Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Water Usage

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 minutes)

The Objectives stage is fundamental to align expectations and ensure that both the teacher and students have clarity about what will be addressed and what is expected to be achieved by the end of the lesson. This stage serves as a guide for subsequent activities, directing students' focus toward specific competencies that must be developed and assessed.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to identify and describe the main uses of water, including agriculture, cleaning, and industry.

2. Encourage the ability to propose alternative uses of water that minimize waste and promote sustainability.

Side Objectives:

1. Develop students' critical thinking when analyzing the importance of water in different sectors of society.

Introduction

Duration: (25 minutes)

The Introduction serves to engage students and make a smooth transition from theoretical learning to practical application in the classroom. The proposed problem situations aim to activate students' prior knowledge and prepare them to think critically about water use. The contextualization, in turn, seeks to connect the theme with the real world, increasing interest and relevance of the subject for students, while reinforcing the importance of water in various spheres of daily life.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine a farmer has to decide how to use the water from his reservoir. He can use it to irrigate crops or for fish farming. How should he make this decision considering that water is a limited resource?

2. In a city, the mayor needs to decide whether to cut off water supply for a few hours every day or if the reduction will be random for each neighborhood. What factors should he consider to minimize the impact on the population?

Contextualization

Water is essential for the survival of all forms of life on Earth, but its use is not limited to drinking. In agriculture, for example, water is crucial to irrigate crops and create conditions for food growth. Interestingly, in industry, it is used in various ways, from manufacturing processes to cooling. These multiple uses demonstrate how water is interconnected with almost everything we do. Additionally, curiosities such as water being the only natural material that can exist in three physical states in nature (liquid, solid, and gas) can help spark students' interest in the wonder of this resource.

Development

Duration: (75 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to allow students to practically and interactively apply the concepts learned about water use. Through group activities, they will have the opportunity to explore complex scenarios, solve problems, and create solutions that promote the sustainable use of water. This approach not only reinforces learning but also develops collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity skills.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - The Great Water Battle

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop negotiation skills and critical thinking when deciding on the allocation of limited resources.

- Description: In this activity, students will be divided into groups of up to 5 people, and each group will represent a different community. Each community will have a specific scenario where they need to decide how to allocate the available water, considering needs such as agriculture, industry, human consumption, and environmental preservation. They will have to negotiate with each other and other communities to reach a global agreement on water use.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Present each group with a specific scenario that includes information about the amount of available water, the needs of the community, and local environmental restrictions.

• Allow students to discuss internally for 20 minutes to formulate a water use plan.

• Each group will have 10 minutes to present their plan and justify their decisions to the class.

• After all presentations, groups must negotiate changes to their plans to reach an agreement that is beneficial for all communities.

Activity 2 - The Water Detective

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Promote understanding of sustainable practices in water use and encourage research and collaboration among students.

- Description: Students, in groups, will take on the role of environmental detectives. They will receive a set of clues and challenges related to water use in different sectors, such as agriculture, industry, and cleaning. The goal is to solve the challenges, discover sustainable practices, and present their solutions to the class.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute different challenges and clues to each group.

• Groups will have 30 minutes to investigate and solve the challenges, using previous study material and online resources if necessary.

• Each group must prepare a 10-minute presentation to explain their findings and solutions.

• Conduct a class discussion to compare the solutions proposed by the different groups.

Activity 3 - Ecosystem Builders

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Visualize and understand the complex interactions between various water uses and their impacts on the environment.

- Description: In this activity, students will design and build a model of an ecosystem that creatively and interactively illustrates how different uses of water affect the environment. They must consider the interaction between agriculture, industry, cleaning, and conservation.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Provide materials such as boxes, tubes, paints, and others for building the model.

• Each group will choose a type of water use to focus on and represent in their model.

• Groups will have 60 minutes to build the model and prepare a 5-minute explanation of how water use in their sector affects the ecosystem.

• Hold a science fair where models are presented and discussed.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to consolidate learning, allowing students to reflect on the practical and theoretical activities carried out, as well as to share and confront their ideas with those of their peers. This discussion helps reinforce the importance of rational water use and promotes a deeper understanding of the impact of their decisions on the environment. Additionally, the exchange of experiences among groups stimulates critical thinking and the ability to evaluate different solutions.

Group Discussion

Start the group discussion with a brief recap of the activities performed, emphasizing the importance of sustainable water use. Ask groups to share their main findings and solutions discovered during the activities. Encourage each group to explain how the decisions made in their scenarios could be applied in real life and discuss the possible consequences of different approaches.

Key Questions

1. What were the biggest challenges your group faced when deciding on water use and how did you overcome them?

2. How can the solutions proposed by your group help conserve water in daily life?

3. Is there any idea or solution from another group that you find particularly effective? Why?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion stage is to ensure that students have a clear and consolidated view of the themes discussed during the lesson. Reviewing the main points aids in knowledge retention, while discussing the applicability of concepts reinforces the relevance of learning beyond the classroom walls. This moment also serves to ensure that students understand the practical and ethical importance of conserving water resources.

Summary

In the conclusion, the teacher should summarize the main points discussed regarding water use, recapping its uses in different sectors: agriculture, industry, cleaning, and human consumption. It is important to reinforce the sustainable practices discussed and the examples of avoidable waste. This moment serves to ensure that all students have understood and retained the key information from the lesson.

Theory Connection

Today's lesson was structured to connect theory and practice, allowing students to explore the concepts learned at home through interactive activities in the classroom. The problem situations and proposed challenges were designed to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, reinforcing the importance of water in everyday life and teaching how to make informed decisions about its use.

Closing

Finally, the teacher should highlight the relevance of the lesson topic to students' lives, emphasizing how the knowledge gained can be applied in real situations to promote sustainability and care for the environment. This final reflection helps solidify learning and students' awareness of the importance of being active agents in the preservation of natural resources.