| | | Steps |
| |  . | The teacher will divide the class into groups of five and distribute the Student Overview to each student. The Student Overview explains the scenario and the different roles in each group. |
| |  . | Students read the Student Overview and discuss the premise, asking questions as they arise. |
| |  . | Students choose or are assigned their specific roles in their groups. (The roles are described in the Student Overview.) |
| |  . | The teacher should create rubrics for evaluation, perhaps with student input, and make sure students know how they will be assessed. Students could be assessed on the basis of their ability to collaborate and reach consensus; communicate effectively with off-site experts; present clear, concise, and pleasing information; and persuade and convince the "citizens" to adopt their plan. Sample rubrics are included here, and you may use these, if you wish. |
| |  . | Students use computers and books to research information about water, answering the suggested questions that follow the Student Overview ("Helpful Questions to Be Answered through Research and Planning"). Students research how water is used by people and businesses in their community -- and what processes use the most water. |
| |  . | Students discuss where water comes from and how it is processed, delivered, and managed in their own community. |
| |  . | Working together in their groups and keeping their own roles in mind, students formulate plans for water conservation in their community. |
| |  . | Each group creates a step-by-step plan, using the software program Inspiration (if available), that addresses how water will be conserved, what steps need to be taken by the students in their roles, what steps need to be taken by community members, and how their plan can be implemented and enforced. |
| |  . | Once the plan has been created, groups show the teacher their Inspiration work and explain their plan and its implementation. |
| |  . | Once the teacher has approved these preliminary plans, he or she provides each group with the name of a water-conservation expert (see "Ask an Expert," following.) |
| . | Students e-mail the expert with a written synopsis of their plan and ask for feedback. |
| . | Groups will then create a PowerPoint presentation to be given at a "town meeting" of community members (actually, in their classroom or the school auditorium; guests determined by the teacher with student input.) |
| . | Groups also prepare a more detailed "white paper," showing the water cycle in their own community, including diagrams of how water flows, is processed, and is delivered. |
