Water Conservation Checklist

Summary

Students will create pictograms of ways to conserve water.

Materials

• student sheets (attached)
• Water Conservation Checklist (attached)
• Pictogram for overhead(attached)
• overhead projector
• colored pencils/markers/crayons
• butcher paper
• masking tape

Background for Teachers

Students should gain a greater understanding of simple ways they can help conserve water. They will also learn how communities can deal with water shortages. When students have completed this activity, they should be able to list at least 5 ways to conserve water.

Student Prior Knowledge

Definition of reservoir, steps in the water cycle

Instructional Procedures

1. Make enough copies of the student sheets for all of your students. Make one overhead copy.
2. Hook: Place the pictogram overhead up so when students arrive in class it is visible. Give students 2-3 minutes to try and figure out what the pictogram says. (Be a water saver)
3. Pass out student sheet to students.
4. Have students decide if they want to work individually or with a partner.
5. Assign each individual/partnership a letter A-W, then have them randomly select 2 letters from the alphabet (excluding x,y,z). To shorten the assignment, fewer letters can be chosen. They should write these on the top of their student sheet.
6. Students should then read through the activity.
7. Discuss the activity (especially the background information) and answer any questions students might have. Point out to students that they aren't making literal drawings but word puzzles for their classmates to figure out.
8. Have students look at the "Water Conservation Checklist." (attached) Tell them the letters they wrote correlate to the lettered items on the list.
9. The pictogram for the letter they were assigned will be drawn on one side of the butcher paper. 10. The other 3 pictograms, including the 2 letters they randomly choose and 1 more additional item of their own choice from the list, will be on the backside of the butcher paper.
10. Give students time to create their pictograms.
11. Have the students tape their pictograms (assigned item facing outward) around the room.
12. As a class, go around the room and try to decipher which item each depicts.

Assessment Plan

Answers to Analysis Questions:

1. You could install a low-flow toilet or put a bottle or brick in your toilet so the tank fills with a smaller volume of water each time.
2. Fifty gallons or more
3. You could only water during the cool parts of the day to reduce the amount of evaporation, you could deep soak your lawn in other words water it every several days to encourage the roots to grow deeper, you could also turn off your sprinkler timers so that you only water when needed, not when its raining. You could also put mulch around your trees to reduce evaporation.
4. Answers will vary but should include: Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff. They should also have reservoirs included and labeled.
5. Native plants to Utah are plants that are accustomed to living in the dry Utah climate. By using those trees you would not need to water your lawn as often.

Answers to Conclusions:
Answers will vary but should be detailed, relevant and in complete sentences.

Bibliography

Lesson Design by Jordan School District Teachers and Staff.