A Long Walk to Water: Building Background Knowledge | The Hidden Cost of Water

A Long Walk to Water: Building Background Knowledge | The Hidden Cost of Collecting Water

Help students understand that water scarcity costs more than water with this engaging, no-prep background knowledge lesson designed to support a study of A Long Walk to Water.

In The Hidden Cost of Collecting Water, students investigate what happens when getting water is not a quick trip to a faucet, but a daily responsibility that can consume hours. Students examine the time, distance, physical demands, safety concerns, missed education, family responsibilities, and lost opportunities connected to water collection.

Students then bring their research together in a One Day, One Water Source Investigation, tracing what a single day of collecting water can actually cost a person or family.

Students Will
- Investigate the time and distance involved in collecting water
- Examine how water collection can shape a person's daily schedule
- Analyze the connection between water collection and school attendance
- Explore physical demands, exhaustion, and safety concerns
- Identify the difference between visible and hidden costs
- Trace the ripple effects of spending hours collecting water
- Consider how one person's responsibilities can affect an entire family
- Analyze both short-term and long-term consequences
- Compare time spent collecting water with opportunities that could otherwise fill those hours
- Use research evidence to build a One Day, One Water Source Investigation

Included
- Teacher Directions
- Background Overview
- Mini Research Questions
- Group Activity: One Day, One Water Source Investigation
- The Water Collection Timeline student investigation
- The Hidden Costs Add Up cause-and-effect analysis
- Build Your Investigation planning page
- Time & Opportunity Today real-world comparison
- Color student pages
- Printer-friendly black-and-white student pages

Perfect For
Grades 6–8 • A Long Walk to Water Novel Study • Building Background Knowledge • South Sudan • Water Scarcity • Water Collection • Opportunity Cost • Human Geography • ELA & Humanities • Social Studies • Research • Sub Plans

Book Disclaimer
This resource does not include the novel A Long Walk to Water or reproduce text, illustrations, or cover artwork from the book. It is an independently created educational resource designed to build background knowledge related to the novel's historical and geographic context.
This resource is not affiliated with, authorized by, sponsored by, or endorsed by Linda Sue Park, the publisher, or the copyright holder of A Long Walk to Water.