Teaching the Tap Today to Protect Water for Tomorrow

The Take Back the Tap Curriculum is designed to teach kids about the importance of protecting our most essential public resource: water.

A great way to prepare to face the challenges of the future is to invest today in the knowledge of tomorrow’s leaders. Thus, on this World Water Day, Food & Water Watch is happy to launch a special initiative developed to teach the next generation about how to protect our water resources. The Take Back the Tap Curriculum is designed to educate young students about the critical importance of defending water as a public resource and to demonstrate the negative impact of bottled water on the environment and the community.

Using Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science, the Take Back the Tap Curriculum teaches kids about important water related issues, including the protection of our drinking water from dangerous contaminants; the marketing strategies of bottled the water industry and the environmental impact of bottled water.

Elanor Davis, a teacher at D.C.’s Paul Public Charter School, helped develop the curriculum:

“As a middle school teacher I am always looking for ways my students can take action and see real results in their school and community,” said Eleanor Davis, a teacher at Paul Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. “This curriculum’s multidisciplinary perspective helps students understand the complex environmental and political issues that stem from bottled water, inspiring them to act on their new knowledge. This is an issue to which every student can relate.”

The most important message kids can learn about water is to advocate on its behalf. As we move forward, teaching becomes our most valuable tool in the fight to keep water accessible to everyone. The Take Back the Tap Curriculum can be a great way to introduce good habits to our next generation of water advocates. Teach the Tap!