Lesson Plan

Living with Less Water

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This Living with Less Water lesson plan also includes:

Did you know that California produces two thirds of the fruits and nuts consumed in the United States? That it produces almost one third of the vegetables? Did you know that scientists warn that California is facing the onset of a 35-year or longer mega-drought? Did you know that it takes over 30 gallons of water to produce an avocado? 18 gallons of water to produce an egg? Or almost a gallon of water to produce one almond? Joris Debeij's short film When a Town Runs Dry and the sobering statistics in this resource are sure to get everyone thinking about water use and water consumption. 

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CCSS: Designed
NGSS: Designed
Instructional Ideas
  • Have individuals monitor their family's water use for one week and compare their findings to the percentages listed in the resource
  • Have groups investigate different aspects of the school's water use and have the class develop a proposal for ways to decrease the amount of water used on campus
  • After reading the referenced New York Times article, have individuals calculate the amount of water used to produce the food they consumed in one day
Classroom Considerations
  • The referenced New York Times article can be found at https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/05/21/us/your-contribution-to-the-california-drought.html
Pros
  • The six-page packet includes background information on the California drought and on the film used to launch the lesson
  • Also included are discussion questions and writing prompts
Cons
  • None
Common Core
NGSS