Science:

• Discuss what affects population growth has on the water cycle
• Learn how population growth of humans has an affect on all organisms and discuss what needs are not met for all organisms because of lack of water availability
• Discuss what nutrients and other needs are also not met due to poor water quality and talk about what nutrients are needed for water to be considered "quality."

Environmental Studies:

• Discuss the affects of poor human habits on water quality
• Discuss how industrialization, urbanization, and other results of population growth are polluting our atmosphere

History:

• Discuss past issues that resulted from population growth
• Track trends in growth over time and see how the problem has progressed to today
• Find information about past behaviors and see how people in history used water and what methods if any were used to conserve the water

Geography:

• Explore different regions focusing on the history of the area, population growth over the past 5 decades (dividing each decade into separate components to see a trend)
• Focus on regions' water supply and use (where the water comes from, what it is used for, who uses it)
• Water level
• Water quality
• Upstream/Downstream issues

Math:

• Create a chart relating to the tracking of trends over time
• Use percentages
• Totals
• Other statistics
• Number of people.Amount of water used/saved
• Average growth per decade
• Average rainfall.sufficient to meet population?
• Amount of water available at certain times.The average amount of water available during certain decades, etc.
• Use similar statistics as above to prepare mathematical data with or without a chart

Economics:

• Monitor the affects of water quality, water scarcity, conservation, and distribution on the local, national, and world economy
• How do the water issues that affect food production affect the economy?
• Discuss how water becomes a monetarily consumed item and the lack of availability can increase the price of water (bottled, tap, etc.) and in turn can help or hurt the economy depending on consumption
• Companies taking advantage of the water crisis to market and gain
• Other countries with poor or low supplies relying on other countries with more water available and better quality

Behavioral:

• Discuss how human actions are the cause of the water crisis
• Cover topics relating to ways to conserve and how to educate

Discuss how population growth can affect the water supply in a way that also affects agriculture ("water use will increase by at least 50% in next 20 years due to population growth and urbanization, household use, industry, and agriculture;  Increased competition for water will limit the availability of water for irrigation which in turn will constrain the world's food production)

1. Students should (individually) research a particular region of the world (from a list prepared by the teacher).  The majority of the information should come from the Internet.

1. Suggested research topics:

i. Any endangered species and/or organisms resulting from that area's water crisis

ii. Any urbanization projects or industries affecting the environment, or with the potential to affect the environment

iii. History of population growth and water availability in that region

iv. The amount of bottled water consumed, imported, or exported

v. Identify the conservation methods that the region currently supports been any conservation efforts

vi. The quality rating of the water in that area

vii. Amount of water used on average, by individual, industries, agriculture, etc., in the region

2. Upon completing the research students should prepare a PowerPoint presentation or an essay to share with the class.



3. Students should be responsible for researching outside of class. At least half of the class period should be devoted to research and discussion of relevant findings



1. As a class have students bring in local, state, national, and world news papers, magazines, articles (Web or print) relevant to the global water crisis. 



1. Students should compare and contrast the problems in different areas


2. See how much of the publications is devoted to the water crisis


3. Use at least half the class to discuss findings and relate them to the lesson



2. Have students research relevant Web sites and prepare a brief synopsis to present to the class.



3. Have students go to Web sites of different organizations advocating or opposing water crisis and see what is being done to promote their cause. Have students contact the different organizations via e-mail or written letter, either to express interest, give opinions, or ask questions about that organization's position.



4. Home State Water Issues:
   
   
   1. Divide students into groups and have each group choose one of the regions into which your state can be divided (i.e. North Carolina can be divided into three regions: Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plains)
   
   
   
   2. Each group should utilize the Internet and other publications to research the following information about each region. Students will use this information to create a multimedia presentaton on their respective region.:

i. The history of the area

ii. The population growth and trends over the past five decades recording trends in each decade and make predictions for the next five decades

1. What areas or groups have increased

2. What industries have developed and/or moved into that particular region

3. What cities in that particular region have grown the most, and how has that growth contributed to water supply and quality:

4. Where do the cities, industries, recreational facilities, and farms get their water and who else does it affect?

5. Who are the biggest users of the water supply?

6.How are permits for water usage obtained?

7. What is the water level in that region and in the dominant areas in that region (has there been a trend in the past)?

8. Where is water discharged in that region?

9. What upstream or downstream issues exist?

10. Is water supply and distribution affected by politics.How?

11. Are there any cities with strong conservation and education efforts in that region (if so, what are they)?

12. Overall, what needs to be improved in that particular region (how)?

iv. Upon completing the research and presentations the students (as a class) are to compare their results and come up with a class solution to the problems in each region

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Extension

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Additional Resources

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