More precious than oil, this my be the world's greatest resource, yet we ignore it often and abuse it frequently. Beneath its surface, on the surface and in the atmosphere, earth holds about 320 million cubic miles of water. Of this, 97% is ocean salt wter and more than 2% is locked in polar icecaps. Only 1% is in lakes, steams and groundwater.
There is much exciting work being done with water studies in schools. This issue includes articles on flash floods in sand tables, water conservation, pond studies and a real Paddle to the Sea.

A Flash Flood in the Sand Table

A sand table is a great place to simulate a flash flood as it might occur in the desert southwest.

A Pond Visit? Absolutely!

Yes, of course, going to a pond is a neat experience. It's a great way to meet nature on its own terms and also get outside on a day when the kids might be just a bit antsy anyway. But what do you really want to do while you are there and what things can best be done at a pond rather than inside your classroom?

Water: A Family Affair

Water is free, or nearly so, and we normally use it without much thought. Turn on the tap and it flows. Let's open up the mental tap, too. By thinking about how we use water and how much use, we can create an opportunity for teachers, children and parents to join in a mutual investigation.

A "Real Paddle" is Launched:

I needed a lesson or series of lessons to teach and illustrate how perseverance, patience, and hard work can complete an exercise with far more substance than something completed in minutes. I chose Paddle-to-the-Sea as the example of good things happening slowly. We read the book, viewed the film produced by Bill Mason, and traced Paddle's route. We talked about the weeks, months, even years that such a trip would take.
To further illustrate the time and perseverance needed to create this type of adventure I decided to carve my own Paddle-to-the Sea and release it in Lake Superior.

A Refreshing Shower of Books

In addition to Paddle-to the-Sea, Holling C. Holling has written several other books that lead to regional water studies.

Concept Mapping:

Since we take in new information in terms of what we already know, an excellent way to begin a thematic unit on concepts related to water is by using the technique of concept mapping.

Underwater Volcanoes

Last summer scientists diving in the research vessel, Alvin, discovered a line of volcanoes on the Pacific Ocean floor about 300 miles off the Oregon coast.

Water Saving Challenge

Challenge your students to save water by giving them a concrete goal, say to save 200 gallons of water in a week, and then provide them with a chart of equivalents that will give them the information they need to approximate the water they save by changing their own behavior.

Building a Pond Viewer

A pond viewer is a simple device that allows students to see a "slice" of a pond (or any body of water), muck, microorganisms and all. It can be made from wood scraps, plexiglass, rubber tubing, and some wing nuts, washers and bolts.