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Description
The World Water Game is an interactive, hands-on activity to introduce secondary students to the realities of the global water crisis. Students will be split into four teams which represent four different countries (Canada, USA, Bolivia, and Kenya). Each country will receive the same amount of fresh water to start, they will also each receive an untouchable bucket and a polluted bucket. Each country will also have a stack of cards with actions they need to carry out. These cards will ask them to transfer water or be points card. The winning team will be the team with the most water left in their fresh water bucket or have the most points after tallying their points card.
In this resource, students will:
- understand how water is being removed from the hydrologic cycle through diversion (agriculture, dams), depletion (industry, manufacturing) and pollution.
- understand that humans are using up our supply of fresh water faster than it can be replenished
- understand that the distribution and access to water around the world is not equal or fair
- make connections between environmental and human rights issues (eco-justice!).
- make connections between individual actions and global consequences.
General Assessment
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This game will reveal to students the power dynamics behind the commodification of fresh water in a fun and engaging manner while also raising awareness of the seriousness of the global water crisis and encouraging students to take positive actions in their own lives. An excellent activity in courses where we introduce the water cycle to get conversations started. It would also be beneficial for students to understand the disparities in our World.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
- Step 1Select a province
- Alberta
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environment and Outdoor Education: Environmental Core
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Chemistry
- Knowledge and Employability Science: Environmental Chemistry (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 10: Energy Flow in Global Systems
- Science 14:Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- British Columbia
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth Science 11:The distribution of water has a major influence on weather and climate.
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Human actions affect the quality of water and its ability to sustain life.
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Introduction to Environmental Science 120: Investigating Environmental Issues
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 1206: Weather Dynamics
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 2200: Weather Dynamics
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 3205: Water Use & the Environment
- Northwest Territories
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 14:Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Knowledge and Employability Science: Environmental Chemistry (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 10-4 (Knowledge and Employability Science): Investigating Matter and Energy in Environmental Systems
- Science 14: Investigating Matter and Energy in the Environment
- Ontario
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Regional Geography (Univ./College Prep.): Sustainability and Stewardship
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living in a Sustainable World (Workplace Prep.) Sustainability of Natural Resources
- The Environment & Resource Management (Univ./College Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship of Natural Resources
- World Issues: A Geographic Analysis (Univ. Prep.):Sustainability and Stewardship
- Prince Edward Island
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: Content Knowledge
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Geography
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Geography 521A, Global Studies: Physical Patterns of the World
- Geography 531A (World Geography): Physical Patterns of the World
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 621A: Environmental Challenges and Successes
- Environmental Science 621A: Natural Resources
- Quebec
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 10
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science & Technology: The Earth and Space
- Science & Technology: The Earth and Space
- Science and the Environment: The Earth and Space
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 9
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 9: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them.
- Grade 11
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth Science 11:The distribution of water has a major influence on weather and climate.
- Grade 12
- Step 3Select a subject
- Environmental Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Environmental Science 12: Human actions affect the quality of water and its ability to sustain life.
Themes Addressed
Citizenship (1)
- Sustainable Consumption
Water (3)
- Water Cycle
- Water Quality
- Water Use
