Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources - Spanish Adaptation
Summary
This module enables Spanish-language students to identify the freshwater components of the hydrologic cycle and connect them to the basic need of all human beings for equal access to clean freshwater. This is accomplished by framing the water science within theories of environmental justice defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." Students articulate the principles of environmental justice as they relate to examples of water scarcity and contamination in specific cases in Latin American and the Southwest U.S.
Strengths of the module
- Gain Spanish-language skills through exploring the intersection of science and society in the context of equal access to freshwater as a basic human right
- Engage in data- and language-rich activities that address water resources and their availability in Latin America and the southwestern US
- Explore the scientific and social context and consequences of a proposed hydroelectric project and oil extraction
- Work with rainfall, topographic, and soil permeability data to learn watershed concepts
- Use Google Earth to explore the relationship between topography and reservoir filling
- Analyze well data to predict groundwater and contaminant flow

A great fit for Spanish-language courses in:
- environmental studies
- human rights
- global change
- conversation
- contemporary issues
Instructor Stories: How this module was adapted
for use at several institutions »
Table of Contents
- Instructor Materials: Overview of the Environmental Justice and Freshwater Resources Module
Unit 1Introduction to Environmental JusticeUnit 2The Water Cycle and Freshwater ResourcesUnit 3Rivers and Water DiversionUnit 4The Water Wars of Cochabamba, BoliviaUnit 5Hazardous Waste, Petroleum, and the AmazonUnit 6Groundwater Availability and Resources- Student Materials
- Assessment
- Instructor Stories
- Join the Community
View the Instructor Materials »