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4. When all these are done, ask, What is left? Tell students that humans and wildlife together can use only about
what they see left in the large container, less than 1% of the world’s water! Add to that the fact that most water
used by humans is from rivers and streams, which comprise only 0.0001% of all the water on Earth, and this
tiny amount must be shared with all non-ocean organisms! Challenge students to think about how they would
have extracted 0.0001 % of the water they had in the large container. Ask students, How do humans get enough
water? (Some examples: Dams contain water so that it can be easily extracted, pipelines and aqueducts move
water to a particular place to be used, wells are drilled to extract groundwater.) How can wildlife get
enough water?
5. After students have discussed the small amount of water available for humans and non-ocean wildlife to
use, ask students, What do people do with the water we use? Have them create a list.
Examples
Domestic uses: cooking, cleaning, teeth brushing, bathing, flushing toilet, watering lawn, etc.
Commercial uses: restaurants, car washes, public restrooms, etc.
Industrial uses: mining, for cooling large engines, etc.
Electricity: cools power generators, runs hydroelectric dams
Irrigation: agriculture, livestock
Where do people get this water? Have students brainstorm on this topic. Some potential answers: public supply
(largely from river- or stream-fed reservoirs), well water (from ground water), cisterns or other raincatching
devices (largely individuals; this practice is rare)
6. Wrap up the activity by asking students, How in the world can we do all these activities with so little of the
earth’s water? What does this mean to us on a daily basis? If we have so little water, what do we do if
it is polluted? What are some positive steps we can take to conserve water and prevent water pollution in
our local community or in our schools and homes? Since this same water must be shared with all non-ocean
wildlife, what does this mean for the way we use our water and how much of it we use?
WRAP UP
Ask students to look at a world map. How is the earth’s freshwater distributed? Which areas have more water?
Which areas have very little water? (For example, the Great Lakes in North America have a lot of freshwater, while
deserts like the Mojave in the western states, and the Sahara in northern Africa are very dry). Ask, Where is the
nearest freshwater source to you? Do you live in a dry or water-rich area? Ask students to explain their answers.
ASSESSMENT
Have students develop posters depicting the amount of water available for humans and non-ocean wildlife, and
suggesting ways their schoolmates and community members can conserve water in their everyday lives.
Part Two of the activity is available at
Adapted from “Water, Water, Everywhere?” in Water NatureScope Kit (National Wildlife Federation, 2001).
©National Wildlife Federation®
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