World Water Day Global Themes

March 22 • Interdependence
• Sustainable Action
Overview and Purpose
This lesson is designed to teach children about
World Water Day and the specific right of children
highlighted by this UN Day; their right to safe water
to drink (CRC Article 24).

Background Information for Teachers

World Water Day (March 22)
unwater.org/worldwaterday/index.html
Environment Canada—Water
ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=24F409D1-1
The Council of Canadians
canadians.org/water/issues/World_Water_Day/resources.html
Water for Life
un.org/waterforlifedecade/

Grades
4 – 8

Materials
Book entitled One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss
1-litre bucket (jug/container)
Chart paper divided into three sections: Know, Want to Know, Learned (KWL)
Know, Want to Know, Learned worksheet (printable copy attached)
Action Plan worksheet (printable copy attached)
Water Conservation checklist (printable copy in K-3 lesson)
Art supplies including re-art supplies (recycled materials)
Writing paper, writing materials, felt
Computers
Video camera (optional)

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
Activity One, Part One

• Begin by introducing March 22nd as World Water Day; a UN Day highlighting the need for
clean and safe water for all people, all over the world.
• Present the bucket to the class and ask the class how many buckets of water they think
they use each day. Explain that they use the equivalent of 300 containers of water per
person each day. Ask the students what they use the water for and how they could reduce
their personal consumption.
• Compare Canadian water consumption to other countries. What surprises you? What
challenges do you see, based on this data, to make clean, safe water accessible to all
people?

Country Daily Water Consumption

per Person (litres)

USA 575 l

Mexico 366 l

China 86 l

Kenya 46 l

Cambodia 15 l

*Taken from United Nations’ Human Development Report 2006

• As a class, use the Know/Want to Know/Learn strategy to brainstorm the topic of water,
and record the information on chart paper in the Know and Want to Know columns.
• Read aloud from the book entitled One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle
Strauss. Have the students listen for new concepts and facts they have learned about
water. Stop at the end of each page, discuss the concepts and record new things learned
on the chart in the Learn column.
• Discuss the right of every child to safe drinking water (CRC Article 24). What issues arise
when you learn that all children everywhere should have access to clean water as outlined
in the Convention?

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
Activity One, Part Two

• Divide the students into groups of 4. Distribute the Action Plan handout to each student.
Review the components of the action plan.
• In groups, have the students create action plans to promote a greater awareness of water-
related issues. The action plan could be based on the Want to Know section of the KWL chart.
• Ask students to put the plan into action. How will their plan of action be sustainable?

Discussion
Is the only shortage of water in developing countries? Are there some areas in developing
countries where the right to water is being met? Explore water issues in Canada. Are there
communities in Canada where the right to clean water is not being met? How do we advocate
for the right to clean water in our own country?
Why do we have to think of our community, our country, and the global village when we make
decisions about the use of water? What would happen if we only considered one perspective?

Extensions
Have students bring the water conservation checklist home. Ask them to check off all the ways
they are able to save water with their families to celebrate World Water Day.
Research what companies are doing to conserve water. Write a paragraph summarizing the
information.
Measure rainfall and compare it to rainfall in other countries. Graph the results.
Have the students graph daily water consumption per capita by country. Analyze the data.
Does the amount of rainfall in a country affect how the people in the country use water?
How is per capita water consumption calculated? What if the water is being used to develop
materials for another country?
Purchase a rain barrel for your school and use the water for watering the school garden. Many
municipal governments offer rain barrels for purchase. Or better yet, have the students design,
create and evaluate the effectiveness of the rain barrels they have created. More information
can be found here: harvesth2o.com/rainbarrel101.shtml.

Additional Resources
In the Water for Life kids’ section, you will find different resources (games, videos, tales, etc.)
that help kids to learn more about water, and inspire them and those around them to take
action.
un.org/waterforlifedecade/kids.html
Water Canada is a web-based water magazine with current short news articles about water.
Articles can be searched by National, Western Canada, Northern Canada, Ontario, Quebec,
Atlantic Region and International.
watercanada.net/
Activities for the book One Well are available here: kidscanpress.com/Assets/Books/w_
OneWell_1854/PDFs/OneWell_1854_teaching.pdf.
globalclassroom.unicef.ca
 STUDENT HANDOUT

Know, Want to Know, Learned Worksheet

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

Fill in the chart below as you listen to the story.

