Water is vital for human survival, and access to clean water is a fundamental human right. Test the water quality of various water sources and analyze the consumer confidence report for the water supplied to your school. The maritime and seafood industries rely heavily on water resources, and these industries play a critical role in managing and protecting these water resources, ensuring sustainable practices to preserve marine ecosystems for future generations. Delve into environmental sensors and discover how the data they gather informs decisions made that bolster Texas’s economy AND conserve the Gulf’s natural resources. Water management is also crucial for urban planning and infrastructure development, including sewage systems, drainage, and flood control, ensuring sustainable living environments. Explore Texans’ current use of water resources and the factors that influence water supply, then investigate a variety of water management strategies being used in Texas to meet current and future water needs.

Target Audience:

Grades 6-8

Key Concepts and Vocabulary:

Watershed, surface water, natural disasters, human impact, aqueous solution, solute, solvent, homogenous mixture, heterogeneous mixtures, water pollution, conservation, technology

Each module in Water Matters is facilitated by specially designed educator support materials:

Students gain access to a module featuring six activities, each designed to be completed in 25 minutes while aligning with grade-level TEKS. Learn more in our Educator Overview.

Activity 1: Water Quality & Public Health
Uncover the amazing ways water mixes into our daily lives! Students will become “Water Mixture Explorers,” classifying and identifying their interactions with water. They will test the quality of various water sources and analyze the consumer confidence report for their school’s water supply, deepening their understanding of water composition, safety, and real-world applications.

Activity 2: Maritime & Seafood Industries
Explore the vital connection between water resources and the maritime and seafood industries, which play a key role in both the economy and environmental conservation. Students will investigate how environmental sensors collect data that inform decisions to protect marine ecosystems while supporting Texas’s economy. They will also examine the factors that create distinct water zones—such as temperature, salinity, and density—and analyze how weather events can impact the stability of these aquatic layers.

Activity 3: Water Infrastructure & Planning
Students will investigate how water resources shape urban planning, from sewage systems to flood control, ensuring sustainable communities. They’ll analyze Texans’ current water usage, the factors affecting supply, and the innovative strategies being used to meet the state’s growing water needs—preparing them to think critically about the future of water conservation and infrastructure.