Overview

There is a serious drought in your entire region. There has been no rain for weeks -- and no significant rain in the forecast. Reservoirs are well below capacity. Under normal conditions, people can take long showers, allow faucets to drip, wash their cars, and water their gardens without having any significant impact on the water supply. But during a drought, every drop of water counts.

Your task is to work in groups of five to establish water-conservation policies for your immediate area for the next three months. Without changes in policy, the current water supply will last only one month, or maybe less. To make the water last, you need to find out everything you can about water supply and demand in your community -- including the source(s) of the water, how it is distributed, where it is stored, how much water is used on a daily basis, how water is processed, and where alternative sources of water exist.

You will use this information in a document that you will later present to the entire community, so be sure you understand the water cycle well enough to diagram it and explain it to others.

For this task, each student in your group will be assigned, or will choose, a specific role from the following: mayor, citizen, mathematician, geologist, president of the Chamber of Commerce, journalist, environmental activist. (There should be only one of each role per group.)

Each group must find ways to work together to get your community through the drought and make the water last for the next three months. Each individual group member will need to examine information and ideas, keeping in mind his or her own expertise and "constituencies" (people in the community he or she must please and satisfy), yet reaching consensus on the solution.

A description of the roles:
Mayor: The mayor must see to it that the community runs smoothly, all citizens are safe, and there are no health problems. The mayor also is elected by popular vote, and so must keep in mind his or her own popularity in order to get reelected. Constituents: all voters in town.

Citizen: The citizen is the father or mother of a family in the area and is concerned that his or her own children are safe, have enough to eat and drink, and are healthy and happy. Constituents: Self, and his or her family and friends.

Mathematician: The mathematician in the group helps to understand the data that the group collects on past rainfall amounts in the region. (S)he also is a major help in calculating the rate at which water is presently being consumed and what ways a reduction can or cannot help. The mathematician works for a nearby computer company. Constituents: His/her employer, self, and family.

Geologist: The geologist is an expert in the land formations of the local community. (S)he uses charts and past research to calculate the level of the water tables. (S)he is able to tell whether the present conditions are temporary and indicate a lack of rainfall or are more long term and have to do with a reduction of groundwater. The geologist works for a local university. Constituents: His/her employer and scientific peers.

President of the Chamber of Commerce: This person is concerned with the businesses in town: making sure that they run smoothly, stay open, and are not adversely affected by the drought and by conservation measures. Constituents: businesses in the community.

Environmental Activist: This person is concerned with preserving natural resources, including bodies of water, in an unspoiled condition. Constituents: citizens of the community who are also concerned about the environment.

Journalist: The journalist (a reporter for the local newspaper) has a duty to his or her readers to present news of the drought. He or she is also interested in underlying stories, including mismanagement of the situation. This person wants to also present the "human" side of the situation: How do people feel about the drought? How do they feel about conservation efforts they must take? Constituents: Readers of the newspaper.

You will communicate with each other via telephone, email, text messaging, chat room or discussion board. At no time will any of you meet with each other in the same room. You will exchange informatio e.g. papers articles and documents via email with attachments. There must be evidence of each one's contribution to the powerpoint and the white paper.

In spite of your differing roles, the five of you in each group must work together to find a solution and then present it to the entire community. You need to keep in mind your own "constituencies," yet reach a group consensus on the solution. You will probably have to make compromises and deals. Time is of the essence!

Each group will then create a step-by-step plan, using the software program Inspiration, that addresses how water will be conserved, what steps you need to be take in your roles, what steps need to be taken by community members, and how your plan can be implemented and enforced.

You will show your plan to the teacher, who once he or she has approved it, will provide each group with the name of a water-conservation expert that you can contact via the Internet. You'll e-mail the expert with a written summary of the plan and ask for feedback.

After using the experts' feedback to make changes, the groups will create a PowerPoint presentation to be given at a "town meeting" of community members (actually, in your classroom or the school auditorium; guests determined by the teacher.)

Your group will also prepare a more detailed "white paper," showing the water cycle in your community and including diagrams of how water flows, is processed, and is delivered.

Student Questions

To Be Answered through Research and Planning

Be sure you can respond in detail to the following, and include this information in your presentation and white paper.

