Are We Running Out of Clean Water?

• This video explains why more than half of the world's population experiences water scarcity for at least one month out of the year, even though water covers 71% of the Earth's surface. 
• Students will learn reasons why we're running out of water, current estimates of water scarcity, and what the agriculture industry is doing to reduce its impact on our water supply. 

Positives

• This video uses engaging animation and supportive graphs to keep viewers' attention. 
• The narrator touches on relatable issues such as food waste, agriculture, and vegetarianism to help convey how we all might be able to play a part in solving this problem. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers and students must sign in to use the interactive features of the website. 
• It may be helpful for students to have a basic understanding of some of the vocabulary in the video such as underground reservoirs, aquifers, and permafrost. 

Differentiation

• Students could work in groups to research irrigation techniques that farmers are using to reduce the impact of the agriculture industry of our water supply. 
• Students could use the linked water footprint calculator to look for individual actions that can save water.
  
• This lesson plan could give students the opportunity to research the differences between regenerative farming and industrial livestock operations to see how they impact our environment differently. 
• Language arts teachers could share this short video about the implications of food waste and have students discuss how food waste impacts our clean water supply along with other environmental issues. 
• Other resources on this topic include this interactive global map which provides information about risks to clean water supplies and solutions, this interactive map that shows how watersheds work, and this activity on protecting watersheds. 

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.