H2O Use: Print Resources

This is a collection of Print Resources about water use. Separate collections of Electronic Resources and National Academies Press e-Books are also available.

Most titles below are outstanding and recommended by the National Science Teachers Association that fit this year’s theme for Chemists Celebrate Earth Day. Descriptions are based on reviews from the NSTA or publishers web site.

Key: E = Elementary (K–5), I = Intermediate (6–8), HS = High School (9–12), C = College, G = General Public

CONSERVE WATER: EDUCATORS’ GUIDE. Bozeman, MT: International Water Education for Teachers, 2000. 307 pp. ISBN 1-888631-04-X. (I, HS)
This is a resource book of case studies and full-length activities that have been field-tested. Activities are innovative, interactive, and fun; they are also practical and easy to use in any classroom. Some of the activities go beyond the scope of the classroom and outline ways students can interact with the local community and government. More than just another activity book, Conserve Water exposes students to critical issues related to water conservation. The thought-provoking activities require higher-level thinking skills: gathering, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, applying, and evaluating information. Illustrations are clear, and curriculum connections are carefully outlined. There is a sidebar for each activity that highlights subject areas, grade level, preparation and activity times, and any special skills or vocabulary that may be needed. A summary paragraph at the beginning of every activity gives the teacher an overview of the lesson, and objectives, materials, and background are laid out in a practical format. Student pages are reproducible.
Source: NSTA Recommends
DRIP! DROP! HOW WATER GETS TO YOUR TAP. Barvara Seuling. New York: Holiday House, 2000. ISBN 823144590. (E, I)
Jo Jo and her zany dog willy explain the water cycle and introduce experiments about water filtration, evaporation and condensation.
Source: Athena
EVERY DROP FOR SALE: OUT DESPERATE BATTLE OVER WATER IN A WORLD ABOUT TO RUN OUT. Jeffrey Rothfeder. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2001. ISBN 1585421146. (I, HS, C, G)
Source: WorldCat
THE GREENPEACE BOOK OF WATER. Klaus Lanz. New York: Sterling, 1995. ISBN 0806942126. (G)
Source: Athena
IT COULD STILL BE WATER. Alan Fowler. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1992. ISBN 0516060031. (E)
A simple description of the uses, properties and forms of water.
Source: Athena
LIFE’S MATRIX: A BIOGRAPHY OF WATER. Philip Ball. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999, 2001. 417 pp. ISBN: 0520230086. (HS, C, G)
Water is the fabric of snow, hail, vapor, and ice, and is the only substance to exist on earth in all three of its physical states: solid, liquid, and gas. Water is central to our planetary environment. But what exactly is it? Life’s Matrix tells of water’s origins, history, and fascinating pervasiveness: there are, for example, fourteen different forms of ice, and a provocative exploration of water on other planets highlights the possibilities of life beyond Earth. The book reveals the unexpected in the most ordinary places — a drop of dew, a frozen pond, a cup of coffee — and the familiar in unexpected settings: there is water on the sun and the moon, at the heart of molecular biology, at the core of the cell, and there may be enough of it beneath the surface of the Earth to refill the oceans thirty times over. The final chapter surveys the grim realities of our natural water resources, and shows how it will become a scarce commodity in the twenty-first century. Life’s Matrix offers a fresh exploration of one of the oldest substances known to man, and ensures that we will never think about this ubiquitous substance in the same way again.
Source: University of California Press
MY WORLD OF SCIENCE: WATER. Angela Royston. Crystal Lake, IL, Heinemann Library (Rigby), 2001. 32 pp. ISBN 1-58810-247-5. (E)
This book covers a great deal of content usually included in primary curricula: phases of water, the water cycle, and the dependence of all living things on water. It also includes practical observations, like the water content of fruits and vegetables, and applications, such as using water to clean or fight fires. The author explores phase changes and movement of water through gravity and negative air pressure (suction). Activities demonstrate some of the more difficult concepts; for example, children can measure a puddle over time to observe evaporation. Students can also try to push a balloon under water to show that water pushes back. These experiences will help students to understand some of the unique properties of water. This book is highly recommended for its child-friendly text and visual representations that are accurate and realistic.
Source: NSTA Recommends
POND WATCHING WITH ANN MORGAN. Michael Elsohn Ross. Illustrated by Wendy Smith. Carolrhoda Books/Lerner, 2000. 48pp. ISBN 1-57505-385-3. (I)
Readers follow Ann Morgan as she uncovers the mysteries of newts, mayflies, and other water creatures. This work describes the life and work of Morgan, who studied, taught, and wrote about the animals of ponds and streams, and stressed the importance of an ecological approach to conservation. Important Dates, Glossary, Bibliography, Index.
Source: NSTA Outstanding Books 2001
RAIN AND PEOPLE. Nikki Bundey. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner, 2000. 32pp. ISBN 1-57505-494-9. (E)
