Social Studies Lesson: Rivers and Water Rights
Lesson Plan
2 hours 50 minutesGrades9, 10, 11, 12Geography
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Theodore Frank
About this lesson
Students explore water scarcity and international conflicts over rivers and create a video op-ed.
Inquire: Students examine moral and legal questions related to sharing water with those who need it.
Investigate: Students learn the term riparian rights and participate in a jigsaw activity to explore conflicts between countries over the building of large dams on shared river systems.
Inspire: Students create an op-ed about how to approach water conflicts, address the challenges of climate change, and ensure water access for all.
Preview the lesson plan
Better on a bigger screen? Open it in its own tab.View Lesson Plan
Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson works well in a variety of courses. For example, this lesson can be taught in the following scenarios:
- World History or Ancient Civilization courses when discussing the rivers of the Cradles of Civilization, especially to connect rivers’ past uses to modern uses
- Global Issues, Global Perspectives, or Current Events courses
- Philosophy courses to discuss moral and ethical issues
- World Geography or Economics courses when discussing intentional and unintentional consequences of decisions and actions
- If the research in the Investigate section is completed in class, the jigsaw sharing of information can take place during a subsequent class period.
- This lesson focuses on Central and South Asia and Africa but can be extended to include other regions of the world or the Western United States, to explore the basic human right of access to drinkable water.
- This lesson can be taught in conjunction with a lesson on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6.
Prerequisites
- Students should have a basic understanding of the geography of rivers.
- Teacher may need to familiarize themselves with the articles in order to lead class discussions and provide feedback on student work in the Inspire section.
Differentiation
- The Mercury Reader Chrome extension removes advertisements and other clutter from web pages and can reduce distractions for students with challenges focusing on the text.
- Use an open-source app like Rewordify to change the Lexile level of the article without changing the content.
- Advanced students can independently research river systems not discussed in this lesson, including the Colorado and the Columbia in the Western United States, several in Europe and Asia, and several proposed dams on the Amazon River.
- Advanced students can be assigned to present an op-ed from the perspective of one of the countries discussed in the lesson.
From the scientist review
This resource provides an excellent worldwide perspective on the situation and shortage of water and its relationship to climate change. In relation to international water management, particularly transboundary issues, it will enhance students' diplomatic, moral, social, and negotiating abilities. This source has a strong scientific foundation and has passed our credibility assessment.
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
About the teacher writer
Theodore Frank
Theodore holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Geography. They have been teaching since 2013, with 13 years of experience specializing in World History, primarily teaching 10th-grade students. They are certified in Broadfield Social Studies, Alternative Education, and Special Education.
