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Handout
eSchool Today

E School Today: Your Cool Basics on Water Shortage

For Students 4th - 8th
Despite seventy percent of the world's surface being covered with water, there is a potential shortage of this natural resource. Only a small percentage is fresh water and much of that is inaccessible or threatened. Learn about fresh...
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Unit Plan
Geographypods

Geographypods: Freshwater: Issues and Conflicts: The Water System

For Students 11th - 12th
This learning module examines the Earth's stores of fresh water and how the balance between stores of water in the oceans and in ice is changing. Students then investigate how a maximum sustainable amount of freshwater can be achieved by...
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Interactive
Other

Freshwater Ecoregions of the World

For Students 9th - 10th
The World Wildlife Fund and the Nature Conservancy have compiled a comprehensive database about the freshwater regions of the world. Includes great interactive maps to find detailed information about any area of interest. Explore what's...
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Handout
US Geological Survey

Usgs: Water Science for Schools Water Science Storytime!

For Students 3rd - 8th
This U.S. Geological Survey website features a fictious town, Dryville, and uses it to illustrate every aspect of water management that you might encounter. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.
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Handout
US Geological Survey

Usgs: Water Science for Schools Activities Center

For Students 3rd - 8th
This website offers three activity centers: Questionnaires, Opinion Surveys, and Challenge Questions. Take a look at these interesting water research activities from the US Geological Survey. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.
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Website
Other

Nutrition Action: Water, Water, Everywhere

For Students 9th - 10th
The Center for Science in the Public Interest offers a discussion of contaminants that can be found in tap water and chemicals added to water in the public water systems. The topics discussed are arsenic, parasites, lead, turbidity, and...
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Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 1: Where's the Water?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that explores drought. Here students look at the availability of world's fresh water by investigating graphics and analyzing data to see where the world's water supply is going.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: How Much Water Do You Use?

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students keep track of their own water usage for one week, gaining an understanding of how much water is used for various everyday activities. They relate their own water usages to the average residents of imaginary Thirsty County, and...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Snow vs. Water

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Engineers work in many fields associated with precipitation. Engineers study glaciers to better understand their dates of formation and current demise. They deal with issues of pollution transport and water yield, and they monitor...
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: One World Ocean

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students learn about ocean currents and the difference between salt and fresh water. They use colored ice cubes to see how cold and warm water mix and how this mixing causes currents. Also, students learn how surface...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Natural and Urban Stormwater Water Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Through an overview of the components of the hydrologic cycle and the important roles they play in the design of engineered systems, students' awareness of the world's limited fresh water resources is heightened. The lesson lays the...
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Article
Nature Conservancy

Nature Conservancy: Planet Earth: Rivers and Lakes

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive exploration of rivers and lakes, their importance to biodiversity and to humans, how we use them, threats they face, and what is being done to conserve them.
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Website
US Environmental Protection Agency

Epa: Private Drinking Water Wells

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information on what to do after a flood to protect well water from contamination, the testing of private well water, and protecting private well water.
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Website
Other

Project Wet Water Education for Teachers

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Non-profit education program dedicated to increasing awareness of water resources through classroom activities and hands-on experience. Lesson plans designed for K-12 students. Site available in English, Spanish, and French.
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Lesson Plan
My Science Site

Environment Canada: Clean Water: Life Depends on It! [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
An extensive lesson unit on water quantity and quality and why it is important in relation to human life. Provides lessons that incorporate language, social studies, geography, and health. Tests are also provided. This is one chapter of...
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Website
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Wdnr: Information for Homeowners With Private Wells

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information about water quality, contamination in private wells, well construction and pump installation for private wells, a list of laboratories certified to test for bacteria and other contaminants, recommendations for...
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Website
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology

Ciese Collaborative Projects: The Global Water Sampling Project

For Students 9th - 10th
By testing your local water quality, you will be able to compare your results with students around the world. Register your class, and follow the project instructions. Additional teacher resources, references, and Ask-an-Expert sources...
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Website
Pacific Institute

Pacific Institute: The World's Water

For Students 9th - 10th
Water resources are under threat around the world. WorldWater.org is a repository of information related to issues that should concern all of us. There is also a searchable database of literature and research devoted to freshwater issues.
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Handout
US Geological Survey

U.s. Geological Survey: Groundwater Information by Topic

For Students 9th - 10th
A massive amount of information about groundwater. Topics covered include groundwater basics, humans and groundwater, groundwater quality, and its place in the water cycle. Includes true-and-false quiz and a Q&A section, as well as a...
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Handout
National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Foundation: What We Do to Protect the Great Lakes

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A description of the various projects of the National Wildlife Foundation to protect the Great Lakes. Includes links to further information.
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Handout
Center for Educational Technologies

Nasa Classroom of the Future: Florida Everglades

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is full of information and activities to help learn about the Florida Everglades, a unique wetland environment, and its future.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: A Drop in the Bucket: Usu Water Cycle

For Teachers K
Learn about the different sources of fresh water.
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Article
NASA

Nasa: Polar Ice and Its Possible Effects on the Earth

For Students 3rd - 5th
This article describes the effects of polar ice caps on the Earth and offers explanations as to the possible effects of polar ice melting on sea level and temperature.
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Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Ocean Center: Why Do We Need to Conserve Water?

For Students 4th - 6th
Go aboard on a cruise ship with Denise and her family. Help her learn about water conservation, and why it is important.