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Part of the VCAL Youth Eco-Challenge curriculum resource.
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Unit 6: Water Flowing Around Us
Outline
This project was funded by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia licence. A copy of this licence is available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by‐nc/2.5/au/ or by writing to [email protected]. However logos are protected by copyright.
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Unit 6: Water Flowing Around Us
Outline Time allowance: 3 hours Key themes:
• Stages in the water cycle • Water catchments as units of land and water management
VCAL Unit Level:
• Personal Development Foundation 1 • Personal Development Foundation 2 • Personal Development Intermediate • Literacy: Reading and Writing Foundation & Intermediate • Literacy: Oracy Foundation & Intermediate • Numeracy: Foundation & Intermediate
Overview of Learning Activities .....................................................................................2 Session Plan....................................................................................................................4 Learning Outcomes ........................................................................................................5 Resource Requirements.................................................................................................5 Main learning objectives................................................................................................6 Further Resources..........................................................................................................6
Overview of Learning Activities This session begins with a discussion of the water cycle, using the first slide in the “Water Catchments” slideshow. The rest of the slideshow will be shown in the second half of the class. “Building a terrarium” is a practical, hands‐on activity to help students understand the water cycle. They then explain what is happening in a diagram, to help consolidate scientific literacy skills. This is followed by an outline of how water is sourced from the major Victorian catchment regions. The rest of the “Water Catchments” slideshow outlines the major Victorian catchments and summarises some of the factors that affect river health. Students have an opportunity to investigate their own catchment area in greater detail using the websites provided in the extension section. The activity “River Users” is an effective way to enable students to understand our interdependence within the catchment and the multiple uses of a given river system. This includes identifying local users and speaking with them. Showing the students the “Hattah Lakes and KPG Storylines” videos can help illustrate the many ways people relate to and depend on river systems for their recreational needs and sense of well being, although it does not tackle economic management issues directly. Organising a speaker from the local water catchment authority is a means of giving students an overview of the issues associated with rivers in water catchments.
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Teachers may organise this ahead of time or use the opportunity to ask students to organise a speaker on a subsequent session. Alternative Activity If time and internet access is readily available, the ABC’s “Catchment Detox Game” is an enjoyable means to extend the students’ understanding of some of the issues faced by catchment management authorities. The game provides a model of the environmental management principles needed to restore water catchments to health and to manage the economy that depends on them.
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Session Plan
Unit 6: Water Flowing Around Us Date: Start time: 9.00am Finish time: 12.00pm Time allowance: 3.00hrs Key themes:
• The stages in the water cycle • Water catchments as units of land and water management
SS = slideshow AG = teacher’s activity guide HO = student handout WS= student worksheet Time Topic Learning Outcomes
(As a result of this unit, students should be able to…)
Activity brief description Resources
10 minutes 1. Team building game
• Have fun • Work together
Any team building game Team games book or internet resource
30 min 2. The water cycle • Understand the water cycle Explanation of the water cycle, with a worksheet to develop scientific literacy
AG/WS: The Water Cycle SS: Water Catchments Computer & data projector
45 min 3. Building a terrarium
• Illustrate their understanding of the water cycle using a model
Build a model terrarium with annotated poster explaining the water cycle.
AG/HO: Building a Terrarium Materials to build terrarium
15min break • 20 min 4. Water catchment
presentation • Describe the location of
some of the Victorian water catchment management areas
• Describe some of the factors affecting river health
Slideshow on Victorian water catchments. Students could go on to research the local catchment using the internet
AG: Water catchments SS: Water Catchments Computer & data projector
60min 5. River users • Identify and research stakeholders in their catchment
• Identify and describe how and why different people use rivers
Either prepare students to interview a river user, help them to organise a speaker on rivers. Then have students watch and discuss a series of short videos on river users.
AG/HO: River Users Download of river user stories and accompanying teachers’ guide Computer & data projector
3:00 hours
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Learning Outcomes PD F1‐3 =Personal Development ‐ Foundation Unit 1 Outcome 3 RW = Reading and Writing, O= Oracy, N = Numeracy Session/Activity Learning Outcomes
(As a result of this unit, students should be able to…)
VCAL Learning Outcomes (foundation level listed only – for intermediate see the learning outcomes matrix)
1. The water cycle • Understand the water cycle
PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal RW3: Writing for knowledge RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for knowledge
2. Building a terrarium
• Illustrate their understanding of the water cycle using a model
PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal RW6: Reading for practical purposes N1: Numeracy for practical purposes – design N2: Numeracy for practical purposes – measurement
3. Water catchment presentation
• Describe the location of some Victorian water catchments
• Describe some of the factors affecting river health
PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal RW3: Writing for knowledge RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for knowledge
4. River users • Identify and research stakeholders in their catchment
• Identify and describe how and why different people use rivers
PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal RW3: Writing for knowledge RW4: Writing for public debate RW7: Reading for knowledge O2: Oracy for knowledge O3: Oracy for practical purposes O4: Oracy for exploring issues and problem solving
Resource Requirements
Facilities and Equipment
Computer Data projector Student computers and internet access if doing the alternative activity (Catchment Detox game)
Unit Materials
1. Activity Guide: The water cycle Slideshow: Water catchments Worksheet: The water cycle
2. Activity Guide: Building a terrarium
Handout: Building a terrarium 3. Activity Guide: Water catchments
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Slideshow: Water catchments 4. Activity Guide: River Users
Handout: River Users Internet downloads: Hattah Lakes Storylines and KPG Storylines videos www.environmentvictoria.org.au/content/storylines Internet download: Hattah Lakes Storylines and KPG Storylines teachers’ guides www.environmentvictoria.org.au/content/storylines
Alternative activity (Catchment Detox game)
www.catchmentdetox.net.au/ or www.abc.net.au/science/catchmentdetox/
Main learning objectives • Develop an understanding of the stages in the water cycles • Create a terrarium as a model of the water cycle • Describe the stages of the water cycle • Understand the concept of catchments as units of land and water management • Understand how different stakeholders use the river • Develop skills in interviewing and information gathering • And/or to organise a speaker for a group presentation • Identify and describe how and why different people use rivers
Further Resources Team games books:
• Funn ‘n Games • Silver Bullets • Quicksilver • No props • Cowstails and Cobras II • The Bottomless Bag Revival
Internet resources for team games: http://wilderdom.com/games/InitiativeGames.html www.group‐games.com/ www.businessballs.com/teambuildinggames.htm
