Where Earth's Water Is
Aligned to 5-ESS2-2 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Almost all of Earth's water is salty ocean water. Only a small part is fresh water, and most of that fresh water is frozen in glaciers, so very little is liquid fresh water we can easily use.
Worked example
If all of Earth's water filled 100 cups, about 97 cups would be salty ocean and only about 3 would be fresh — and most of those 3 are frozen ice. Just a tiny splash is liquid fresh water in lakes and rivers.
Practice questions
- Make a table showing how much of Earth's water is ocean, ice, and liquid fresh water.
- Draw a bar graph comparing salt water and fresh water amounts.
- Use your graph to explain why fresh drinking water is precious.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Dónde Está el Agua de la Tierra
Casi toda el agua de la Tierra es agua salada del océano. Solo una pequeña parte es agua dulce, y la mayoría de esa agua dulce está congelada en glaciares, así que muy poca es agua dulce líquida que podamos usar con facilidad.
Ejemplo: Si toda el agua de la Tierra llenara 100 vasos, unos 97 vasos serían océano salado y solo unos 3 serían dulces — y la mayoría de esos 3 están congelados como hielo. Apenas una gotita es agua dulce líquida en lagos y ríos.
More Earth & Space Science lessons
Teach this lesson today
An AI tutor that guides with questions instead of just giving answers — all K–12 core subjects, every child in the family.
Start free — no card required