Classroom Ideas
Water is essential for life, but it’s easy for students to take for granted the clean water in their water bottles. Once children know how important water is for human survival and the health of the planet, they can begin to take steps to protect Earth’s liquid resource. These water videos are a great introduction to the importance of H20.
These videos pair perfectly with World Water Day, which is March 22.
Water videos for younger students
1. Why Do We Drink Water?
This video is for young learners and uses silly cartoon illustrations to show why it’s important to drink water. It gives easy to understand facts about water and the human body. Students will also learn the signs of dehydration. The video ends with some quick trivia facts about how much water to drink each day.
2. The Water Song
This catchy little tune will stick in your students’ brains, which will remind them to get plenty of sips of water throughout the day. Throughout this quick song, students will also learn a few simple facts about water and how to drink more.
3. Water, Water Everywhere
There are two types of water on earth: saltwater and fresh water. This video shows students how important both types of water are to help keep animals safe and happy in their habitats.
4. H20-No!
Freshwater isn’t as plentiful on earth as saltwater is. Your students will learn some freshwater facts, as well as why it’s important to take care of and preserve this essential resource. Since humans and animals need fresh water to live, students will realize that they need to do their part to protect this resource.
5. Water Conservation
This video is geared toward children ages 8-12. It teaches what water conservation is, why it’s important to conserve water, and simple activities you can do with children to practice conserving water. Students will get to see the concepts in action through animated illustrations and photographs.
6. Water Pollution
The cartoon nature of this video will make it attractive to students as they learn what causes water pollution, the effects of water pollution, and steps they can take to reduce the amount of water pollution they produce.
7. Importance of Water in Life
This short video shows a brief history of drinking water and discusses the importance of water for all living things, including people, animals, and plants. Your students will also get a simple lesson in water being important for creating electricity.
8. Why Living Things Need Water
Incorporate a read aloud into your lessons about water with this video that narrates Why Living Things Need Water by Daniel Nunn. As your students read along with the text, they will also see photographs showing them the importance of water and what water is used for. The video ends with a short one-question quiz.
9. Why Do Plants Need Water?
Since we eat plants, we need them to survive. This video shows students why water is so important for plants. Students will learn the process of plant growth and how water plays a role in each phase of a plant’s life.
10. What If You Stopped Drinking Water for 7 Days?
The human body is primarily made up of water, and this video shows what happens if a person stopped drinking water. The video shows what water does in the human body, and then demonstrates what functions the body would not be able to do without plenty of water.
Water videos for older students
11. What Would Happen if You Didn’t Drink Water?
Students will learn about the water composition of the human body and how we lose water. The video also teaches why it’s important to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, including what happens in the body without enough water to function. The symptoms of dehydration are also reviewed. The video ends with some tips for getting plenty of water, as well as good sources of water.
12. Water: Our Most Precious Resource
This video presents the challenges of supplying clean drinking water to people around the world. It uses interesting and eye-catching graphics to show students how much water is used for various activities and teaches them about the importance of water in our environment.
13. Water Changes Everything
Older students will learn about the water crisis facing many people around the world, specifically focusing on one family experiencing this crisis. The video also discusses why water is so important and proposes ways to combat water scarcity.
14. Water Is for Life
This song was written as part of the celebration of World Water Day in 2011. It takes a musical approach to teaching students that they must use water carefully to help preserve our water supply.
15. Why Is Water Essential for Life?
Students will learn that water is an important treasure. The video introduces facts that most students probably don’t know about water, such as what a good solvent it is and how it helps transport nutrients throughout our bodies. It also presents a quick introduction to the notion that life is not possible on other planets because they don’t have water.
16. The Importance of Water
The World Wildlife Federation presents this video that shows how important water is for people and animals alike. It focuses on the fact that many animal species have declined because of the misuse of water, which can impact the food supply for many human populations. It shows students how important it is to reduce their water footprint, so animals have the water they need to survive.
17. Why Care About Water?
Students will learn how water is interconnected across the globe. It shows how abusing water is already impacting our world. Students will be challenged to do something about it.
18. Water and Hydrogen Bonds
This video takes an alternate approach to teaching students about the importance of water. Instead of simply telling students that water is essential for life, it shows how water molecules are formed and why that is important for the survival of living things.
19. Water Balance in the Body
In addition to teaching students why water is important for survival, it also discusses the importance of having a proper water balance in the body. Students will learn what happens when there isn’t enough water in the body, as well as why it can be dangerous for the body to have too much water.
20. World Water Day
In just two minutes, your students will learn why water is important, who lives with water scarcity, and what is being done to make sure everyone has plenty of this important resource.
Once your students understand that the world would cease to exist without adeuquate water, they will also realize the importance of drinking plenty of water, ensuring that animals and plants get enough water, and how to conserve one of our most precious resources.
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