the water blog http://blog.knowh2o.org Know H2O Thu, 08 May 2008 16:50:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 en Your Musical Knowledge While Supporting PlayPumps International http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/05/07/your-musical-knowledge-while-supporting-playpumps-international/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/05/07/your-musical-knowledge-while-supporting-playpumps-international/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 09:00:24 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/05/07/your-musical-knowledge-while-supporting-playpumps-international/ Can you name that band? Do you know Madonna’s full name?

Visit savetheworldwithmusic.com, a free online music quiz site that helps provide clean water every time you play. Test your music knowledge and do good in the world. Every time you answer a question correctly, Save the World With Music gives PlayPumps International a donation which is enough to provide one person with clean water for one day. You can keep answering questions for as long as you like - the quiz is never-ending!

Test your music trivia skills now and support the basic right to clean water. Have fun!

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/05/07/your-musical-knowledge-while-supporting-playpumps-international/feed/ New Pumps in Lesotho http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/04/28/new-pumps-in-lesotho/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/04/28/new-pumps-in-lesotho/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:47:05 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/04/28/new-pumps-in-lesotho/ Our efforts are bringing hope to new countries in Africa! We are happy to announce that there are 1,044 PlayPump systems in the ground in Africa, including 10 new systems in Lesotho. Our work in Lesotho marks our fifth country of operations. In the next two years, we will expand from South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Lesotho to include pumps in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia.

Visit our Google Map page on the PlayPumps Interntional to learn more about just some of the places where PlayPumps water systems are located in sub-Saharan Africa.

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/04/28/new-pumps-in-lesotho/feed/ PlayPumps International Recognizes Educator and Student as Global Water ‘Heroes’ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/03/12/as-world-water-day-approaches-playpumps-international-recognizes-global-water-%e2%80%98heroes%e2%80%99/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/03/12/as-world-water-day-approaches-playpumps-international-recognizes-global-water-%e2%80%98heroes%e2%80%99/#comments Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:00:46 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/03/12/as-world-water-day-approaches-playpumps-international-recognizes-global-water-%e2%80%98heroes%e2%80%99/ In recognition of World Water Day this March 22– a day designated by the United Nations as a reminder of the escalating global water crisis – PlayPumps International honors five individuals and organizations that have been instrumental ‘heroes’ in the effort to bring clean drinking water to some of the more than 1.1 billion people who lack it.“The Hero Award recognizes the countless efforts and strong commitment the recipients have made to bring clean, life-giving water to those in need,” said Dale Jones CEO of PlayPumps International. “The support of these five people and organizations is truly invaluable and has restored the health and well-being of many men, women and children in sub-Saharan Africa.”

2007 PlayPumps International Hero Award Recipients:

Alexander B. Cummings, Coca-Cola Africa Foundation
Alex Cummings is President and Chief Operating Officer of Coca-Cola Africa as well as Chairman of the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation. Alex’s leadership has been instrumental to Coca-Cola’s water stewardship and partnership with PlayPumps International.

Kate Grabowksi-Clark, Teacher
Kate Grabowski-Clark is a veteran educator in Glastonbury, CT and the leader of Glastonbury school district’s Water 4 Water fundraising effort. In 2006 the small project began selling bottled water, but quickly grew into a community-wide effort. Thus far it has resulted in the donation of one PlayPump water system and Water 4 Water is working towards the donation of a second PlayPump water system to an African community. Water 4 Water has also been recognized by Senator Joseph Lieberman with the “Joe’s Heroes Award”.

One Water
One Water, created by Duncan Goose, donates the profits from sales of its bottled water to fund PlayPump® water systems. Just a few years since its launch in the UK, One Water has already achieved great success, donating more than 100 PlayPump systems. They will now leverage this momentum, entering into the global marketplace in 2008, including the US.

River Bennett, Youth Advocate
River Bennett, a high school student from Nantucket, MA is known throughout his community for his philanthropic efforts. By working with local businesses and community groups, as well as organizing a Swimathon at his high school, River is helping people connect with water issues at home, and in turn helping Africans access clean drinking water.

Save the Children
Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need around the world, and a partner of PlayPumps International in the Gaza province of Mozambique. At schools that have a PlayPump water system, Save the Children provides crucial health and hygiene education to students through their School Health and Nutrition program.

