Working for our future – today
Make your watermark!
Watersaver education program
Foundation
Lesson plans
Foundation
Information for
teachers
Introduction
Unit introduction - Foundation
Each lesson includes the following information:
Issues associated with the availability, management and
use of water resources will be at the forefront of multiple
economic, social and environmental considerations in
Australia in the 21st century. Along with historical patterns
of drought and extreme rainfall, a growing population
in South East Queensland and changes associated with
a warming planet will contribute to the need to manage
water resources carefully, and for the long term.
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Learning objectives: Outlines the understanding
students will gain on completion of the lesson.
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Curriculum links: Outlines links with Australian Curriculum.
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Important questions: To assist in directing the lesson.
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Background information.
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Lesson plan.
This unit is designed to introduce Foundation level
students to water - how it circulates through the water
cycle, its contribution to rainfall and other climate
events, the multitude of ways we use it in modern
society and the importance of using it wisely at all
times. Over time, and in association with additional
studies of sustainability throughout their school lives this
learning will enable students to play an informed role
in future decisions surrounding water management.
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Resource requirements: including reference to activity
sheets included in this resource where applicable.
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Additional activities.
For teachers this unit provides for the delivery of
meaningful activities, linked with outcomes in the
English, Geography, Science and Mathematics curricula.
Lessons in this unit can be used individually, to introduce
or enforce specific concepts or activities, or as a set
allowing a scaffolded and logical introduction to key
water issues, culminating in the development of a
simple water conservation action plan for the class.
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 1
Foundation
The water cycle
Information for
teachers
Learning objectives
Students will be able to:
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observe the sky and predict specific weather conditions
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understand key concepts in the water cycle – such as evaporation and precipitation
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undertake activities to test predictions associated with evaporation and other water cycle processes.
Learning outcomes
Subject
Strand and content descriptors
Science understanding
●
Daily and seasonal changes in our environment, including
the weather, affect everyday life. (ACSSU004)
Science as a human endeavour
Science
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Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses. (ACSHE013)
Science inquiry skills
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Respond to questions about familiar objects and events. (ACSIS014)
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Explore and make observations by using the senses. (ACSIS011)
Geographical knowledge and understanding
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Geography
Changes in the weather influence people’s activities.
Geographical inquiry and skills
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Pose questions about place, space and environment.
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Share observations and ideas.
Important questions
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Where does water come from?
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Where does the water in puddles go?
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What can we learn about weather by observing the sky?
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 1
Background information
– the water cycle
The amount of water on Earth does not change; rather it is
continually recycled through the processes of the water cycle.
Although over 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface is covered by
water, most of it (around 97 per cent) is salt water. Ice makes
up two per cent and only one per cent is suitable for drinking.
As water moves through the water cycle it changes taste,
shape and form. Three major processes drive the water cycle:
evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Transpiration,
the process of water loss through plants, is also important.
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Evaporation: when water is heated it changes from
liquid to gas (water vapour) – the sun heating the ocean
produces most of the water vapour in the atmosphere.
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Condensation: as water vapour rises, it cools and changes
into tiny droplets of water seen as clouds, fog or mist.
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Precipitation: rain, hail or snow – as water vapour
condenses, the water drops join and become
heavier and eventually fall out of the air.
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Transpiration: water emitted by plants through
pores in the leaves is evaporated and released
into the atmosphere as water vapour.
A number of the processes associated with the
water cycle can be simply observed, such as washing
drying on a line (evaporation); or the gathering of
storm clouds in summer (condensation), and may be
used to predict or explain climatic conditions.
Lesson plan
– the water cycle
Foundation - Information for teachers
✪ Using drawings or images of the key water cycle
components (ocean; the sun; clouds; rainfall) illustrate
how the cycle is linked. Explain the concept of a cycle
and that the water on Earth is continually recycled
and changes form (from liquid to gas to solid (ice)).
✪ Observing evaporation. Use a puddle in the
playground or shallow container of water; mark
the outline of the puddle in chalk or clearly
mark the level of the water in the container and
observe the level of water over a set period.
✪ Using a Predict, Observe, Explain (POE) approach
ask students to suggest where the water is going
and what is causing the water to disappear.
