

  • Jar

  • Plants

  • Small dish of water
    (a bottle cap or shell will do)

  • Soil

  • Sand

  • Small rocks

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  1. Layer the jar with small rocks, then sand, then soil. The jar should be half filled. Add plants in the soil and dish of
    water in the jar.

  2. Put the lid on, put the jar in a sunny place and watch the water cycle in action.

  3. Other water cycle projects: make a class bulletin board, have students make pictures or posters, create activity
    sheets or word games, or have your students act out the water cycle.    ​

seedling growing in small pot held in hand

Top 10 List

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  1. Ask your students to list the top 10 water uses in and around their classroom and households.

  2. Write it on the board as a class project or have each child write their own.

  3. Now have them rank the list in order of importance.

  4. Discuss how much water each person and each family uses. Where do they use it?

  5. Encourage your students to do at least one thing each day that will result in a savings of water.

  6. Keep a class chart for a week or more of every time someone consciously uses water wisely. Remember, every drop counts!

Be a Water Detective

 

A leaky faucet can waste over 100 gallons of water a day!

  1. Go on an adventure around the school to find leaky faucets.

  2. First see if they just need to be turned off tighter.

  3. If they keep leaking, tell the custodian. Get special permission to enter the kitchen and
    staff restrooms as a class.

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