Overview:

The goal of this lesson is to help students realize that water, a limited resource, is protected for the benefit of Kansas citizens by the Kansas Water Appropriation Act of 1945.


Grade Level: 4th

Time Needed: 40 - 50 minutes

Geographic Theme:

Human/Environment Interaction


Kansas Social Studies Standards of Benchmarks, Grade Levels 5-K:

The student will understand the connections among people, places, and environments in the classroom, local school, community, Kansas, the United States, and different regions in the world.

 

The student will understand the roles of government and civic ideals and practices in the classroom, school, community, Kansas, the United States, and different regions in the world.


National Geography Standards, Grades K-4:

#16	The geographically informed person knows and understands the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

 

Outcome:

The students will know and understand how the use of water in Kansas and the Kansas Water Appropriation Act benefit residents and visitors either directly or indirectly.


Performance Objectives:

The student will:

1. Classify water facts into the water use categories of agricultural, industrial, municipal/domestic, recreational/wildlife.
2. Generate a list of ways water is used in each water usage category and create a poster illustrating them.
3. Create a bar graph or pictograph illustrating the usage percentages of combined surface and ground water, ground water, and surface water.
4. Compare the three graphs and discuss the implications related to water usage and water sources.
5. Explain the meaning and benefits of the Kansas Water Appropriation Act of 1945.
6. Define a water right and the meaning of the "first in time - first in right" principle.
7. Explain the difference between a vested right, a senior right, and a junior right.


Vocabulary (see Glossary):

Appropriation Water right Vested right

Senior water right Junior water right

 

Teacher Materials:

• Light or medium blue construction paper for water droplet facts
• Water droplet pattern cut from poster paper (size - your choice)
• Scissors
• Water facts list
• 100 M & M candies divided into four sandwich bags:

  80 10 7 3

  pieces in the agricultural use bag pieces in the municipal/domestic use bag pieces in the industrial use bag pieces in the recreational/wildlife bag

• Candy corn, sun or happy face stickers, small band-aids, paper clips, and pennies - one for each child in the class
• Copies of the Kansas Water Appropriation Act - one per student
• Two sheets of white poster paper for bulletin board
• Make copies of the graphs for ground water and surface water use planning on one page for every two students in the group.

 

Preparation:

1. Cut a water droplet for each student from blue construction paper. Print a water fact on each, having an equal number of facts for each water usage category. Laminate if used for several classes.
2. Divide M & Ms into bags for distribution to water usage groups
3. Count stickers, band-aids, paper clips, and pennies, placing in bags for each water usage group.
4. Type the Kansas Water Appropriation Act and copy for each student.
5. Cut the shape of Kansas from a sheet of poster paper and cover with blue water droplets. Use the other sheet to make a circle graph, showing the percentage of categories of water use in Kansas. Place graph on top of the first poster and add a caption.

Student Materials:

Copy paper Markers or crayons Pencils Rulers Four sheets of poster paper Glue

Construction paper Candy corn Pennies Sun or happy face stickers Paper clips Band-aids

 

Lesson Procedure:

Time frame for Activity 1: 20-25 minutes

1. Distribute a water fact to each student and have them share their fact with the class and categorize it by the water usage category. When completed, students will form water usage groups related to agriculture, industry, municipal/domestic, and recreational/wildlife. Each group will generate a list of water uses for their specific area. Using their list, they will create a poster symbolic of their water use area.
2. Students will orally present their posters to the total group.

Time frame for Activity 2: 20-25 minutes

1.	Distribute M & M packages to each group.
	Agricultural group Municipal/domestic group Industrial group Recreational/wildlife group 80 10 7 3 pieces pieces pieces pieces
2.	Discuss how the amount of M & Ms represents a percentage of the total combined ground water and surface water used in Kansas.
3.	Students will create either a bar graph or pictograph illustrating Kansas use of combined surface and ground water; surface water; and ground water.
4.	Students will discuss the implications of the various water usage graphs for surface water, ground water, and combined surface and ground water use.
5.	To understand that the use of water has far-reaching effects, have each group distribute the following: Agricultural group gives candy corn to other groups, indicating irrigation benefits everyone in the form of food and fiber. Municipal group gives band-aids and paper clips to represent that water used by hospitals and schools benefits everyone. Recreation/wildlife group gives out sun or happy face stickers, indicating Kansas lakes and wildlife are for all to use and enjoy. Industrial group distributes pennies to represent that water helps provide jobs for people and products to satisfy the wants and needs of consumers.
6.	Discuss and list in what ways the Kansas Water Appropriations Act of 1945 is benefiting this generation of Kansans and future generations.
7.	Explain a water right and the meaning of "first-in-time, first-in-right" Tell the difference between a vested right, a senior right, and a junior water right.

