A Global Community of Youth:
An invitation to Engage
OVERVIEW
Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to spark awareness and interest in the overall
topic of global water. Students will be introduced to the project and to their
international team.
Elements of the Unit:
A short video clip from the National Geographic Society, Freshwater Initiative highlights the
global issues related to water to engage students in the lessons. (Other videos are available
for viewing if timer permits and can be found in the Video folder.) The laminate The World’s
Fresh Water map will introduce the world’s fresh water supply. A letter from CDI will
encourage students to appreciate the global partnership. Students will be introduced to one
another through video clips, which can be found in the Dropbox folder under your partner’s
name. National Geographic’s April 2010 A Special Issue Water Our Thirsty World, is an
excellent resource for this unit. By having students answer a short pre-assessment (quiz) on
water related issues and facts, students will become familiar with their own understanding of
water and the issues surrounding it.
Essential Question:
What are global freshwater concerns? What is my role?
Key Concepts:
Water quantity and water quality
Prior Knowledge Needed:
None
Materials:
 Video clip from the National Geographic Society, Freshwater Initiative in the
Introduction – Engage folder
 Laminate The World’s Fresh Water map in the pocket of your binder. Extras are in the
supplies box
 A letter from CDI in the Introduction – Engage folder
 Video Clip of your international Partners can be found in the Dropbox folder under your
partner’s name. You will want to save this to your desktop before beginning your
lessons
 National Geographic’s April 2010 A Special Issue Water Our Thirsty World in the
pocket of your binder
 Water Quiz in the Introduction – Engage folder will need to be copied
 LCD projector for videos
Prep Time:
1 hour to read through lesson plan, make copies, put videos on your desktop and review the
material.
Class Time: About 30-50 minutes.
LESSON PLAN
Learning Objectives
 Students will begin to identify the importance of water around the globe.
 Students will understand some of their own misconceptions surrounding water issues.
 Students will see the value in working with global partners to bring a richer understanding
of global water issues.
Classroom Activities:
1. Start the class by brainstorming what students know about water issues.
2. Have students take the water quiz by either: going over it with students orally, displaying
the quiz on a screen, pass out a paper copy, or have students take the online version at
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/drinking-water-andsanitation-quiz/
a. Ask the class what they were most surprised about after taking the quiz.
3. Show the video clip from the National Geographic Society, Freshwater Initiative. (00:02:29
run time) Have students list the issues brought up in the video. This can be done in small
groups.
4. Show the video of your partner school (in Drop box under your partner school name). Ask
what they have learned? What else would they like to know.
5. Share The World’s Freshwater laminated map
6. Read the Letter of invitation to the group
7. Optional: Provide each student with the article reading “Fresh Water” and the questions
that go along with it. Alternatively, the reading and questions could be
done as a class and vocabulary can be discussed. The reading and
questions could also be given as homework.
8. Optional: Distribute Water is Life, National Geographic Article reading
with questions. This can be done as homework. This is also available
online at: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-islife/kingsolver-text
Extensions


Have students research on their own about some of the issues brought up in the quiz or
in the video.
Show other video clips from the list below and have students list the specific water
problems brought up:
o BBC on Water Shortage issues (00:09:30 run time)
o Lake Mead (00:05:56 run time)
o GE Water facts (00:02:53 run time)
Adaptations
 Since some of the vocabulary may be new to students, the teacher can help with
interpreting the video or make a vocabulary list for students to help them.
Assessment Suggestions
 Reviewing the answers to the quiz and article questions.
 Have the class list the various water issues brought up during the quiz and video(s)
 Answers to the reading questions.
Common Misconceptions
 Student may think that water is available to everybody and there are no major issues
related to access to clean water.
 Students may also believe that fresh water is mainly used by them through drinking and
washing and may not understand that the majority of water we use is “hidden” such as
the use to grow the food they eat or clothes they wear (this will be focused on later).
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
 Kingsolver, Barbara. "Fresh Water." National Geographic April (2010). Print.
 BBC Water Shortage video (00:09:30 run time)
The video goes through various locations including Kenya, Mexico City, Australia and Israel.
In Kenya, “water stress” and the scarcity of water is covered. In Mexico City, drawing water
from the water table creating the sinking of the city and lack of piped water due to population
increased demand is covered. In Sydney Australia, climate change creating the worst drought
of 100 years and the demand for water pressuring river systems is covered. The video also
covers the West Bank region struggle between Palestine and Israel. Israel controls and
consumes most of the water creating scarce and barely drinkable for Palestinians. At the end,
a brief review about the difference between high income countries having access to water due
to technologies such as desalination of sea water versus poorer nations that rely mainly on
rain water. A description of what will be needed to help solve water shortage problem in
different regions is discussed at the very end.

Lake Mead video, Project 20: National Geographic (00:05:57 run time)
Lake Mead, Nevada, is the largest reservoir in the US and its level is declining rapidly. Hoover
dam creates the lake and generates electricity. The lake depth has declined over 100 feet in
the last 10 years. Agriculture uses a large amount of water and would be greatly affected.
The demand for water has made it scarce. Food and clothes demand large amounts of water
creating an average American to use 1,800 gallons of water a day. The cycling of water links it
to all life. As water disappears, it will bring awareness of its importance and an understanding
that “water is life”.

Video: GE Water Facts (00:03:00 run time)
Facts related to water and water usage with music in the background.