Overview
This first lesson serves as an introduction to the Water Warriors Curriculum. It lays out the methodology of the curriculum, such as the Water Warriors Journal and the use of multimedia in the lessons. The overarching goal of the curriculum is to bring students together to reflect on water and its essential importance in their individual lives and humankind. This curriculum is the beginning of exploration to investigate water through indigenous and human rights lenses. This opening lesson supports students in creating rules of engagement as they are introduced to complex issues around this vital resource.
Grade Level
8th-12th Grades
Essential questions the lesson will address:
● Why is water an essential resource for life on Earth?
● How can teens' perceptions on water impact the protection of the resource?
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Identify how much water they use on a daily basis.
● Assess their own personal water usage.
● Compare and contrast their water usage to that of people in other nations.
Common Core State Standards
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1
Water Warriors Glossary
● Water Supply: a source, means, or process of supplying water (as for a community) usually including reservoirs, tunnels, and pipelines (Merriam-Webster)
Formative Assessment Strategies
The teacher can make note of:
● Class-wide identification of their everyday access to water.
● Class participation during the exploration of individual water usage.
● Individual focus as students participate in the visualization and reflective writing activities.
Materials for Instructors
● Whiteboard, Blackboard, SmartBoard, or Flip Chart
● Water Warriors Glossary Board (Physical or Virtual)
Materials for Students
● Water Warrior Journals (A notebook or loose paper can be used).
● How Much Water Do You Use? Worksheet
LESSON PLAN
I. Opening Discussion (5 min.)
Share with the class that the goal of this curriculum project is to enable them to investigate many aspects of water and its essential importance to their individual lives and humankind. They will explore the many facets of water through indigenous and human rights lenses. They will review the vital importance of water not only through science, but through the voices of Indigenous leaders and youth.
II. Rules of Engagement and Methodology (10 min.)
Share with the class that because they will be discussing ‘hot topics,’ it is important for there to be an environment in which everyone will be able to speak and be listened to in ways the class deems are respectful and inclusive. Explain that hot topics are subjects that cover difficult issues that can potentially bring up strong emotions for people. Let students know that it is important to acknowledge that sometimes a subject is a “hot topic” for one person but not for everyone.
Teacher Note: For example, most likely the majority of your students have easy access to water. However, if you have a student who does not have this access or is in a household in which they must keep their water usage low due to financial constraints it is easy to create a hostile environment for that student if respectful communication is not adhered to.
Explain to students that it is now time to set up a classroom environment that will support these complex conversations.
On a flipchart or poster board write ‘Rules of Engagement’ and ask students to create the actual rules. Ask them to consider how they would like to be ’heard’ by their classmates, and how they would like to be ‘spoken to.’ Start by writing several examples on the board and then invite students to add to the list.
● Be a respectful and attentive listener.
● Use respectful speech.
● Use equal time for “mic” sharing.
● Be honest and have honest intentions.
● Allow others to keep or change their perspectives.
● Have the intention to create trust and learn from each other, rather than discredit others.
If possible, keep the “Rules of Engagement” posted and visually accessible throughout the program.
III. Quick discussion - How do we use water in the morning? (5 min.)
Ask students to popcorn what they do in the morning that requires water. Write down responses on the board. Examples may include:
● Drink a glass of water
● Take a shower
● Flush a toilet
● Make coffee or tea
End the conversation by asking students if they know where the source of their water is and write down responses on the board. (Do not erase either list as they will be needed in the next activities.)
IV. Reflective Writing (20 min.)
Have students take out their Water Warrior Journals. The journals can be digital or an actual notebook. Let them know they will be using their journals throughout the lessons in this curriculum. Explain to students that you will be leading them through a visualization to support them to connect to their ideas and opinions about the topic.
Students can put their heads on their desks and close their eyes. Or, if they want to sit up and keep their eyes open they can choose a spot on the floor to gently focus on.
Visualization: Imagining where the water from your faucet comes from (5 min.)
Close your eyes. See yourself walking over to the sink to brush your teeth or to get a glass of water. Watch your hand as you turn on the faucet and watch the water as it begins to come out of the faucet and hit the bottom of the sink.
Using your imagination go inside the faucet and follow the pipes to where your source of water originates. Are you led to a water tank above the building? Do you follow pipes throughout the city and end up in a watershed? What do you imagine?
Spend time exploring and when you’re ready, open your eyes.
Reflective Writing (5 min.) Open up your Water Warriors Journal and write about your journey to your water source. Your writing can be imaginative or factual or a mix of both!
Sharing (5min.) Have students share their written reflections
V. How Much Water Do You Use? (10 min.) Worksheet
Go back to the board and start to write in the water usage numbers next to the list of examples of how students use water in the morning. Look at the worksheet for the water usage numbers.
Hand out the How Much Water Do You Use? Worksheet. Tell students to keep track of their water usage for one week.
VI. Homework:
Now that students have imagined where the source of their clean water comes from, their homework assigning me is to research and find out the true source of their water.
Note for Teacher: To find out the average water use per person per day in your state, use this link: