Citizenship 11-14/KS3/Levels E&F
Globalisation - environmental implications
It's World Water Day on 22 March. The United Nations General Assembly designated this day each year as the World Day for Water.
The event reminds people that globally there are still almost 1.1 billion people without adequate access to water and 2.4 billion without proper sanitation.
- In the UK we take plentiful clean water for granted, but it should be used responsibly.
- Not everyone in the world has proper access to clean water
Do we take clean water for granted? Working individually make a list of ten things they use water for: Start with drinking.
Here, are some more suggestions: Drinking, showers and baths, brushing teeth, washing clothes, watering garden, swimming, washing cars, washing dishes, cooking, flushing toilets.
In small groups, compare their answers. See if they have left anything important out
As a whole class, use voting to rank the answers into an order that shows which the students think are the most important.
How would losing the last five on their list change their quality of life?
What if the next three were removed?
What would life be like without a regular supply of clean water?
Research a documentary to be shown on World Water Day. Sketch a story board or write a script.
It will be transmitted at 8pm on BBC 1, so should appeal to a wide audience. The film will be in 2 parts.
- 1. How we use water in the UK. This should include the ways we waste water, and the ways we could save water.
- 2. The need for clean water in the developing world. Including facts on how many people are without clean water, and how water could change their lives.
For groups with class internet access the links on this page are good starting points for research. If not you can print and hand out copies of our guide to water.