Students will learn why it is important to take care of our usable water. Much of the earth s fresh water on the surface and groundwater is unsuitable for drinking without some treatment. Ninetyseven percent of the earth s water is ocean water, as yet largely unusable to humans for drinking, sanitation, cooking, or growing crops for food. Its important to know that 97 % 970 ml out of ml of all water on earth is saline salt water. An ecological footprint is a measure of how much of the earth s biologically productive land and water is needed to produce our food, material goods, and energy, and to absorb our waste. That leaves only 1 per cent of fresh water that is readily available to us for our daily water supply needs. Agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, accounting for 70 percent of total freshwater withdrawals on average 3 but these amounts can reach as much as 95 percent in some developing countries.
Salt water is filled with salt and other minerals, and humans cannot drink this water. Then explain to them that the total amount of water on the planet is not going to change. Ninetyseven percent of the water on the earth is salt water. Ask students where most of the water on earth is located refer to a globe or a map of the world. Our planets surface may be mostly covered in water, but how much of that can we use. Lesson the distribution of water on earth betterlesson. Its important to know that 97% 970 ml out of ml of all water on earth is saline salt water. Theres not a lot of water on earth at all, said david gallo, an. Groundwater consists of about 30 percent of earth s freshwater compared with nearly 69 percent for icecaps, glaciers and. Tsw identify the forms in which water is foun d on the earth s surface. Students develop a sense of where the worlds water is located and how it moves through the earth system. Water also exists in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in icecaps and glaciers, in the ground as soil moisture and in aquifers, and even in you and your dog. This lesson is designed to help students understand the distribution of water and its forms on earth. I explain that in people, water makes about 70 % of the body.
Using data on the worlds water distribution, students calculate the percentage of water that is available to humans and examine graphics that illustrate the distribution. This unit helps students explore the land and water that make up earth s surface. Youve heard the phrase, and for water, it really is true. The water found in freshwater lakes and rivers is an important drinking source for people and animals. Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system. Ask them to name the kinds of water that exist in, on or around earth. A storage location for water such as an ocean, glacier, pond, or even the atmosphere is known as a reservoir. The amount of water circulating through the earth s hydrologic cycle is the same amount that has been there since the earth s beginning, not a drop more or less. This 30 ml represents earths fresh water, about 3 percent of the total amount of water on earth.
Water occurs in many forms on earth, and it is naturally present in all three phases of matter. Youth will have the opportunity to explore how water is distributed on earth. Earth s oceans contain 97% of the planets water, so just 3% is fresh water, water with low concentrations of salts. This amount represents the amount of surface water rivers, lakes, and reservoirs on earth. Using our senses to determine if a living thing needs water.
All surface water accounts for over 99 % of all the water on earth. Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful. That leaves only one percent of the earth s water available to us for our daily water supply needs. Water pollution from agriculture has direct negative impacts on human health. Over 68 percent of the fresh water on earth is found in icecaps and glaciers, and just over 30 percent is found in ground water. Some 72 percent of earth is covered in water, but 97 percent of that is salty ocean water and not suitable for drinking. We discuss how the remaining water is supposed to support all the living organisms on earth. Water composes a large percentage of the earth s surface and is a vital resource. Most fresh water is trapped as ice in the vast glaciers and ice sheets of greenland. Two percent of the earths water is stored as fresh water in glaciers, ice caps, and snowy. The remainder is either salt water 97 percent or is locked up in ice just over 2 percent. Although the salt can be removed, it is a difficult and expensive process. This activity is designed to introduce participants to the concept that although about 70% of earth s surface is covered by water, only a small fraction of that water is available to humans as an essential resource.
Earth s surface is the part of our planet that we interact with every day. What is the percentage of drinkable water on earth. This gallon of water represents all the water on earth. Although water is plentiful on the surface, usable water is limited. Over 97 percent of the earth s water is found in the oceans as salt water. Water, water everywhere concept although water covers nearly threequarters of the earth, only a small fraction is available for human consumption. This activity is designed to introduce participants to the concept that although about 70% of earth s surface is covered by water, only a small fraction of that water is. For an estimated explanation of where earth s water exists, look at this.
