Where There’s a Spring There’s Water

Where There's a Spring There's Water – Teach One Reach OneScripture: Genesis 15-17

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will review the story of Abraham, God’s Promises and Ishmael.
  • Students will learn when Hagar fled, the angel of God found her near a spring of water in the desert.
  • Students will learn how to find a spring of water and get the water from it.
  • Students will attempt to identify places where there may be undiscovered springs of water.

Guiding Question: How can we find a freshwater spring that hasn’t been discovered and get water from it?

Materials: photos showing springs and areas where springs are found, an area to look for springs, (If the spring is in a place where your class is allowed to develop it, you may also want shovels and large rocks or concrete. Please follow all safety precautions and local laws and ordinances.)

Procedure: Review the story of Abraham, God’s promises to him and Hagar and Ishmael. Focus particularly on the story of Hagar by the spring in the desert. Discuss with the students how important it is to find safe, fresh water in the wilderness. Teach them how to locate a spring by showing them photos and discussing what they notice. In dry areas if there is suddenly an area of greenery, most likely water is running under the ground. Although theoretically water in a spring is clean, it can be contaminated if animals and people are above the area, the ground is constantly disturbed or there is a factory or other possible source of pollution above the area. (Ex. Springs found at the very top of a mountain are probably the cleanest. A spring in a valley below a factory on a hill may be polluted. Note that any water must be tested by a lab to guarantee its safety as drinking water.) Once a possible spring is identified, a hole must be dug to get to the area where it is visible.Make sure to clear all vegetation and debris from the soil before digging to locate the water source. If being used for animals, you may want to dig a depression (like a small pond) so the water can pool. It is suggested the depression be covered in sand and then a layer of at least a couple inches of clean gravel on top of that.

Additional Questions:

  • In what other ways can water be found in the wilderness?

Supplemental Activity: Have more advanced students research other ways of finding and collecting water in the wilderness. Have them share their findings with others.

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