Objective: The students will see five groups who place demands
    on our limited local water supply:

1.  Teacher discusses our water supply, where it comes from and that it is limited.
2.  Teacher sets out 5 containers and labels each container with the name of the group it
        represents: builder, boater, resident, park ranger, and farmer.
3.  Teacher fills large bowl which represents the water that rains during the year and
        enters Lake Okeechobee which collects most of the water available to our area.
4.  Teacher places a large sponge into the ‘lake’ and absorbs water until it is saturated.
5.  Teacher begins to squeeze the sponge over each group’s jar giving it some water.  As
        this is done, the class brainstorms ideas regarding how each group uses the water.
6.  This continues until it is clear that the sponge, our water supply, will run out and there
        may not be enough water for every group.
7.  Teacher introduces the idea that we are going to have small group discussions
        tomorrow on our limited water supply and each student is to select the group they
        wish to be.  Teacher brings out more copies of the groups’ labels.  Each student
        selects a group/label.
8.  Students take home labels to discuss at home why ‘their’ group needs the water.
9.  Closure:  Teacher reviews what the large bowl, each jar, and the sponge represent.
        Teacher closes by asking, “What happens when the sponge runs out of water?”
 

Instructional context:
    The social studies theme for this series of lessons is “Man’s Use of and Impact on
the Environment.”  Through these lessons students become aware of their local
environment, their use of natural resources, the special problems we have in our area
regarding our water supply, and that the decisions they make today will have an impact
on our environment for years to come.
This lesson, “Water Demands in South Florida”, occurs near the end of the unit.
Students learned about natural resources, learned about how to conserve and recycle
resources, and the importance of water in our everyday life.  Students gain the scientific
background of the water cycle and where “our” water comes from, flowing from Lake
Okeechobee 60 miles away, flowing both above the ground and underground.  Students
are aware of how fragile our water supply is with the ever-present possibility of a
drought. and that our area has a wet season and dry season.  After the lesson, students
learn more about Everglades National Park, and more about our local environment’s
dependence on the water supply.