Lesson 1: Introduction to Water Use and Conservation

Lesson Plans & Curriculum
High School
60 minutes

This National FFA lesson plan, “Introduction to Water Use and Conservation,” introduces students to the importance of water conservation in society and their daily lives. Through engaging activities including a water footprint calculator and a conservation poster project, students examine their personal water usage, investigate conservation practices, and discuss the broader impacts of water scarcity on the environment and society.

At a glance

Learning objectives: Define water conservation.

Examine their personal water usage patterns and explore ways to conserve water.

Create a poster promoting one water conservation practice.
Time required: 60 minutes
Grade level: Grades 9 and 10
Materials: A copy of the "How Much Water Do You Use?" student activity sheet for each student

A copy of the "Save Our Water!" student activity sheet for each student

Student devices with internet access

Blank sheets of white paper

Markers, colored pencils, crayons and other supplies for making posters

Green and red dot stickers
Vocabulary: Conservation; Embedded Water; Indirect Water; Water Footprint; Virtual Water
Cross-Curricular Connections: English/Language Arts: Reflect on water usage patterns and thoughts on water conservation in writing. Technology: Use an online tool to calculate and learn more about water usage. Mathematics: Use a number line and mathematical symbols to estimate and explain water usage patterns. Social Studies: Discuss the impact of water shortages and water conservation practices on society as a whole.
SAE and FFA Connections: Environmental and Natural Resources CDE; Agricultural Proficiency Areas: Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management; Foundational SAE Connections: Agricultural Literacy
Green/Sustainability Knowledge and Skill Statements: AFNR Career Cluster Statement 1, Statement 3, Statement 7; AFNR Career Cluster-Natural Resources Systems Pathway, Statement 2
Partnership for 21st Century Skills: Communication; Critical Thinking and Problem Solving; Environmental Literacy; Global Awareness; Information, Communications, and Technology Literacy; Initiative and Self-direction; Leadership and Responsibility; Technology Literacy; Think Creatively

Downloads & Links

Lesson plan

Worksheet

Aligned Standards

AFNR Career Ready Practices

CRP.02Apply appropriate academic and technical skills. Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired through experience and education to be more productive.
CRP.04Communicate clearly, effectively, and with reason. Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas and action plans with clarity, whether using written, verbal and/or visual methods.
CRP.05Consider the environmental, social and economic impact of decisions.
CRP.06Demonstrate creativity and innovation.
CRP.08Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Career-ready individuals readily recognize problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem.
CRP.11Use technology to enhance productivity. Career-ready individuals find and maximize the productive value of existing and new technology to accomplish workplace tasks and solve workplace problems.

AFNR Cluster Skills

CS.03Examine and summarize the importance of health, safety and environmental management systems in AFNR workplaces.
CS.04Demonstrate stewardship of natural resources in AFNR activities.

AFNR Performance Element

NRS.01Explain interrelationships between natural resources and humans necessary to conduct management activities in natural environments.
NRS.02Analyze the interrelationships between natural resources and humans.
NRS.04Demonstrate responsible management procedures and techniques to protect, maintain, enhance, and improve natural resources.

Common Career Technical Core

AG-NR1Plan and conduct natural resource management activities that apply logical, reasoned, and scientifically based solutions to natural resource issues and goals.
AG-NR2Analyze the interrelationships between natural resources and humans.
AG-NR4Demonstrate responsible management procedures and techniques to protect or maintain natural resources.
AG3Examine and summarize the importance of health, safety, and environmental management systems in AFNR businesses.
AG4Demonstrate stewardship of natural resources in AFNR activities.

Common Core – Language

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Common Core – Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects: Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.7Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

Common Core – Math (Specific)

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.A.1Represent data with plots on the real number line (dot plots, histograms, and box plots).

Common Core – Math Practices

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
CCSS.Math.Practice.MP2Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4Model with mathematics.

Common Core – Reading in Science and Technical Subjects

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9.10.4Determinar el significado de símbolos, términos clave y otras palabras y frases de dominio específico según se usan en un contexto científico o técnico específico correspondiente a los textos y temas de los grados 9-10.

Common Core – Speaking and Listening

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.5Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.

Common Core – Writing

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.7Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

FFA Precept

FFA.PL-A.ActionAssume responsibility and take the necessary steps to achieve the desired results, no matter what the goal or task at hand.
FFA.PL-C.VisionVisualize the future and how to get there.
FFA.PL-E.AwarenessUnderstand personal vision, mission and goals.
FFA.PL-F.Continuous ImprovementAccept responsibility for learning and personal growth.

FFA Precepts

FFA.CS-N.Decision MakingAnalyze a situation and execute an appropriate course of action.

NASDCTEc

AGPE01.01Conduct system management activities in natural habitats to demonstrate recognition of the important relationships between natural resource preservation and human intervention.
AGPE01.03Apply scientific principle and processes when planning and conducting natural resource management activities to determine the need, feasibility and application of logical, reasoned solutions to natural resource system problems and issues.
AGPE01.05Practice responsible control and management procedures and techniques to protect or maintain natural resources in a variety of settings.

Next Generation Science

HS-ETS1-3Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.