Water: Source of Health, Source of Illness. Water in Africa.

The Water in Africa Project was realized over a 2-year period by a team of Peace Corps volunteers, World Wise Schools (WWS) classroom teachers, and WWS staff members. As part of an expanded, detailed design, resources were collected from over 90 volunteers serving in African countries, photos and stories were prepared, and standards-based learning units were created for K-12 students. Noting that although water is needed to sustain life, it can also serve as a conduit of illness and even death, this unit, "Water: Source of Health, Source of Illness," examines the connections between water and disease in four West African countries. The unit aims for students in grades 5-8 to become familiar with general concepts related to water-borne illness by viewing photographs and reading vignettes collected from in-service Peace Corps volunteers. It culminates with students working in groups to devise a strategy to fight one water-borne illness in rural Africa. The unit suggests a timeframe, curricular areas, materials needed, standards, discussion questions, objectives, a detailed procedure, assessment information, and follow-up/enrichment activities. Attached are maps, photos, and vignettes from Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, and Guinea. (BT)