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2008/03/12/as-world-water-day-approaches-playpumps-international-recognizes-global-water-%e2%80%98heroes%e2%80%99/feed/ Take the Giving Challenge. This is your chance to help us get $50,000. http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/12/28/take-the-giving-challenge-this-is-your-chance-to-help-us-get-50000/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/12/28/take-the-giving-challenge-this-is-your-chance-to-help-us-get-50000/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:51:21 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/12/28/take-the-giving-challenge-this-is-your-chance-to-help-us-get-50000/ You can support PlayPumps International and enter America’s Giving Challenge, presented by the Case Foundation, Parade Magazine, and the Causes Giving Challenge on Facebook. The goal is simple: help spread the word about PlayPumps International and we can win $50,000—enough for more than three entire PlayPump®® water systems.

There are two ways to enter:

1. Visit our new Facebook Causes Giving Challenge page. You can make a donation, send a PlayPumps International gift icon to your friends and contacts, and invite everyone in your Facebook list to help join the cause:

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/view_cause/46932

2. Visit Parade Magazine’s Giving Challenge to make a donation or create your own fundraising page. You can select PlayPumps International as a U.S. Charity and create your own Network for Good badge for your blog or webpage. You can select PlayPumps International as a global charity with Global Giving and create your own giving page. You can find PlayPumps International under “Clean Water”.

Get started by visiting http://www.parade.com/givingchallenge.

The contest ends January 31, 2008 so get started today and help PlayPumps International provide clean water for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. We can win America’s Giving Challenge and be closer to our goal of donating 4,000 PlayPump systems by 2010 and YOU will make the difference.

For more information, visit America’s Giving Challenge:

http://giving.casefoundation.org/givingchallenge/home?source=partnerPLYPUMP

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/12/28/take-the-giving-challenge-this-is-your-chance-to-help-us-get-50000/feed/ Download three lesson plans for free http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/download-three-lesson-plans-for-free/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/download-three-lesson-plans-for-free/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:55:26 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://d1045971.domain.com/2007/10/22/download-three-lesson-plans-for-free/ Three lesson plans are now available on our download page for Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels. Watch the blog for updates to any of the existing curriculum.

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/download-three-lesson-plans-for-free/feed/ Think-Pair-Share Worksheet http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/think-pair-share-worksheet/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/think-pair-share-worksheet/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:33:40 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://d1045971.domain.com/2007/10/22/think-pair-share-worksheet/ On page 4 of the curriculum, we suggested a Think-Pair-Share Worksheet. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it better?

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/think-pair-share-worksheet/feed/ Jigsaw Puzzle Time Allotment http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/jigsaw-puzzle-time-allotment/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/jigsaw-puzzle-time-allotment/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:23:33 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://d1045971.domain.com/2007/10/22/jigsaw-puzzle-time-allotment/ On page 8, under Week 1 of the curriculum, we suggested the a jig saw puzzle activity (see below). Did you find that 15-20 minutes was enough?

Option 1: Jig Saw
– Divide students into five groups; assign each group one of the maps or graphs to complete
– Give students 15-20 minutes to complete in class individually.
– Have the groups come together to share their findings with other students who had the same map or graph.
– Reconfigure the groups so that each new group contains at least one member from each of the different map groups. Have student share the
key information from their own map with the others in the group.

OR

– Have each of the five groups report back to the whole class to share their findings

]]> http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/jigsaw-puzzle-time-allotment/feed/ Connect to Prior Knowledge Questions http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/connect-to-prior-knowledge-questions/ http://blog.knowh2o.org/2007/10/22/connect-to-prior-knowledge-questions/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:11:46 +0000 KnowH2O Staff http://d1045971.domain.com/2007/10/22/connect-to-prior-knowledge-questions/ In the first section of the curriculum, we suggested the following questions for discussion:

Connect to Prior Knowledge

While Africa’s need for better water access has been identified by PlayPumps International, students can easily localize the issue by developing a survey to
find out how much their community is aware of water access issues. Ask the students:

  • Can you think of any time that you didn’t have easy access to water?
  • What caused that situation?
  • How did you solve the problem?

These first two questions may be appropriate as initial reflection journal prompts. Have the students write their answers individually, and then share them in pairs.

What do you think of these questions? Did you find other questions that were more helpful?

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