Water-related Education Materials for Grades 5-6

The following are suggested lesson plans for water-related activities in the fifth and sixth grade classrooms:

Water Field Day Activity Guide

Host a water field day event using the following guide!  (Use CTRL + Click on the hyperlinks to access full activity directions)

Click Here to Download the Field Day Guide

The following stand-alone activities are age-appropriate for Grades 5-6:

Interactive Games:

Willie’s Water World Adventure
Put together a puzzle and learn about conservation

6 Steps to Wash Your Hands
This game will help students learn proper hand washing techniques

Scrub Club Villain Gallery
Learn about the bacteria that can cause illness without proper hygiene

Scrub Club
Learn about E. coli and handwashing with this interactive matching game

Scrub Club 5 Finger Alert
Learn about handwashing and the Influenza virus

EPA’s Interactive Water Cycle
Learn about the water cycle with the EPA’s Interactive Water Cycle

Thirstin’s Matching Fun Facts Game
Learn about water usage with Thirstin’s Matching Fun Facts Game

Interactive Water Treatment Plant
Learn what happens at each step of the water treatment process

Thirstin’s Interactive Q&A Game
Test your knowledge about water with Thirstin’s Interactive Q&A Game

EPA’s Interactive Thirstin’s Word Scramble
Unscramble the words to complete these sentences relating to water

Word Games (printable worksheets and games):

Recycle Maze
Can you get the can to the recycle bin?

EPA’s Printable Thirstin’s Word Scramble
Unscramble the words to complete these sentences relating to water (pdf version of interactive game)

Drinking Water Word Search
Find the words relating to drinking water

Ground Water Word Search
Find the words relating to ground water

Tap Water Delivers Crossword Puzzle
A crossword puzzle relating to how tap water is used every day

Ground Water Crossword Puzzle
A crossword puzzle relating to ground water

Tap Water Word Search
Find the words relating to tap water

Tap Water Infrastructure Maze
Help the water get from the treatment plant to your house with the

Groundwater Contamination Crossword
Use this crossword puzzle to help teach about sources of groundwater contamination:

Clean Water Maze
Help the children get to the clean water faucet in the Clean Water Maze

Water Cryptogram
Complete the water-related phrase with the Water Cryptogram

Water Challenge Word Search
Find vocabulary words from The Water Project’s Water Challenge in the Water Challenge Word Search

Fact Sheets and Quizzes:

Tap Water True/False Quiz
Take this quiz to test your knowledge about tap water

Drinking Water Bloopers
Learn how much water is wasted when we aren’t thoughtful about water conservation

EPA’s Water Facts of Life
Learn some fun facts about the life of water, and water in your life, with EPA’s Water Facts of Life

EPA’s Water Trivia
Learn 45 facts about water

Bulletin Board Ideas

Water Education Posters from the US Geological Survey: Each poster comes with an educational section describing components of the poster and activities to help children understand the concepts introduced.  All are available either online or as PDF versions.  Click the link for your preferred method of delivery.

Classroom Activities

Clean the Water
Build your own water treatment facility

Investigating Pollution
Investigate how pollutants affect the water supply

Compare hard and soft water

Teach about groundwater and water filtration by creating Edible Aquifers

Handprint Evaporation pdf version
Teach about evaporation on a sunny day

Explore the differences between salt water and fresh water


Start a Water Challenge