- Science
- Classes 1-2
- 3 min read
Water all around us
Find out where water comes from, how we use it every day, and simple ways to keep it clean and save it.
Let us begin
The big idea
We drink water, bathe in water and cook with water. Plants and animals need it too. Let us see where water comes from and how to take care of it.
We get water from many places. Rain falls from the clouds. Rivers, ponds, lakes and wells give us water. Taps bring water to our homes. The sea has water too, but sea water is salty and we cannot drink it.
We use water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes, bathing and cleaning. Farmers use water for their crops.
Water that we drink must be clean. Dirty water can make us ill. We can make water safe by boiling it, or by using a filter. A grown-up should do this.
Water is precious. We should not waste it. Close the tap when you brush your teeth. Fix a tap that drips. Use leftover water for plants.
Worked examples
See how it works
Where does the water come from?
In a village, people may take water from a well or a hand pump. In a town, it comes to the house through a tap. Both are sources of water.
Saving water
A tap left running while brushing teeth wastes a lot of water. If you close it, you save water. Small habits help.
Safe water
Pond water may look clear but may still have germs. A grown-up boils it or filters it before we drink it.
Try it at home
My water day
You will need
- Paper and pencil
- A mug
- A bucket
What to do
- Make a table with the words Drinking, Bathing, Cooking, Washing and Plants.
- Make a tick each time you see water being used for one of these during the day.
- At night, count the ticks. Which use has the most?
- Next time you wash your hands, catch the water in a bucket and give it to a plant.
- Tell your family one way you will save water.
Ask a grown-up: Please help the child to carry the bucket and to choose a plant that is safe to water.
Fun fact
Most of the Earth's surface is covered by water.
Practice sheet
Check what you learned
Practice sheet: Water all around us (Classes 1-2, Science)
- Name three places where we get water.
- Can we drink sea water?
- Name two ways we use water at home.
- What do plants need water for?
- How can we make drinking water safe?
- Rain falls from the sky. What do we call what it falls from?
- Why should we close a dripping tap?
- Is it good to waste water? Say why.
- Name one animal that lives in water.
- Name one way you can save water.
Answer key
Answers: Water all around us
- Any three of rain, river, pond, lake, well, hand pump, tap and sea.
- No. Sea water is salty.
- Any two of drinking, cooking, bathing, washing clothes and cleaning.
- To grow and stay alive. Plants take in water through their roots.
- By boiling it or by filtering it (with a grown-up).
- Clouds.
- A dripping tap wastes water, and water is precious.
- No. Water is precious and many people do not have enough clean water.
- Any water animal, such as a fish, a frog or a crab.
- For example: close the tap while brushing, or reuse water for plants.