A Water Resource for the Community Science Action Guide

Water plays an important role in our lives. Teaching students to use water wisely can help prepare citizens who will be concerned enough to ensure that there is plenty of safe, clean water for the future. The big question to have students try to answer is, "What is the cost of not conserving?"

Learning about the sources of our water, how water is wasted, how water conservation can be practiced, and how water is treated are all important facets when addressing the study of water. But this project goes beyond information and online activities to help formulate action plans and show you some things you might do in your home, community, and world to make water wasters become water savers and to improve the quality of our water.

Students can learn to do water audits and find areas where water is being wasted.

Data collection can show how conservation results in water savings.

Many environmentalists know that efforts to conserve natural resources are hampered by two prevalent factors: 1. People aren't aware or don't understand the situation 2. People don't think they can make a difference in correcting the situation.

It it our desire that the ideas and information presented here will inspire you and your students to join in the conservation effort and become part of the SWISH team - Student Water Investigators Showing How (to conserve and improve water quality). Only by spreading the word, making others more aware and knowledgeable about the problems can we hope to work towards solving the problem. To paraphrase what a wise person said long ago - If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem. We would like to think we are going to help you and your students become involved and be part of the solution.

The content included in this resource builds on basic science skills and information for students in the upper elementary to beginning junior high school. Standards for the topics or areas covered are provided as well as links to information about the standards. Lesson plans, printable items, activities for students and additional teacher resources are provided as well. The core of this resource is the S.W.I.S.H. Slide Show which takes students through an investigation focused on finding areas where water is being wasted. The S.W.I.S.H. lesson plan should help you make the most of this activity and help you develop your own real-life investigation or conservation project in your school or community.