Oxfam Education - Water For All

I would use the "Oxfam: Water for All" website in a Grade 7 Social Studies classroom, while looking at the unit on Resources.

To begin with, I would have students look at the "Online Slide Show" which shows pictures of water resources (or lack thereof) around the world. One stunning image in particular is the 'lock' on the water tap in a village in Kenya. I would ask students to look through the pictures (in small groups). With each picture, there is either a question or an explanation. Students would need to answer the questions with their group members as they viewed the pictures. After students had viewed the slide show, I would give them 4-5 minutes to write down their thoughts.

Next, I would ask students to think of all of the things that they use water for in a day. In what ways would their lives change if they had limited access to water (like the village in Kenya). How can we conserve our water supply? (These questions would be the basis for a classroom discussion).

The next activity I would have students complete is the online quiz about reasons for water shortage. Following the quiz, each group will choose ONE case study on the website to read and learn more about, and will present this case study to the rest of their classmates in a brief (5 min) presentation (problem and solutions as identified on the website).

Finally, I would use the video "Ryan's Well" (not on website) which tells the story of a little boy whose dream was to build a well in Africa. This would help students to realize that there ARE solutions, and that they too can help!

I think students will benefit from this website because of some of the amazing images. Students can look into the lives of others who do not have access to resources like we do, making the study of 'Resources' more real for them. By putting faces to the problem of water shortage, it will help build empathy in students (hopefully). I think this website is a great tool to allow students to see what life is like for people around the world and also to realize that we take our water supply for granted - but it is not something that everyone has access to.

Curriculum Connections:

Grade 7 Social Studies
- Resources

If you are interested in talking about water resources with your students, a good video to supplement this website is:
"Ryan's Well"

The Oxfam Education website is an awesome one to look for activities and lesson ideas. Check it out.