Water: our essential resource
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain why water is a precious resource and identify some of the threats to its availability and distribution.
Key learning points
- Water resources across the world are unequal and influenced by patterns of climate.
- Global water use varies and is linked to latitude, climate, and amount of agriculture and industry in a place.
- Our use of water must be sustainable.
- Existing water resources are becoming increasingly polluted through human activity.
Keywords
Fresh water - Fresh water is water that is not salty.
Reservoir - A reservoir is an artificial lake made by humans to store water.
Water supply - Water supply means the water from lakes, rivers and reservoirs that is carried by pipes to homes and businesses for daily use.
Sustainable - Using a resource in a way that ensures there will be enough left for future generations.
Common misconception
That water originates from pipes or taps.
All water is a natural resource and originates from bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs.
Teacher tip
Look into the average water usage for every day activities such as brushing teeth, having a shower to highlight how children and families can reduce their water usage.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these images show uses of wood?
Q2.What is the term given to wood that has been cut down and prepared for use in industries?
Q3.How do trees help the environment?
Q4.What type of management is important in Canada's boreal forests?
Q5.Which hemisphere are Canada's boreal forests in?
Q6.What do forest companies have to do in areas they harvest wood from?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Water can be found as a solid, liquid and ...
Q2.What percentage of the earth's surface does water cover?
Q3.Which of these are fresh water sources?
Q4.How much of the world's population don't have access to water?
Q5.Can you identify whether these are natural or human factors affecting water supply?
human
natural
human
Q6.How can we reduce our water usage?
To help you plan your 5 geography lesson on: Water: our essential resource, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 geography lesson on: Water: our essential resource, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 geography lessons from the Natural resources: what are they, where are they found, why are they important? unit, dive into the full primary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.