Water resources in the UK
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how changing demand for water in the UK creates opportunities and challenges.
Key learning points
- Changing demand and provision of water in the UK creates opportunities and challanges.
- Demand for water is changing and there are issues matching supply to demand.
- There is a need for water transfers within the UK to maintain supplies.
- There are various causes of water pollution including agricultural runoff, industrial discharges and sewage spills.
- Pollution management is needed to maintain water quality and protect the environment.
Keywords
Water transfer - the movement of water (through pipes or via canals or rivers) from areas of water surplus to areas of water deficit
Water stress - when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use
Water quality - a measure used to assess the suitability of water for drinking and for supporting river ecosystems
Common misconception
Our wastewater is treated and sent straight to our taps, to drink.
Few water systems link wastewater treatment plants to the supply system, with treated water going into covered reservoirs before the clean water network. Most release treated wastewater into rivers; from where it is abstracted downstream, later on.
Teacher tip
If you plan to study the water lessons, within the Global pattern of resources topic, you will have opportunites to reinforce the impact of water quality on water security. If not, this is the opportunity to discuss the link water quality and the environment with your future domestic consumers.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is an example of a renewable resource?
Q2.What resource is mainly used for generating electricity in the UK today?
Q3.Where in the UK are significant oil and gas reserves found?
Q4.What is the term for managing resources so they are available for future generations?
Q5.Water, energy, and food are examples of essential for human survival.
Q6.Which of the following is a reason why food imports to the UK have increased?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their correct definitions.
movement of water from surplus to deficit areas
when demand exceeds water availability or quality
measure of how suitable water is for drinking and ecosystems
Q2.What is the main reason water is transferred in the UK?
Q3.When there is not enough clean water available for people to use, a region may be said to be experiencing water ...
Q4.Why is it wrong to say that treated wastewater goes straight to our taps?
To help you plan your 11 geography lesson on: Water resources in the UK, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 geography lesson on: Water resources in the UK, 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 4 geography lessons from the Resources in the UK unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.