The following are suggested lesson plans for water-related activities in the seventh and eighth grade classrooms:
Featured Activities
New activities from The Water Project, available for direct download!
Water Use
This includes enough activities for an entire lesson on water use!
Water Use Powerpoint: This slideshow can be a useful introduction to your lesson
Water Hunt: For documenting household water use
Are You Dehydrated?
This fun activity about dehydration and the health importance of water is done both inside the classroom and at home:
Be Healthy, Drink Water Worksheet
The following stand-alone activities are age-appropriate for Grades 7-8:
Interactive Games:
EPA’s Interactive Water Cycle
View a short animation to learn about the stages of the water cycle
EPA’s Interactive Water Treatment Cycle
Learn about the water treatment cycle and appropriate vocabulary words with this interactive poster
Understanding Watersheds
Watch a video to explain what a watershed is
Thirstin’s Matching Fun Facts Game
Play a matching game to see how much water we use for everyday chores
Thirstin’s Interactive Q&A Game
Test your water knowledge with an interactive water trivia game
EPA’s Interactive Build Your Own Aquifer
Learn what aquifers are, how they work, and why they are important
EPA’s Interactive Water Filtration Lesson
Learn how water is filtered, and follow the instructions to make your own water filter
Word Games:
Water Source Word Search
Search for water source vocabulary words
Clean Water Maze
Help the children get to the clean water faucet
Water Cryptogram
Complete the water-related phrase
Water Challenge Word Search
Find vocabulary words from The Water Project’s Water Challenge
Fact Sheets and Quizzes:
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.
EPA’s Water Trivia
Learn 45 facts about water
Potomac Watershed Web scavenger hunt
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.
- Coastal Hazards Online PDF en Español
- Watersheds Online PDF
- Hazardous Waste Online PDF en Español
- Wetlands Online PDF
- Water Use Online PDF en Español
- Wastewater Online PDF
- Navigation Online PDF
- Ground Water Online PDF
- Water Quality Online PDF
Activities
The following activities are comprised of educational lessons, vocabulary words, and instructions for an activity relating to the topic. Curriculum materials are courtesy of the Water Environment Federation.
Wastewater Treatment
Learn about wastewater and wastewater treatment with this science tutorial
Water Careers
Learn about water-related careers by interviewing people who work in the field
Biography of a River
Learn about the history and formation of rivers in your area
Groundwater Basics
Develop math skills while calculating volumes of groundwater
From Ground to Water
Increase your knowledge about groundwater
What’s the Level?
Learn about groundwater and the water table
What Goes on Down Under?
Learn the relationship between groundwater and surface water
Do You Drink It?
Create an aquifer and use the model to demonstrate well placement and groundwater contamination
Hydraulic Head
Relate concepts from physics to hydraulic heads used in the control of groundwater flow and direction
Groundwater: Cleaning Up
Create a model and poster board depicting how groundwater becomes contaminated
What is Groundwater Pollution Doing to the Neighborhood?
Study the impact of pollution on the environment and human health
Landfills and the Potential for Groundwater Contamination
Design a landfill and consider the effects of leaky landfills on the water supply
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Learn about underground storage tanks and their possible detrimental effects on the water supply