World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the many people living without clean drinking water. The theme of World Water Day 2025 is ‘Glacier Preservation’. It draws attention to the fact that due to climate change, glaciers are melting faster than ever with devastating effects for ecosystems and billions of people. Meltwater flows are changing, causing floods, droughts, landslides and sea level rise, and damaging ecosystems. Glacier preservation is a survival strategy. We must work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and manage meltwater more sustainably for people and the planet. This year's World of Water Day campaign is about working together to put glacier preservation at the core of action plans to tackle climate change and the global water crisis.

March 22 is World Water Day, where we celebrate water and raise awareness about the water crisis. You and your students can make a difference by changing how you use, consume and manage water. Be the change you want to see in the world; water affects everyone, so we need everyone to take action.

Grades K-3

We are Water Protectors

Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all. When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth and poison her people's water, one young water protector takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource. Inspired by the many indigenous-led movements across North America, this bold and lyrical picture book issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption. 

Activities

• Watch How Glaciers Change the World and why they are important
• Read We Are Water Protectors to learn about the importance of water
• Complete the Water Protector activities to learn about ways to make an impact in your community and further protect the Earth and waters in everyday life
• Read The Water Walker to learn how Nokomis Josephine Mandamin responds to a call to action and a dream requesting help for Nibi (water)
• The teacher’s guide serves as a companion to the book and provides several learning activities as well as a suggestion for an action project related to the theme of protecting water
• Guided by information about Indigenous Peoples’ beliefs about the healing and spiritual powers of water, students play a listening game, matching the sounds of water to water sources in nature
• Our Environmental Footprint Water Consumption has students look critically at the way they use water everyday
• Take the learning outside with this outdoor game, Conserving Water and Protecting Wildlife
• Water for Us helps young children become aware of the scarcity of clean water, where water comes from, and the need to protect it
• Get outside and have students play for Goal 6 Clean Water & Sanitation

Grades 3-6

Clean Water for All

The resource activities aim to increase students understanding of the various causes of water pollution and to raise awareness of the global inequality of access to safe water around the world

Activities

• Learn more about how glaciers form, change the landscape and what climate change is doing to these massive bodies of ice
• Read One Well: The Story of Water on Earth. Access the teacher's guide for discussion questions and activity suggestions to enhance the learning 
• On chart paper, brainstorm all of the ways that we use water. Include daily uses for cleansing and cooking as well as recreational purposes
• Use this lesson plan to teach students about World Water Day and the specific right of children to safe drinking water
• Have students complete the Clean “dirty” Water Challenge
• Contamination on the Move gets students outdoors to learn how contamination can spread and pollute groundwater  
• Get outside and have students play for Goal 6 Clean Water & Sanitation

Grades 6-8

Water and Sanitation for All: Bringing the Issue Home

The lessons in this resource are designed to raise awareness of the problems facing children with inadequate access to clean water or sanitation facilities. 

Activities

• Watch the video Climate 101: Glaciers and see why they matter
• Take the Clean Water Challenge by using different materials to attempt to clean the sample water
• Have students create a media campaign to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and the impact that human activity has on natural resources
• Connect virtually with a Northern Community under a boiling water advisory and have the students ask a member of the community questions regarding their water quality and issues.
• Learn more about Indigenous women who are water protectors in their community with the learning package Water Is Life

Grades 9-12

The Climate in Our Hands - Ocean and Cryosphere

This resource empowers teachers to bring the critical science of climate change, focusing on oceans and cryosphere, into their classrooms through interactive and multidisciplinary activities. By exploring the profound relationship between the ocean, cryospher and climate, students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to understand the impacts of climate change and the actions needed to address it.

Activities

• Watch Chasing Ice the largest glacier calving ever filmed. Use the discussion guide to initiate a meaningful conversation about climate change
• Learn about the cryosphere and how it is being impacted by climate change
• 8-4-1, One for All representing eight different water users, students must safely carry one water container “downstream” and must navigate through four simulated water management challenges to reach the next community of water users on the same river
• Thinking about Water and Climate Change has students discover the relationship between climate change and the health of water
• Beat the Flood explores how STEM skills can be used to help communities be better prepared for flooding. Students design a model of a home able to withstand the effects of flooding
• Access Exploring Our Growing Need for Water to learn more about water sustainability issues we are facing around the world