Teaching Water: Global Perspectives on a Resource in Crisis

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August 5-8, 2013

Access to clean, safe, potable water is something we rarely question in the US. Water issues around the globe are much more complex and complicated and can make daily life a struggle. This interdisciplinary and multi-regional 4-day workshop which took place on August 5-8, 2013 was intended for junior and senior high school educators and examined a variety of the most critical issues facing international waterways and the communities who directly (and indirectly) rely on these bodies of water. These issues included:
 
Water security • Water and development • Sanitation and access to water resources • Water as a human right • Water as an endangered environmental resource • Water and climate change
 
In addition to lectures and panel presentations, the workshop included pedagogical discussions and approaches that will help educators best incorporate this new material and information into their classroom teaching.
 
This workshop was designed to assist K-12 educators teaching on or interested in topics related to water in diverse geographical locations. The workshop examined and discussed water from a truly multi-disciplinary perspective (politically, economically, scientifically, geographically, historically, culturally and materially) and served educators teaching History, Social Studies, Science, Literature and Geography.  A unique approach that Teaching Water took was the examination of the topic from an international perspective, with content spanning Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Russia and Eurasia.

Throughout the workshop, organizers tried to keep track of resources referenced by presenters.  This includes articles, books, case studies, factsheets, maps, organizations, reports, simulations, and teaching resources.  Download the list here.

Additional details and speaker bios are available in the program booklet.

Email globalstudiesoutreach@harvard.edu with any questions or concerns about the workshop.