The focus of this book is on rain as a source of life, how humans harness and use water, and the effect rain can have on buildings and transportation. The photographs are one of the series’ most appealing features; this particular book includes beautiful photos of people all over the world in wet or rainy conditions. Scattered throughout the book are very simple experiments that a student could do independently. There are good diagrams, maps and charts, as well as an index and a glossary all designed to make learning about rain very easy.
Source: NSTA Recommends
A RIVER RAN WILD: AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY. Lynne Cherry. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. ISBN 152005420. (E, I)
An environmental history of the Nashua River, from its discovery by Indians through the polluting years of the Industrial Revolution to the ambitious clean-up that revitalized it.
Source: WorldCat
RIVERS. Catherine Chambers. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2000. 32 pp. ISBN 1-57572-527-4. (E)
Part of the Mapping Earthforms series, this book examines the physical characteristics that shape our landscapes. It examines the world’s rivers, discusses how they were formed, what organisms live there, and how humans use them. Relationships between rain, mountains, rivers, and the sea are emphasized. Along the way, the reader is introduced to river plants and animals, flooding, and irrigation.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER. Brenda Walpole. Ada, OK: Garrett Educational Corp., 1990. ISBN 944483720. (E, I)
Explains the many uses of water and how clean water gets to the household tap. Includes instructions for a variety of simple experiments.
Source: Athena
WATER, THE DROP OF LIFE. Peter Swanson. Minnetonka, MN: NorthWord Press, 2001. ISBN 1559717823. (G)
Companion to the public television series.
Source: WorldCat
WATER: THE FATE OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCE. Marq De Villiers. Toronto: M&S, 2003. ISBN 771026412. (I, HS, C, G)
Source: WorldCat
WATER: FOR HEALTH, FOR HEALING, FOR LIFE: YOU’RE NOT SICK. F. Batmanghelidj. New York: Warner Books, 2003. ISBN 446690740. (G)
Source: Athena
WATER: OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS. Carol Wekesser. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1994. ISBN 1565101638. (G)
Source: Athena
WATER: OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCE. R. A. Gallant. New York: Benchmark Books, 2003. OCLC 47797864. (E, I)
An in-depth look at Earth’s waters and mankind’s uses of water throughout history which includes ideas about planning better use of this critical resource in the future.
Source: WorldCat
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 1 — WETLANDS, WATER USE & WASTEWATER TREATMENT. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1994. ISBN 0-87355-127-3. (E, I, HS)
A three volume series of three teachers guides released by U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Educational Initiative and NSTA. It is designed to help teachers investigate the integral role that water plays in our lives with students Grades 3-8. The introduction lists goals and how to use the materials. Teachers are provided a clearly written background section on the major concepts. Next, the guide includes a variety of activities, from analyzing and interpreting data to making models that demonstrate the basic wastewater treatment methods. Be prepared for lots of relevant math and graphing! The activities are easy to replicate and do not require costly equipment. Each activity correlates with one of three information-filled posters, which are included. The last part of the guide contains ideas for more research and a list of resources.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 2 — NAVIGATION, GROUNDWATER & WATER QUALITY. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1997. ISBN 0-87355-127-3. (E, I, HS)
See description in Vol. 1 of series.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 3 — OCEANS, WATERSHEDS, & HAZARDOUS WASTE. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1999. ISBN 0-87355-175-3. (E, I, HS)
See description in Vol. 1 of series.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE. Eloise Greenfield. New York: HarperFestival, 1999. ISBN 0694012475. (E)
An exploration of water for young readers who are fascinated by fountains, puddles, faucets, and other wet things.
Source: Athena
WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE. M.J. Rauzon. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books for Children, 1994. ISBN 871563835. (E, I)
Describes the many forms water takes, how it has shaped the Earth, and its importance to life.
Source: WorldCat, Athena
WOW! THE WONDERS OF WETLANDS. Alan S. Kesselheim, Britt Eckhardt Slattery, Susan H. Higgins, Mark R. Schilling. St. Michaels, MD: Environmental Concern, 1995. 330 pp. ISBN 1-888631-00-7. (E, I, HS)
This book is an exciting and complete educational resource book of background material for teachers who are preparing wetland study units. It features discussions of the physical science, chemistry, and biology of wetlands as well as their socioeconomic benefits. Other chapters address the topics of management and action for wetlands. This book focuses on easy-to-follow, hands-on/minds-on activities that encourage students to use higher-order thinking skills as they collect data and make conclusions. The activities also develop students’ beliefs about the nature of science and teach the importance of science literacy and good citizenship through community involvement.
Source: NSTA Recommends

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