Teacher Preview
ACEPD Presentation: Water Conservation
Second Grade, Spring Program
(May be appropriate for 1st -3rd grade, but the standards below are for 2nd grade)
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
SC.2.E.7.1: Compare and describe changing patterns in nature that repeat themselves, such as
weather conditions including temperature and precipitation, day to day and season to season.
SC.2.E.7.2: Investigate by observing and measuring, that the Sun's energy directly and indirectly
warms the water, land, and air.
SC.2.E.7.3: Investigate, observe and describe how water left in an open container disappears
(evaporates), but water in a closed container does not disappear (evaporate).
SC.2.P.8.2: Identify objects and materials as solid, liquid, or gas.
SC.2.P.8.6: Measure and compare the volume of liquids using containers of various shapes and
sizes.
MA.2.G.5.1 Use geometric models to demonstrate the relationships between wholes and their
parts as a foundation to fractions.
MA.2.G.5.4: Measure weight/mass and capacity/volume of objects. Include the use of the
appropriate unit of measure and their abbreviations including cups, pints, quarts, gallons, ounces
(oz), pounds (lbs), grams (g), kilograms (kg), milliliters (mL) and liters (L).
Vocabulary words:
From pacing guide:
Temperature
Evaporate
Precipitation
From program:
Conserve
Aquifer
Limestone
Main Concepts:
-
Hydrologic Cycle- Including role of evaporation in the water cycle; water in different forms.
Measure and compare the volume of liquids using containers of various shapes and sizes.
-
Plants and animals, including humans, interact with and depend upon each other and their
environment to satisfy their basic needs.
Program Outline:
Materials/Set up:
The setup for this program would be simple: all materials would be brought in, except for a table to be
provided by the teacher. The program could be done outside (preferable) or inside. Wall space would be
helpful to hang posters (with tacky) or they can be attached to the front of the table.
Introduction & Part 1 (10-15minutes)
Discussion:
What does it mean to “conserve” water?
Where Does Our Water Come From ?
Discuss water cycle, using poster for a visual aid. Describe Earth and atmosphere as a “closed
container” .
Why Do We Need to Conserve Our Water?
Discuss aquifer concept more in depth, using poster and limestone rock for visual aid. Discuss
importance of reducing water use in order to give time for aquifer to recharge.
Reminder that springs and the rivers they feed get their water from the aquifer too. We aren’t the
only ones who depend on the aquifer’s water for survival.
Introduction to Part 2: (Bring out fish bowl representing a spring) The spring is low, indicating
the aquifer is having a hard time keeping up. How can we conserve water so there will be enough
to go around, so that we can save our spring?
Part 2(10-15 minutes)How Do We USE Water?
Kids will help think of the things we use water for in our daily lives
How much water do we use?
Using large trash cans, we will illustrate the approximate amount of water each person uses daily.
We will brainstorm and discuss some of the most common activities we use water for.
Part 3 (10-15 Minutes)How Can We Conserve Water?
Discuss ways of saving water in common daily activities (Brushing, Flushing, Washing…)
For each activity, discuss how much could be saved by adapting new practices. The appropriate
number of gallon jugs will be removed from the trash cans as each new conservation behavior is
discussed. The jugs will be lined up on the table or ground to illustrate the real amount.
Wow! By doing those simple things, we have cut our water use almost in half! (One garbage can
be removed from the scene) Now there is more water for our springs and for the future!
A jug with water is removed (from under table cloth) and poured into the spring (fish bowl).
Plants and animals are placed in the spring. Kids are congratulated on helping to conserve water
and saving the spring.