Grade 5

Where is Canada’s water and how do we conserve and protect it?

Learning goals

  • To understand that although Earth has a lot of water, only a small percentage is accessible freshwater.
  • To explore how much freshwater Canada has, how it is distributed across provinces/territories, and how communities use it.
  • To recognize why water conservation matters and identify realistic ways Canadians can protect surface and groundwater.
  • To build science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills through measuring, categorizing, analyzing data, and making evidence-based decisions.

Materials 

  • Three clear containers (large bowl, cup, teaspoon)
  • Water and food colouring 
  • Printouts of provincial freshwater distribution maps (teacher-sourced from school-approved materials)
  • Chart paper and markers
  • Sand, gravel, and a cup with small holes
  • Sticky notes
  • Canada’s water use chart (printable)

Activity instructions

There are four parts in this activity to be completed:

Introduction: All the water on earth… but can we use it?

Display three containers:

  • A large bowl – representing all water on Earth
  • A small cup – representing Earth’s freshwater
  • A teaspoon,  small lid or bottle cap – representing accessible freshwater (what humans can actually use)

Demonstration (with marbles instead of water):

  1. Fill the large bowl with 100 blue marbles, “This is all the water on Earth.”
  2. Scoop three marbles into the small cup, “This is all the freshwater.”
  3. Take one marble from the cup and place it in the teaspoon, “This is all the available freshwater for humans.”

Students predict:

  • Why is so little water usable?
  • Why does this matter if Canada has lots of fresh water?

Hands-on activity: Canada’s water snapshot

Students rotate to three stations, each representing key questions about Canada’s water.

Station 1: Freshwater distribution across Canada

Students receive a simple visual map showing Canada’s freshwater distribution.

Canada’s water use chart (printable) 

Station 2: Everyday water use in Canada

Students examine cards showing average household water uses (showering, laundry, toilet flushing, brushing teeth).

Task:

Students estimate which activities use the most water and place the cards in order on a continuum line (“lowest use to highest use”). Then they check with teacher-provided answer sheets.

Reflection:

  • Which surprised you?
  • How could households reduce water waste?

Station 3: Groundwater mini model and community case study (hands-on)

Using sand, gravel, and a cup with small holes, students build a simple groundwater model:

  • Sand represents soil
  • Gravel represents permeable rock layers
  • Water poured over the top shows how it filters
  • Food colouring added to a small corner shows how contamination spreads

Students record:

  • What happened to the water?
  • How does this relate to keeping groundwater safe?

Class discussion: Why should Canadians care?

Using sticky notes, students respond to the prompt: “Even though Canada has a lot of water, why should we still protect it?”

Collect and group answers into categories:

  • Human health
  • Long-term availability
  • Uneven distribution across provinces
  • Climate impacts
  • Indigenous communities and boil-water advisories
  • Cost of treating and pumping water (energy)

Wrap-up activity: Water protector pledges

Students choose two realistic water-saving commitments for home or school and write them on a sticky note. These notes serve as personal reminders to be mindful of how their actions impact Canada’s water resources.

Examples:

  • Turn off tap while brushing teeth
  • Shorter showers
  • Report leaks at school
  • Use reusable water bottles
  • Avoid pouring paint/chemicals down the drain

Sticky notes are posted on a “Water, ours to protect” class wall.

Worksheets

Water in Canada – How can we conserve and protect it? (printable)

Videos

Find out what it means to be a species at risk and what you can do to help.

Find out what it takes to treat surface water for drinking. Includes a tour of the Region of Waterloo Mannheim Water Treatment Plant.

Protecting water by not wasting it is important but so is keeping water clean. Learn why. Includes a hands-on activity to explain how hard it is to remove pollution from groundwater

What is a wetland, the three types and where you can find them.