✪ Ask students to identify other situations where
evaporation takes place (e.g. washing drying on a line;
water in a swimming pool; rain on the footpath).
✪ Return to the diagram of the water cycle
and, using labels, introduce key terms
- evaporation and precipitation.
Resource requirements
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Various clothes and accessories.
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Images/graphics of water cycle components (line drawings
are provided in Activity sheet 1 – The water cycle. You
may also like to source photos from the internet).
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Chalk or shallow container.
Additional activities
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Daily weather: each day record the weather, placing
images of the sun, cloud, rain etc. on a chart (use
images from Activity sheet 2-Weather chart symbols.)
Looking at the weather over a period, discuss with
students if they think it is normal for this time of year.
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Ice: using ice cubes or similar expand on water
cycle concepts by observing the changing form
(melting and eventual evaporation) of ice cubes
by placing ice cubes in various places such as sun,
shade, and holding in the hand. Students use a
POE template to record aspects of the activity.
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Condensation: to demonstrate condensation to
students heat a kettle alongside a mirror or window
and observe the condensation and subsequent
change to liquid. Ask students to predict what
will happen and explain their observations.
✪ Using examples or images of various clothes and
accessories (rubber boots, scarves, and umbrellas)
ask students to identify what the weather conditions
might be like if they were wearing particular items.
✪ Classify the clothes and accessories under
images or labels for weather conditions,
such as windy, sunny, rainy and cloudy.
✪ Ask students to identify how observations
of the sky and the weather can indicate if it
is about to rain. Ask students if they know
where rain comes from and where it goes.
✪ Using a KWL chart or similar, gauge and
collate students knowledge of the water cycle
and associated weather phenomenon.
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 2
Foundation
Water bingo
Information for
teachers
Learning objectives
Students will be able to:
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identify and classify sounds associated with water use
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identify the various ways water is used in the house
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identify how to use water efficiently in the house
Learning outcomes
Subject
Strand and content descriptors
Science inquiry skills
Science
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Respond to questions about familiar objects and events. (ACSIS014)
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Explore and make observations by using the senses. (ACSIS011)
Literacy
English
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Listen to and respond orally to texts and to the communication of others
in informal and structured classroom situations. (ACELY1646)
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Deliver short oral presentations to peers. (ACELY1647)
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Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using
familiar words and beginning writing knowledge. (ACELY1651)
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Construct texts using software including word processing programs. (ACELY1654)
Important questions
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How do I use water at home?
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What different tasks does water help us to complete?
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 2
Background information
– water bingo
Foundation - Information for teachers
Resource requirements
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Preparation: record a range of water sounds, including
water used in the house such as a running shower;
brushing teeth; drinking water/water in a glass;
flushing toilet; water running down a sink; running
tap; sprinkler;, as well as other water sounds such
as waves, rainfall, frogs and thunder. A number of
websites provide free downloads of sound effects.
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Copy and cut out bingo cards from Activity
sheet 3. (you may wish to add additional images,
depending on the sounds you have recorded).
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CD/MP3 player or similar.
Water is vital to life; it not only replenishes our
bodies and cleans our houses it is required for a
multitude of purposes in manufacturing, recreation,
energy production and growing food.
This lesson uses recorded sounds to expand student’s
knowledge of common uses of water in the home. How we
use water in the home is an important foundation for our
attitude and use of water at school and in other environments.
A number of domestic water use behaviours can consume
significant quantities of water if done so inefficiently or
thoughtlessly. For example, a dripping tap could waste up
to 50 litres of water a day, while reducing shower time by
2 minutes could save over 30 litres of water per shower.
Many households have adopted technologies, such as
the use of rainwater tanks; low flow shower roses and
water efficient appliances, as well behaviours such as
shorter showers to reduce consumption. These actions
have helped to conserve water resources on the Gold
Coast and it is important that they are maintained.
Additional activities
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Investigate how water is used outside the house
in various activities and occupations such as to
grow plants and vegetables, in a car wash, at
a swimming pool, by a hairdresser or a chef.
Students could represent these activities through
drawings, short presentations or in role play.
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Engage in activities that use water - for example
make jelly; paint a watercolour picture or blow
bubbles using water and detergent.