There is only a certain amount of water on earth no more, no. Fresh surfacewater sources, such as rivers and lakes. And, of the total freshwater, over 68 percent is locked up in ice and glaciers. Younger learners focus on identifying local water sources on the globe. Looked at another way, only one percent of the water on the earth s surface is usable by humans, and 99% of the usable quantity is situated. Only the portion of freshwater residing in surface water rivers and lakes, etc, snow and ice, and relativelyshallow ground water. Less than 1 percent of all water on earth is available as groundwater and surface water suitable for human uses such as drinking and cooking. In order to make this water suitable for humans to drink, the water has to go through a desalinating process to take out the the salt. Notice how of the worlds total water supply of about 332. Two percent of the earth s water is stored as fresh water in glaciers, ice caps, and snowy mountain ranges. The air holds water vapor, and the human body carries water as well. About two percent of the earth s water is stored in glaciers, ice caps, and snowy mountain ranges. Seventy percent of the earth s surface is covered in water. All living things require water to grow and reproduce.
North and south pacific, north and south atlantic, indian, and arctic. Fresh water can easily become polluted by human activities or due to naturally occurring processes, such as erosion. On their tabletop maps, have students label and outline the six major ocean basin s. In this activity, students will see how water is distributed across different sources. What has changed is the amount of people living on earth, and thus, the amount of drinkable water required for human sustenance. Youth will explore global water distribution through handson activities. Water facts worldwide water supply water covers about 71% of the earth s surface. Explain that the blue ocean is the dominant feature on earth covering 70 percent of the planets surface and holding 97 percent of the earth s water. Its in the ground, forms big oceans, and its in our atmosphere. About 70% of the earth s surface is covered with water. Of freshwater, 69% resides in glaciers, 30% underground, and less than 1% is located in lakes, rivers, and swamps. Freshwater availability classroom activity precipitation. Pour 30 ml of the water into a 100 ml gradu ated cylinder. Distribution of water on the earths surface earth 103.
Of all the water on earth, more than 99 percent of earth s water is unusable by humans and many other living things. Tsw discover what percentage of the earth s surface is covered by water. On a global scale, only a small percentage of water is available, but this percentage represents a. In a crosscurricular activity linking math and science, examine the percentages of earth s water supply with your elementary kids using pasta or dixie cups of water. Identify the percentage of freshwater on earth that is available for human use. Approximately 71 percent of the earth s surface is water. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Drinking water and society freshwater, salt, source. Fresh water is not the same as potable water or drinking water. Water on earth activities part 1 in the classroom 1. Grade level upper elementary subjects science, social studies, math objectives students will be able to. If all of that water fell as rain at once, the whole planet would get about 1 inch of rain. This is due to the prevalence of water on the planets surface.
In this activity, students will see how water is distributed across different sources, how much can be used by humans, and will brainstorm ways to decrease their usage of fresh water. Most of the worlds fresh water is frozen solid in large glaciers in antarctica and greenland. Save our streams teachers manual, chapter one, watersheds, water water. Ocean water makes up about 97 % of all the water on earth. The earth is often compared to a majestic blue marble, especially by those privileged few who have gazed upon it from orbit. Phobos and deimos possibly captured asteroids water ice abundant.
Snow that is 4 inches 10cm deep contains about the same amount of water as inch 1 cm of rain. About 71 percent of the earths surface is watercovered, and the oceans hold about 96. Complete the following sentences with information from the article. And almost all of the fresh water that is available for human use is groundwater that is contained in.
971 1033 1504 94 843 325 454 771 1006 1439 372 463 1368 1360 816 579 365 1222 750 1025 1432 353 1282 1330 1074 1148 51 971 1489