1 What is the water cycle? Describe fully where water comes from, how it gets to us, where in your community it is stored and processed, and how it is delivered. You need to include a diagram of the water cycle particular to your community in your white paper and on your presentation.
2. What is a drought?
3 How do you know when you are in a drought? (Hint: It is not as easy as it seems.)
  • What is the difference between a year of record low rainfall and a drought year?
  • Differences in mean, mode, and median rainfall are critical in the understanding of this condition. What is the yearly average rainfall in your area? What is the range?
  • How many CONSECUTIVE years must rainfall be below a certain range before "drought" can be claimed?

4 What causes a drought? Is drought natural or man-made?
5 How is water used by citizens, and for what? By schools? By businesses?
6 How much water is used daily by every person in your community?
7 How much water is used by businesses?
8 Are there any other places to get water?
9 By what amount must usage be reduced daily to conserve the water that is left?
1 0 What are the specific steps every individual can take in his or her daily life to conserve water during this drought?
1 1 How can you educate people to conserve water?
1 2 Will you need to resort to fines and other methods to enforce conservation?
1 3 What organizations can help you?
1 4. How can you convey this information accurately and memorably to educate people?
1 5 How will you persuade people to follow your plan?
1 5 How will you respond to those not wanting to follow your plan?

 

Collaboration Rubric


Name __________________________________

Beginning
1 		Developing
2 		Accomplished
3 		Exemplary
4 		Score
Contribute
Research & Gather Information Does not collect any information that relates to the topic. Collects very little information--some relates to the topic. Collects some basic information--most relates to the topic. Collects a great deal of information--all relates to the topic.
Share Information Does not relay any information to teammates. Relays very little information--some relates to the topic. Relays some basic information--most relates to the topic. Relays a great deal of information--all relates to the topic.
Be Punctual Does not hand in any assignments. Hands in most assignments late. Hands in most assignments on time. Hands in all assignments on time.
Take Responsibility
Fulfill Team Role's Duties Does not perform any duties of assigned team role. Performs very little duties. Performs nearly all duties. Performs all duties of assigned team role.
Participate in Science Conference Does not speak during the science conference. Either gives too little information or information which is irrelevant to topic. Offers some information--most is relevant. Offers a fair amount of important information--all is relevant.
Share Equally Always relys on others to do the work. Rarely does the assigned work--often needs reminding. Usually does the assigned work--rarely needs reminding. Always does the assigned work without having to be reminded.
Value Others' Viewpoints
Listen to Other Teammates Is always talking--never allows anyone else to speak. Usually doing most of the talking--rarely allows others to speak. Listens, but sometimes talks too much. Listens and speaks a fair amount.
Cooperate with Teammates Usually argues with teammates. Sometimes argues. Rarely argues. Never argues with teammates.
Make Fair Decisions Usually wants to have things their way. Often sides with friends instead of considering all views. Usually considers all views. Always helps team to reach a fair decision.
Total

 

 

 

Research Sources
(In addition to the Web sites that the teacher bookmarks, you can look for and use other helpful sites.

Web Sites

Water Science for Schools
http://www.ga.usgs.gov/edu/

Mr. & Mrs. Fish (with Children and Grownup strands):
http://www.mrandmrsfish.com/

For Additional Research

Project Wet for Educators
http://www.montana.edu/wwwwet/

Global Water Project
http://www.globalwater.org/

U.S. Water News (an online publication about water)
http://www.uswaternews.com/homepage.html

Ask an Expert Sites

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network / U.S. Department of Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter/

Scientific American
http://www.sciam.com/askexpert_topic.cfm?topicID=10

Ask-a-Geologist (bodies of water)
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/docs/ask-a-ge.html/

local water experts (teacher should research)
http://www.eweb.org/water/ask.html

Books (Suggestions)

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE: A BOOK ABOUT THE WATER CYCLE, by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger. Ideals Children's Books, 1995. ISBN 1-571-02056-X

LAST OASIS: FACING WATER SCARCITY, by Sandra Postel. Norton, 1st ed., 1992. ISBN 0-393-30961-4

WATER WARS: THE FIGHT TO CONTROL AND CONSERVE NATURE'S MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE, by Olca Cossi. New Discovery Books, 1st ed. 1993. ISBN 0-027-24595-0

WATER: A NATURAL HISTORY, by Mice B., Outwater. Basic Books, 1st ed. 1996. ISBN 0-465-03779-8

FLUSH: TREATING WATER, by Karen Mueller Coobs. Carolrhoda Books, 1995. ISBN 0-876-14879-8