Lesson plan
– water bingo
✪ Ask students to identify one way that they
or the people in their household use water;
make a list and display these in the class.
✪ Introduce and display the Water bingo
image card(s) - Activity sheet 3.
✪ Explain to students that they will be playing water
bingo – when they hear a sound that matches the
picture on their card they are to use a coloured
counter or block to mark the card. When a student
has 3 marked cards they shout out water bingo.
✪ Winners of each game are asked to demonstrate
their water use actions to their peers. Alternatively
following the water bingo game students create
short signs that show how and when they use water
at home. These signs can be classified - according
to various uses such as washing, cleaning, drinking
and playing, or by space such as bathroom, garden,
kitchen, and toilet - and displayed in the classroom.
Make your water mark!
Activity sheets
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Activity sheet 3 – Water bingo
Lesson plan 3
Foundation
How water cares for us
Information for
teachers
Learning objectives
Students will be able to:
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understand the health benefits of drinking water regularly
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understand the requirements of other animals and plants for water
Learning outcomes
Subject
Strand and content descriptors
Science understanding
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Living things have basic needs, including food and water. (ACSSU002)
Science as a human endeavour
Science
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Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses. (ACSHE013)
Science inquiry skills
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Respond to questions about familiar objects and events. (ACSIS014)
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Explore and make observations by using the senses. (ACSIS011)
Number and algebra
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Connect number names, numerals and quantities, including zero,
initially up to 10 and then beyond. (ACMNA002)
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Sort and classify familiar objects and explain the basis for these classifications.
Copy, continue and create patterns with objects and drawings. (ACMNA005)
Mathematics
Important questions
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Why should I drink water regularly?
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In what other ways does water keep me healthy?
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Is water important for other animals and plants?
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 3
Background information
– how water cares for us
Water is vital for survival; humans can survive for
many days without water, however just 1 or 2 days
without water can make a person very ill.
More than 60 per cent of the human body is water and
over 2 litres needs to be replaced every day. Drinking water
regularly and eating food with high water content can
help to replenish lost water; high water content foods
include most fruits; including watermelon and grapefruit
and many vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes.
Foundation - Information for teachers
Resource requirements
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Butchers paper.
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Activity sheet 4 - Water use icons.
Additional activities
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Water the garden: using plants in the school garden, pot
plants or punnets of seedlings experiment with watering
and caring for plants. Observe changes and differences,
recording these as entries in a journal, drawings or
photographs. For example select certain plants not
to water and compare with plants that are regularly
watered; place mulch (straw or shredded paper) over
part of a garden bed and, using observation and touch,
compare with a non-mulched section of the garden
(e.g. moisture levels; temperature; plant condition).
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Exploring water using the 5 senses: encourage
students to explore water using their 5 senses.
Water helps to keep our body cool, especially when we
exercise; it protects our brain and spinal cord; keeps our
skin moist and helps to get rid of waste products.
We lose water when we exercise and sweat, when
we breathe (breathe on a mirror and observe the
moisture) and when we go to the toilet.
Just like humans, plants need water to survive. The water they
take in through their roots and carries nutrients as it moves
to the rest of the plant through the stem. Plants make food
using the sun’s energy, carbon dioxide and water in a process
called photosynthesis. Tiny pores on the leaves called stomata
open and close to allow the exchange of water and gas in
plants. This is called transpiration and is similar to evaporation.
Sight – how does it look?
Sound – play a range of sounds of water
(collected for Water bingo in Lesson 2).
Smell – how does it smell?
Lesson plan
– how water cares for us
Taste – use Activity sheet 5 as the
basis for a tasting activity.
✪ Begin the lesson by asking all the students to have
Feel – encourage students to touch
water and ice, how does it feel?
a drink of water. Ask them how they feel if they
don’t drink water regularly. Alternatively, replace
water with slices of watermelon to introduce the
concept of rehydrating with food as well as water.
✪ Ask the students why it is important to drink water?
Reinforce key points such as to keep us healthy
and cool; discuss other healthy uses of water
such as washing hands and cleaning teeth.
✪ Announce that students will keep a count of
how many times they use water for drinking,
hand washing, or teeth cleaning. Use the icons
in Activity sheet 4 to display the count on a wall.
