http://marinewaters.fish.wa.gov.au
Marine WATERs (Western Australian Teacher Education Resources) is an
interactive and fully integrated online resource that connects educators
and students with material developed specifically to assist in the study
of Western Australia’s unique marine ecosystems and the challenges
facing the sustainability of our aquatic resources.
The ever-expanding suite of curriculum-based education resources
includes lesson plans, interactive and extension activities, student
worksheets, fact sheets and information on current and emerging
issues in the marine world.
Marine WATERs is an initiative of the Department of Fisheries WA and
Woodside Energy.
Education... energy... environment.
Diving into Marine WATERs
Finding the teaching resources and information you need is easy with
Marine WATERs, which provides a flexible and friendly educational tool.
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1. Marine WATERs resources have been arranged in five themed
modules – ‘processes’, ‘marine biology, ‘habitats’, ‘humans’ and
‘management’. Choose any one of them to explore.
2. Registration is essential to unlock all the features and resources of
Marine WATERs – and the good new is, it’s completely free!
3. Choose filtering options that are designed to help you find
what you need depending on your student’s phase of learning,
curriculum requirements or a range of marine topics.
4. Looking for something specific? Simply perform a search of the site!
5. Are you in a hurry and would like to see what resources are available
on Marine WATERs without taking the time to register? Check out
the Sneak Peak area for examples of Marine WATERs resources and
information.
6. Would you like to keep in touch with the latest news, events
and happenings in WA’s marine world? Do you want to share
information interactively with educators from the Department of
Fisheries? These experiences are easy when you become a fan of
Marine WATERs on Facebook™.
Integrated Lesson Plans
Marine WATERs lesson plans provide teachers with comprehensive
background information and activity ideas that can be used to explain
key marine concepts or explore issues about the Western Australian
marine environment.
The lesson plans have been specifically developed to save educators
time and provide additional teaching tools, associated student
worksheets and suggested answers. Each lesson plan is embedded with
‘live’ links’ to a wealth of relevant and credible sources of information on
the Internet or within the Marine WATERs website. The plans can also be
downloaded and printed, as required.
Educators are encouraged to use and adapt Marine WATERs lesson
plans to suit their needs.
Lesson plans
PrOCesses – Physical & biological Processes
Marine Connections
topics
1. Overview
Ecosystems
Biodiversity
Students will investigate marine ecosystems by examining the structure of
marine food chains and food webs for Shark Bay.
Phase of Learning
3–6, 7–10
site (location)
Classroom
duration
2. Links tO CurriCuLuM
CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK (WA)
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
Learning Area
Science
Outcome
Investigating
Communicating Scientifically
Science in Daily Life
Life and Living
Strand
SCIENCE
Science Understanding
Science Inquiry Skills
Society and Environment
Investigation, Communication
and Participation
Natural and Social Systems
English
Reading
Viewing
Writing
Mathematics
Space
3 hours
Materials
• Ball of string or wool
• Scissors
• Approx. 15 x 10 cm
piece of cardboard
(one for each student
in the class)
vocabulary
Biomass
Carnivore
Detritivore
Diet
Ecosystem
Energy
Food chain
Food web
Herbivore
Photosynthesis
Predator
Prey
Primary consumer
Primary producer
Quaternary consumer
Secondary consumer
Tertiary consumer
ENGLISH
Literacy
Interacting with Others
3. ObjeCtives
Students will:
•Understand that all life is connected through the transfer of energy in and between
ecosystems.
•Identify the roles various organisms play in the ecosystem they live in.
•Understand and identify adaptations of various animals that enable them to thrive in
ecosystems.
•Demonstrate understanding of the interconnectivity between organisms in different
ecosystems.
4. teACHer bACkgrOund inFOrMAtiOn
Shark
Large fish
Quaternary consumer
Small fish
Tertiary consumer
Zooplankton
student worksheets
Secondary consumer
Phytoplankton
1. What’s on the Menu?
2. Meat Eaters vs.
Vegetarians
Sub-strand
Biological Sciences
Questioning and Predicting
Processing and Analysing Data
and Information
Communicating
Sun
Primary consumer
Primary producer
3. Shark Bay Marine Food
Chains
Figure 1
A simplified marine food chain.
A joint initiative of the Department of Fisheries and Woodside Energy • http://marinewaters.fish.wa.gov.au
Marine Connections – Mar 2011/1.0 • PAGE 1
In addition to lesson plans, a range
of relevant stand-alone educational
resources such as articles, posters,
presentations, videos, websites,
games and interactives are available
via Marine WATERs. Many of these
resources have been integrated
within Marine WATERs lesson plans
or are suggested as related resources
to support further study and
investigation.
Marine WATERs online is an innovative way for educators to access
engaging and new marine education resources that can be kept up-todate and relevant to new scientific findings, management changes and
current and emerging marine issues.
Marine WATERs
is flowing
Registration
Be a fan!
Registration for Marine WATERs
is completely free, through
a simple online registration
form. The content of Marine
WATERs can be viewed by nonregistered users, but to access
and download most education
resources registration is required.
You can take a look at Marine
WATERs Sneak Peek box without
registering and view examples
of education resources that are
unlocked after registration.
We welcome you to share your
experiences and knowledge with
other like-minded educators
across WA, Australia and
overseas through the Marine
WATERs dedicated Facebook™
page at: www.facebook.com/
marinewaters. This way you can
keep in touch with the latest
news, events and happenings in
the marine world.
Remember to check the box on
the registration form to receive
regular updates on Marine
WATERs, such as when new
education resources are updated
or uploaded.
FREE
Please use the Facebook™ ‘like’
facility to register your approval
of the lesson plans that you find
useful. This helps us determine
which resources work well and
helps to share your positive
experience with other teachers
using Marine WATERs.
New ‘waves’ of marine education
resources are currently
being developed for Marine
WATERs and will be uploaded
periodically.
At the time of the launch
in March 2011, a range of
predominantly primary school
resources have been completed,
with secondary school marine
education resources being
developed during 2011.
We welcome suggestions about
new content from educators via
our Facebook™ page.
Follow us on Facebook
Marine WATERs is an initiative of the Department of Fisheries and Woodside Energy
For further information, please contact the Department of Fisheries
39 Northside Drive, Hillarys Western Australia 6025 | Ph (08) 9203 0339 | Fax (08) 9203 0109
e-mail: [email protected] | web: http://marinewaters.fish.wa.gov.au