Journey of Water: From Páramo to the Kitchen Sink

Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: June 14, 2025

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

In this virtual field trip from Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy, students will learn about fresh water and the watershed for the city of Bogotá.
Students will understand the importance of water conservation and become familiar with some of the wildlife that lives in Columbia.
This lesson connects with climate change topics such as changing precipitation patterns, increasing droughts, and more evaporation due to higher temperatures.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy

Region: South and Central America

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

Students will love seeing the wildlife in these ecosystems.
Through this field trip, students will get insight into what it is like to have a career in science and hear from a real scientist working in Columbia.

Prerequisites

Teachers will need to access the virtual field trip using this link. If teachers do not have access to YouTube, they can go to this link and scroll to the video titled Journey of Water: Colombia’s Páramo.
It may benefit students to understand that, while water is a renewable resource, there is only a finite amount of clean drinking water that can be used at one time.

Differentiation & Implementation

Teachers can use this virtual field trip to discuss water filtration and the need for clean water. Teachers can also talk about water scarcity and the impact climate change has on access to water.
Teachers may want to pause the video as text pops up on the screen so students have time to read or read this text aloud to students.
After watching the segment discussing the water footprint of various things, students can use this calculator to add an interactive component to this topic.
Before hearing the other students' responses, teachers can pause the video at 14:48 and ask their class to think of ways they use water.
After watching the video, students can take some time to research their watersheds and where their water comes from.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.