Exploring Water Around The World

There’s nothing more essential to life on Earth than water. Yet, people across the world are struggling to access the quantity and quality of water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing, handwashing, etc. Access to clean water changes everything; it’s a stepping-stone to development. Water connects every aspect of life. In order to understand the availability of freshwater, its shortage & its conservation, learners of grades 5 & 6 were introduced to the topic,‘Water: Around the World’.

In the launch stage, learners’ inquiry revolved around how water reaches our homes and our taps. Purification of water and the role of freshwater was also discussed. Different water resources were identified and the water channel from various resources to our taps and back to the source was explored. Various videos, articles and discussions led to better understanding. Learners were given time to identify and calculate the exact amount of water they used for certain basic day to day activities by conducting primary research. They then had to use a limited amount of water given to them for the same activities and present it in the form of a bar graph for their assessment. It made them realize the amount of water they recklessly wasted everyday.

During Deep Dive, water problems faced around the world and the factors that lead to water crises were discussed. Documentaries, TED talks and videos on water scarcity around the world were shown to the learners. Certain case studies were chosen from various countries around the world facing the water crisis. Learners were asked to present their understanding on the case study given to their group through presentations. Learners creatively wrote on a few hypothetical situations framed by educators for their assessment.

In coda, learners understood the necessity of water management and then explored different ways and methods to conserve water. Different methods such as: rain water harvesting, borewell recharge, redistribution of water, sewage treatment plant, grey water recycling, etc were explained to the learners. Group presentation on one method of conservation was to be given by the learners for their final assessment.

By the end of the exploration, learners understood the importance of freshwater availability and water crises around the world.