Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint Overview

Water conservation encourages students to become more mindful of their daily direct water use, encouraging them not to waste water when brushing their teeth, washing dishes, showering, etc. The Lessons for Understanding Our Water Footprint program is designed to go beyond typical water conservation lessons to encourage a greater global perspective and to cultivate students’ awareness and understanding of indirect (virtual) water use. The lessons promote conversation about how food choices and shopping habits have a larger impact on water consumption than students may realize. They do this by introducing the concept of water footprints and helping students understand how they use water beyond the tap. This program consists of three lessons designed specifically for high school students and three tailored for middle school students.

The goal of Lesson 1 is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of key water issues. Students learn key facts about water resources and water footprints and then use a water calculator from watercalculator.org to identify and analyze their personal direct and virtual water consumption. The lesson gives students a foundation of knowledge and helps them understand why they should care about protecting water resources. Once students understand why the issue is important, it is easier for them to make a fundamental shift in attitude about their water use.

In Lesson 2, students learn how to articulate and share the concept of a water footprint. Then they investigate in greater detail the impact of their food consumption habits on their virtual water use and begin thinking about how their diet is influenced by systems outside of themselves, such as social groups, advertising, and structures in place at home and at school.

Lesson 3 empowers students to take action. First, they investigate how the products they buy impact their virtual water footprint. Then they devise a plan to reduce their personal water footprint. Next, they work together to evaluate the water footprint of their school campus. Finally, they create a Strategic Action Plan to reduce the school’s water footprint and work in groups to get the necessary permissions to enact a water-saving plan for the campus.

This program includes:

• 6 engaging lessons: Three lessons designed specifically for high school students and three for middle school students provide students with an in-depth understanding of key water issues.
• A range of teaching strategies, including presentations, videos, activities, assessments, portfolio assignments, technology integration, and community extensions.
• Student worksheets that engage students in real-world learning exercises.
• Standards alignment to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS); Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA/Literacy and Mathematics; Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); and the Cloud Education for Sustainability (EFS) Standards & Performance Indicators.

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