Students can colour or decorate the icons.
✪ At the end of each day the class should count
the icons and record their water use.
✪ To complete the lesson ask students to identify two
things at home that need water to survive (for example
a pet such as a dog or a goldfish; plants, trees or even
the front lawn; or members of their family or household).
Students draw the item and produce a simple text
that describes where the animal, plant or person gets
their water from. Drawings are displayed in the class.
Make your water mark!
Activity sheets
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Activity sheet 4. Water use icons.
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Activity sheet 5. Water samples.
Lesson plan 4
Foundation
How many buckets
Information for
teachers
Learning objectives
Students will be able to:
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understand that water can be measured by volume
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identify that different activities use different volumes of water
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identify ways to reduce the volume of water used in common behaviours.
Learning outcomes
Subject
Strand and content descriptors
Measurement and geometry
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Mathematics
Use direct and indirect comparisons to decide which is longer, heavier or holds
more, and explain reasoning in everyday language. (ACMMG006)
Number and algebra
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Connect number names, numerals and quantities, including
zero, initially up to 10 and then beyond.(ACMNA002)
Literacy
English
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Deliver short oral presentations to peers. (ACELY1647)
Important questions
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How can we measure how much water we have used?
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Why is it important to know how much water certain activities use?
Make your water mark!
Lesson plan 4
Background information
– how many buckets
Measuring water is important. Understanding how
much water certain activities use allows us to develop
strategies and techniques to use water wisely.
Foundation - Information for teachers
✪ As a class students identify how they use water
at home. Announce that the class will try and
identify how much water (how many cups)
some of these behaviours use. For example:
✪ Washing hands: placing a plug in a sink a student turns
on the tap and washes their hands, once finished the
amount of water in the sink is measured by using the
measuring cup. The volume is recorded and displayed.
This activity can they be repeated for behaviours such
as cleaning teeth. Similarly if the classroom has a
shower, run the shower for 30 seconds into a bucket
and then measure how much water was used – ask the
students how many minutes they spend in the shower.
Water is measured in order to charge for its use - so
understanding how much water we use could save
money on our water bills. Water is commonly measured
in litres: 1000 millilitres (mL) = 1 litre; 1000 litres = 1
kilolitre (kL); water is generally charged per kilolitre.
Volume refers to the measurement of the amount
of space inside a solid figure; it can also be referred
to as capacity. Volume can be used to measure the
amount of space taken up by solids (a container of rice
for example); gases (the volume of gas in a barbeque
cylinder) as well as water in a swimming pool or bath.
✪ Students then identify how they could change their
behaviour to use less water - such as turning off the
tap once they have soaped their hands or using a glass
of water to rinse their mouth when brushing their
teeth. Try the above activity again, implementing the
water saving measures. Record results and discuss the
difference. Students could represent these behaviours
through drawings, short presentations or in role play.
Lesson plan
– how many buckets
✪ This lesson uses activities associated with measuring the
volume of various containers to introduce concepts and
behaviours associated with saving water in the home.
✪ Show children two different containers (clear
if possible) and a measuring cup.
Resource requirements
●
Containers of various shapes and sizes.
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Measuring cups.
✪ Ask students to predict which container will hold the
most water; in other words how many measuring
cups of water will it take to fill each container?
✪ As a group observe and count the number of cups used
to fill the containers; discuss predictions and observations.
✪ Introduce the word volume; explaining that the
volume (in this case how many cups) is a way we
can measure how much water we use. Students
may be able to identify other liquids that are
measured in volume (e.g. juice; milk or soft drink).
✪ Dividing the class into small groups provide each group
with a range of plastic containers and bottles (a variety
of ‘tall’ and shallow ‘containers’ is recommended) and
a measuring cup. Using a bucket of water students fill
each of the containers with the measuring cup and
then place the containers in a line from the container
that used the most water to the one that used the least.
Students should explain their findings to their peers.
✪ Discuss the results. Were the students surprised at how
much or little water was used to fill some containers?
Make your water mark!
Additional activities
●
Collect extra data by weighing containers (both empty
and full) and plotting this information alongside the
data on how much water is in each container.
