Middle School PBL: Solving the Local Water Crisis

Empower Students to Think Globally & Act Locally 💧🌍

In this engaging middle school PBL unit, students explore the urgent issue of water access, usage, and conservation through the lens of a local water crisis. By researching real-world challenges and collaborating on innovative solutions, learners will see how their voices and ideas can make a genuine impact on their communities and beyond.

What’s Inside

• A complete Problem-Based Learning unit designed for middle school
• Research prompts and guiding questions about water use, conservation, and access
• Collaborative group activities that encourage teamwork and leadership
• Opportunities for hands-on projects and solution design
• Rubrics, reflection tools, and teacher guides for easy implementation
• Cross-curricular connections to science, geography, and social studies

Why It’s Perfect for Gifted Learners

• Challenges students with a complex, real-world environmental issue
• Encourages systems thinking and problem-solving beyond simple answers
• Inspires civic engagement and advocacy within their own communities
• Allows for student choice and creativity in developing solutions
• Strengthens research, communication, and leadership skills

How to Use It

• Launch with the driving question: How can we solve water crisis challenges in our community?
• Guide students through data collection, research, and case studies of global water issues.
• Support groups in designing innovative solutions and action plans.
• Facilitate presentations or community outreach projects to share findings.
• Use the provided rubrics and reflection prompts to track growth and assess learning outcomes.
• ✨ With MS PBL: Solving the Local Water Crisis, your students will investigate, innovate, and take meaningful steps toward protecting one of our planet’s most precious resources.