Know Want to Know Learned

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
 STUDENT HANDOUT

World Water Day Action Plan Worksheet

In small groups, create an action plan that promotes greater
awareness of water-related issues.
Your action plan must
include but is not
Action plan ideas include but are not limited to: limited to:
– public service announcement to be read during the
morning announcements q Facts learned in this
– posters lesson
– skits to be shared with younger classes q Actions we can take
– information to be put in the school newsletter to become “Well
– letters to government Aware” found on
– cartoons pages 26 to 29 of the
– videos book One Well.
– 3-D displays
– other ideas. The action plan must
also answer at least
one of the following
questions, or a
question your group
develops:
Brainstorm Your Action Plan q How does Canada
compare to other
countries in terms of
water use?
q What is Canada’s
role in the use of
water?
q What is the impact
of Canada’s use
of water on other
countries, plants,
and animals?
q What can be done to
protect fresh water?
q What can be done
to equally distribute
fresh water?

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
 STUDENT HANDOUT

Water Conservation Checklist

Celebrate World Water Day by saving as many buckets of water as you can at home with these
simple tips:

Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator rather than running tap water until it is cool
enough to drink.

Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bottle. This will cut
down on the number of glasses to wash.

When washing dishes by hand with two sinks, partially fill one with soapy water and the
other with rinse water. If you have one sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse
them with a spray device or in a pan full of hot water.

Use a spatula to remove food from dishes instead of pre-rinsing them in water before
placing them in the dishwasher.

Only wash full loads in the dishwasher, and always use the energy saver or shortest cycle.

Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.

Wash fruits and vegetables in a pan of water. Reuse it to water your house plants.

Steam vegetables instead of boiling them in water to use less water and conserve more
nutrients. When boiling vegetables, use only enough water to cover them, and use a tight-
fitting lid.

Defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency and food safety instead of using
running water to thaw food.

Dispose of garbage properly especially cooking fat and greases, household cleaners,
paints, solvents, pesticides and other chemicals. If these substances go down the sink
drain or are flushed down the toilet, they can harm the environment and piping system.

Install an aerator attachment on your sink faucets and reduce water use by 25 to 50%.

Wash only full loads of laundry, and use the shortest cycle possible.

Use the “suds-saver” feature if your washing machine has it. If your washer has an
adjustable water-level indicator, set the dial to use only as much water as is really
necessary.

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
 STUDENT HANDOUT

Use only cleaning products that will not harm the environment. Buy phosphate-free
biodegradable detergents.

Check faucets, toilets, pipes, taps¸ hoses and the fittings of your washing machine for
leaks, and repair them immediately.

Always turn your taps off tightly but gently so they don’t drip.

Use a water-saving device in your toilet—a large yogurt container or plastic bottle filled
with water or sand—to displace water in your tank and save water every time you flush.

If possible, replace your old toilet with a new, efficient 6-litre ultra low-flush toilet and
save 50 to 70% per flush.

Only flush the toilet when necessary.

Take a short five-minute shower whenever possible. If your shower is equipped with a
shut-off valve, turn off the water while you are soaping and shampooing, then rinse off
quickly.

Fill the tub only one-quarter full when bathing.

Replace your showerhead with a new low-flow model with a flow rate of 9.5 litres per
minute.

Turn the water off when washing, brushing your teeth or shaving. Fill a glass with water
for mouth rinsing while brushing your teeth.

Rinse your razor by filling the bottom of the sink with only a few centimetres of warm
water.

Wash your cars less frequently.

When washing your car, use a bucket and sponge, and then rinse it quickly using a trigger
nozzle on your hose.

Go to a carwash that recycles water.

Clean your driveway or sidewalk with a broom instead of a hose.

When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.

Set sprinklers to water the lawn, not sidewalks and driveways.

globalclassroom.unicef.ca
 STUDENT HANDOUT

Put a large container out to collect rainwater off your roof. Use this water as an alternative
to turning on the hose for newly transplanted material, window boxes, flower pots and
container gardens. Rainwater is actually better for your plants as it does not contain any
chlorine and is at an ambient temperature.

Soak your lawn weekly to strengthen grass roots and promote a healthy lawn. Use a
sprinkler that delivers large flat droplets.

When you cut your lawn, leave it at least six centimetres long to provide shade for the
roots. This will allow the soil to remain moist and require less watering.

Water your lawn in the early morning for best results. Two to three centimetres of rain
or water once a week is plenty. Place empty tuna cans in various locations on your lawn
while using the sprinkler to judge the amount of water being used.

Consider replacing your grass with drought-resistant plants and ground cover. You’ll save
water and time spent on upkeep. Ask your local gardener about drought-resistant plants
that thrive in your area.

For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give
your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.

If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, drop them in a
house plant instead.

Fill your pool 15 to 20 cm from the top to cut down on water loss from splashing. A
swimming pool cover will prevent evaporation, keep debris out and keep heat in.

Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water. When kids want to
cool off in the summer, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.

Have young children bathe together.

Wash your pets outdoors in an area of your lawn that needs water.

Use rechargeable alkaline batteries instead of throwing away so many batteries. The
mercury in old batteries will eventually leak out and poison the water it runs into.

Adapted from Wise Use of Water, Environment Canada, WaterUseitWisely.com

globalclassroom.unicef.ca