Lesson plan 5
Foundation
A hunt for H2O
Information for
teachers
Learning objectives
Students will be able to:
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identify where water is used in the school and for what purposes
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identify behaviours that can contribute to more efficient use of water
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collate and plot uses of water in the school on a map or similar.
Learning outcomes
Subject
Strand and content descriptors
Science inquiry skills
Science
●
Respond to questions about familiar objects and events. (ACSIS014)
●
Engage in discussions about observations and use methods
such as drawing to represent ideas. (ACSIS233)
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Share observations and ideas. (ACSIS012)
Geographical knowledge and understanding
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People live in different places that have natural features and built features.
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Places and objects are located and arranged in space and these can be identified on a map.
Geographical inquiry and skills
Geography
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Pose questions about place, space and environment.
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Observe familiar places and explore other information sources.
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Collect information about the school or a favourite place in the local area.
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Share and sort observations and information.
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Reflect on their learning and ask further questions.
Literacy
English
Make your water mark!
●
Deliver short oral presentations to peers. (ACELY1647)
●
Create short texts to explore, record and report ideas and events using
familiar words and beginning writing knowledge. (ACELY1651)
●
Construct texts using software including word processing programs. (ACELY1654)
Lesson plan 5
Important questions
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Why is it important to save water at school?
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Where is water used in the school and for what purposes?
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How much water can I save each day?
Foundation - Information for teachers
Lesson plan
– a hunt for H2O
✪ This lesson, which incorporates a water investigation or
hunt in the classroom and relevant areas of the school
as part of a campaign to reduce water use in the school,
delivers a meaningful culminating activity to the unit.
✪ Introduce the hunt by recapping some of the key
findings associated with lead up activities, reinforcing
the importance of using water wisely. State that
the class is going to help people to remember to
save water whenever they use it at school.
Background information
– a hunt for H2O
Schools are mini cities. Some schools supply water
for hundreds of people every day, including the
water required for drinking and washing. Schools
may also use large volumes of water for irrigation
of ovals and for use in swimming pools.
Recent droughts and water restrictions have encouraged
many schools to install water efficient devices such as
automatic urinals and collect rainwater from building
roofs. It remains important for students to develop
behaviours that recognise that water is a precious resource
and should be used wisely when they are at school.
A number of simple strategies and tools can be
used to conserve water in school, including:
●
Using a plug in classroom sinks when
cleaning or washing materials.
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Using water from cleaning or washing on garden beds.
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Collecting overflow water from air conditioners
and putting on garden beds.
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Remembering to turn the tap off when soaping their hands.
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Mulching garden beds.
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Filling a drinking bottle at the bubbler.
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Flushing carefully and correctly.
Note: the use of water for health purposes such as
regular drinking; hand washing and toilet flushing
should be reinforced and ideas associated with reducing
water use in these areas be considered carefully.
It all adds up: if every student in a school used
½ litre of water less each day in a school of 500
students that’s 250 litres, equivalent to 25 buckets
or 1 wheelie bin of water saved per day.
✪ Announce that the class will be going on a
water investigation or H2O hunt where they will
be identifying and counting the water fixtures/
water uses in the classroom and immediate area
(e.g. eating areas; adjacent play areas).
✪ Divide the class into small groups and allocate a water
fixture or use and a name for each group; for example
a group to find and count taps; a group to find and
count bubblers; a group to find and count garden
beds or trees. Providing the group with coloured
ribbon or similar to identify sites would be useful.
✪ Each group reports on the number of fixtures and
uses to the class; these can be highlighted and
displayed; using a simple bird’s eye view map of
the classroom and nearby areas for example.
✪ Students then identify ways that they could
encourage people to use water carefully at each
of the sites; the stickers in Activity sheet 6 - School
watersaver stickers can be used to suggest ideas.
Students can then use the stickers appropriately
to initiate the water saving campaign.
✪ Finally students should develop additional simple texts;
presentations and other methods to inform their peers
and publicise the water conservation campaign.
Resource requirements
●
Map/floor plan of classroom and adjacent areas.
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Ribbon or similar to mark water fixtures or uses.
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Activity sheet 6 - School Watersaver stickers.
Additional activities
●
Make your water mark!
Students use the school Watersaver stickers and
associated materials to present ideas for water
conservation to peers and other classes.