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Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the World’s Water Problems? (Pros and Cons Part 3)

SUBJECTS Geography/History, Language Arts, Science
GRADE LEVEL Junior (4-6) / Intermediate (7-8)
PLEDGE 1 - Protection of Water

Resources Needed:

  1. This lesson is best following the preceding lessons, Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the the World’s Water Problems? (Pros and Cons Part 1) and Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the the World’s Water Problems? (Pros and Cons Part 2)
  2. Link to the Water We Doing? and how can we do better (Season 1, Episode 3) podcast, Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the the World’s Water Problems? by The Aquatic Biosphere Project
  3. Podcast transcript (see lesson attachment at bottom of Lesson 1)
  4. Fishbone Graphic Organizer (see attachment below)

Introduction:

  1. Ask students, Based on what you heard and what we have discussed about the podcast, Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the the World’s Water Problems? by The Aquatic Biosphere Project, is there one single point of view about whether desalination of ocean water is a good and plausible idea? As students will reply that there are different views on the value and do-ability of desalination, ask them, What are the pros and cons of desalination as communicated in the podcast?

Lesson:

  1. Demonstrate how to use a fishbone graphic organizer, using a simple example from everyday life such as the pros and cons of school lockers. Demonstrate how major points can be broken down or splintered into more detailed points.
  2. Play the podcast,  Is Sea Water Desalination the Solution for the the World’s Water Problems?  and then invite students to use the transcript as back-up to identify pros and cons. Remind students they can refer to the vocabulary list created in the previous lesson.
  3. Direct students to the Fishbone Graphic Organizer or distribute paper copies.
  4. Organize students to work in pods of 2 or 3 to draft and then complete the desalination pros and cons diagram.

Follow Up Activities:

  1. Students display and explain their Pros and Cons of their Desalination diagrams.
  2. Facilitate a consolidating discussion about how students used the information from the podcast to identify and substantiate the pros and cons of desalination.
LESSON ATTACHMENTS