Assessment:

ASSESSMENT FOR WATER USAGE POSTER
Student/Teacher Evaluation POSTER COMPOSITION (Objectives 1,2):	Points	Student/Teacher
Contains 6 or more water use symbols Includes name of water usage category Creativity of design Neatness and workmanship	15 15 10 10	_______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______
TEAMWORK (Your personal contributions)
Contributed an idea or ideas Shared material with others Helped with sign construction Remained on task Showed consideration for team members	10 10 10 10 10	_______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______
Total possible points	100	_______/ _______
ASSESSMENT FOR GRAPH
Student/Teacher Evaluation GRAPH INFORMATION (Objectives 3,4)	Points	Student/Teacher
Accurately displayed Labeled correctly Readable Same style throughout Neatness Task commitment	10 10 10 10 10 10	_______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______ _______/ _______
Total possible points	60	_______/ _______
DISCUSSION (Objectives 5,6,7)
Observation of response	40	_______/ _______

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Resources:

• Dugan, I. T., & Sharpe, J. B. (1995, November). Water-level changes in the High Plains Aquifer. 1980-1994. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.
• Kansas Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Kansas handbook of water rights. Topeka, KS: Kansas Division of Water Resources.
• National Geographic Society. (1993, November). Water Precious resource (map)]. Washington, D.C.: Author.
• Parker, 5. (1986). The Marshal Cavendish science project book of water. Marshall Cavendish Corp.
• Rogers, D. H., & Sothers, W M. (1995, May). Kansas water supplies (Irrigation Management Series). Manhattan,
• KS: KSU Cooperative Extension Service.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (1996, March). Ramsar: Convention on wetlands of intentional importance.
• Yardley, T (1990). Down the drain. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press.

Water Facts for Water Droplets in Student Activity 1

Agricultural Water Facts:

• Some 30 percent of U.S. ground water used for irrigation is drawn from the Ogallala aquifer.
• To produce enough wheat to make one loaf of bread, it takes 115 gallons of water.
• It takes nearly 1,000 gallons of water to produce a steak.
• A glass of milk takes 50 gallons of water to produce.
• 623 billion dollars were circulated in the economy of Kansas due to irrigation.
• 97,235 people earned their income due to irrigation.
• In Grant County the underground water table has declined from 2O-40 feet in 14 years or 1 1/2 feet per year.
• It takes more than 60 gallons of fresh water to make 1 egg.

Municipal/Domestic Water Facts:

• To do simple household chores, it requires about 50 gallons of water a day.
• A typical U.S. toilet uses between 3.5 and 7 gallons of water per flush; low-flow toilets use 1.6 gallons or even less
• Watering a lawn uses 240 gallons of water in 30 minutes.
• Brushing your teeth uses 1 gallon of water.
• Doing a load of laundry requires 30-50 gallons of water. Taking a shower uses 30 gallons of water.
• One penny buys 160 eight-ounce glasses of water in a typical U.S. community.
• Americans have access to the cleanest and safest drinking water in the world.

Industrial Water Facts:

• Factories use huge amounts of water in their industrial processes.
• It takes about 100,000 gallons of water to manufacture one car.
• To produce a year's subscription of newspapers for one family, it requires 60,000 gallons of water.
• Three million gallons of water are needed to produce a single day's supply of U.S. newsprint.
• It requires 45 gallons of water to make a pound of plastic.
• A growth in the number of meat-packing plants in Southwest Kansas is a result of the continued expansion of corn production due to irrigation.
• The expansion of meat-packing plants in Southwest Kansas has brought about a growth in population, thus placing greater demands on cities for housing and services.

Recreational/Wildlife Water Facts:

• Wetlands serve as a valuable natural resource for wildlife and people by producing vegetation that soaks up water and reduces flooding.
• Wetland vegetation helps break down pollutants and protect clean water supplies.
• Cheyenne Bottoms is a Kansas wetland area that provides food and shelter for millions of migrating waterfowl.
• Kansas has more than 25 reservoirs and lakes that provide water for boating, skiing, and fishing.
• A few recreational and fishing lakes are located in Southwest Kansas.
• Lakes and reservoirs serve as collection basins for watersheds, thus helping to control rainfall run-off.
• Some reservoirs furnish a water supply for Kansas cities.

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