Our Global Water Crisis, Explained

Videos

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by Our Changing Climate

Open Resource

What it is

This video is about the global freshwater crisis and its relationship to climate change, explaining its effects on California and the Amazon.
Students learn about changes in the water cycle, droughts in California and the Amazon rainforest, statistics on water scarcity, and potential solutions to this crisis.

Teaching tips

Preparation:

Note that the content of the video ends at 8 minutes, 46 seconds and the remaining time is an outro.

Prerequisites:

Ensure students are familiar with certain terms including aquifers, agroforestry, deforestation, groundwater, and transpiration.

Classroom Implementation:

Have summarize the positive feedback loops mentioned in the video and brainstorm their own examples.

Interdisciplinary Connections:

Civics:
- Students analyze the most appropriate solutions and create action steps for their local municipality.

Related Resources:

Other resources related to these topics include Why It Matters: Water Scarcity, Poverty: Climate Change & Water Security, and Essentials of Environmental Science: The Water Cycle and Water Pollution.
A lesson related to this resource is Drought Causes: Climate Change Impacts.

From the scientist review

This 10-minute video presents issues related to water conservation and climate change, including California water management and drought, issues within the Amazon rainforest, and global water scarcity. Water scarcity and pollution is also discussed, and some solutions are presented. Citations are provided in small text on the bottom right corner of the screen, which need to be looked up from a list of resources linked in the video description. Although this takes additional effort to follow citations, this resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Geography
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth, North America > United States > California, South America
Provider: Our Changing Climate
Authors: Our Changing Climate
Published: April 27, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · MS-ESS2-4. + 14 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

MS-ESS2-4.MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
MS-ESS3-3.MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-4.MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.
D2.Geo.4.6-8D2.Geo.4.6-8 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
D2.Geo.7.6-8D2.Geo.7.6-8 Explain how changes in transportation and communication technology influence the spatial connections among human settlements and affect the diffusion of ideas and cultural practices.
D2.Geo.9.6-8D2.Geo.9.6-8 Evaluate the influences of long-term human-induced environmental change on spatial patterns of conflict and cooperation.
D2.Geo.12.6-8D2.Geo.12.6-8 Explain how global changes in population distribution patterns affect changes in land use in particular places.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
D2.Geo.4.9-12D2.Geo.4.9-12 Analyze relationships and interactions within and between human and physical systems to explain reciprocal influences that occur among them.

Connecticut Climate Education Hub

Connecticut Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

6.Geo.4.a.6.Geo.4.a. Explain how cultural patterns influence the environment and daily life within and among regions (e.g., pollution of the Ganges River, Croatian access to Adriatic Seacoast, Main-Danube waterway, Chinese New Year, Hajj).
MW.Geo.4.a.MW.Geo.4.a. Analyze the relationships and interactions between growing industry and physical systems to explain reciprocal influences that occur among them (e.g., air pollution, hydropower, mining, dredging).
MS-ESS2-4.MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
MS-ESS3-3.MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-4.MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

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