This unit, from the Watershed Dynamics curriculum, uses National Geographic FieldScope as a key tool for investigating water availability. The unit is designed to teach students about water availability and the impacts of human activity on the watersheds we live in. Students and teachers learn to use geographic information system (GIS) tools and various data sets to answer questions about the environment.

Students research the effect of common pollutants on our waterways and hold a mock trial to determine the worst pollutant.

This resource describes the sources of water pollution. It includes diagrams, videos, practice questions, a study guide, flash cards, interactive assessments, and articles on real world applications.

This lesson uses hands-on activities to discuss water filtration. Students will have the opportunity to explore water filtration by filtering water through a variety of materials and using potatoes to grow and test the bacteria levels of the water. With a focus on nanotechnology, this lesson discusses the benefits of embedding silver ions in filters to kill harmful bacteria. At the end of this lesson students will have the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test in a written discussion by designing a solution to a mock water crisis.

This brief video lesson discusses fresh water sources and use. Discussion/assessment questions and suggested supplemental resources are also included.

The High-Adventure Science Water module has five activities. In this module students will consider the question: will there be enough fresh water? In this guided activity, they will explore the distribution and uses of fresh water on Earth, explore models of porosity and permeability, run experiments with computational models, and hear from a hydrologist working on the same question. By the end of the module, students will be able to explain how humans can preserve supplies of fresh water for the future.

This is an encyclopedia entry for the term "groundwater." Groundwater is all the water found underneath the Earth?s surface. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.