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...
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The Surprise of the Blue Water
Students become aware of factors that effect drinking water quality and how this could effect the health of their school environment. Students compose a business letter reporting their school water quality results to an appropriate...
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Water Pollution Hot-Spots
Students complete internet research in small groups to identify types of water pollution, spotlight water pollution hot-spots, and design a plan for water prevention.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Excuse Me, Is This the Way to the Drainpipe?
Elementary kids read and color the story of Willy Wetsworth, a drop of water, as he describes the journey that he and his friends take to provide fresh water to houses. He tells his story to Martha Merriweather, a little girl, and...
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Water
Students conduct a series of investigations on the unique properties of water. In this general science lesson plan, students explain what causes water's surface tension. They explain the different stages in the water cycle.
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Where Do We Get Clean Water?
Students investigate the concept of a filter. They use simple supplies in order to construct one after watching a demonstration performed by the teacher. An important warning that the project water is not clean for drinking is included....
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New York City Water Quality Assessment Project
Students investigate the chemistry of water and how its molecular structure supports life through its biochemcial, physical, and environmental roles. They investigate the quality of water as it interacts with the environment. Students...
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Making a Water Filter
Fifth graders investigate the process of water treatment. They listen to the book, "The Magic School Bus Visits the Waterworks," design a plan for a water treatment system, construct a water filter using various materials, and test the...
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Dream Stream
Investigate the parts of a healthy stream to build content-specific vocabulary and ecological awareness. The class builds vocabulary and determines why clean water is important for trout. They design a shoe box to show what a clean...
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Microbiology Design Challenge
High schoolers discover dangers to human health by researching what's in our drinking water. In this water purification lesson, students discuss the conditions of water in undeveloped countries and why it is unsafe to drink....
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The Journey of New Haven Water
Students become familiar with the water cycle and water issues. For this water lesson students examine what they can do to protect their water.
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How Much Water?
Learners investigate amount of water available in different countries around the world, compare it to their daily water use, and explore how unequal distribution of water can cause challenges to survival. Students then discuss need to...
K20 LEARN
How Did We Get Here? Native Americans in the United States
High schoolers imagine what their lives would be like if they had no access to potable water and watch a morning news show about the water situation on a Navajo reservation. Groups investigate the policies that lead to the lack of water...
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Aquatic Habitat Water Quality Experiment
Fifth graders discuss the importance of water quality for humans and fish and make predictions about what happens to water that is polluted. In small groups, they conduct experiments to compare and contrast water that is unpolluted and...
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Water Pollution
Fifth graders investigate how humans pollute the water supply with a number of different contaminates. While working in small groups they examine screening, sedimentation, filtration, and chemical treatments as methods of water treatment.
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To Drink or not to Drink
Seventh graders discuss water quality, water availability and water resources and how water is used in the world around them. They view a video on water quality then test for pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen to indicate water quality.
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The Water Dilemma
Students read about and discuss the importance of easily available, clean drinking water. They participate in a role play scenario in which only one drinking fountain in the school has potable water.
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Testing the Waters
Students study the quality of water by running chemical tests on the water. First, they measure pH, temperature, phospates, and nitrates in tap (drinking) water and an outdoor water sample. Then they post and evaluate the results of...
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Would You Drink This?
Students examine how they affect water quality of those who live downstream after identifying rivers and river basins in Kansas.
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Getting the Lead Out
The article for this lesson no longer accessible through the links in the lesson plan, but can be found in the National Center for Biotechnology Information website. After reading it, environmental science students answer questions and...
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The Water in Our Lives: Kit Practice
Students examine a local water source using testing kits to determine water qualitiy. They identify the pollutants and contaminants in each sample. They determine if samples fall within an acceptable range for drinking water.
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Moebius Strips
Students make Moebius strips and use them to demonstrate the interconnectedness of an environment. They explore the natural cycles (water, oxygen/carbon dioxide, carbon, nitrogen) within the environment. They describe how the cycles are...
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Critter Clues
Students work together to examine water quality. They identify the indicators of water quality and complete an experiment. They discuss their results.
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Unit 2: Global to Local: Understanding My Place in the Hydrosphere
What does the ground around your home have to do with water pollution? Young ecologists learn about their local watershed and create their own cause-and-effect models of the hydrosphere.