Water Conservation

With Grade 3 Students

Jess, Jess and Alex

This weeks theme for the week

is Water Conservation
We will focus on the following subjects:
* Drama and Music
* Maths
* English
Arts

* Science
* Visual

Learning focus
The learning focus is for students to have
knowledge of water conservation. Why we need
to conserve water and ways we can eliminate
water wastage. With incorporation into many
learning
areas.
This learning focus relates to many
of the Australian
Curriculum organising ideas,
such asSystemsOI 2. All life forms, including human life, are connected through ecosystems on
which they depend for their wellbeing and survival.
OI 3. Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social,
economic and ecological systems.
FuturesOI 6. The sustainability of ecological, social and economic systems is achieved
through informed individual and community action that values local and global
equity and fairness across generations into the future.
OI 7. Actions for a more sustainable future reflect values of care, respect and
responsibility, and require us to explore and understand environments
(Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2014)

Identity:
Children will form a sense
of identity when they
discuss and realize the
amount of water they use
and the amount of water
they waste. They will see
how they can make
changes to their daily
activities to help
themselves conserve
water and will participate
in tasks to focus water
conservation on
themselves personally.

water now so the

community will have
access to this water now
and in the future. The
community and its use
and wastage of water will
be a focus for the
children and they will see
how the community can
be altered or make
changes in order to
conserve more water and
be sustainable for the
future.

determine the risks

associated with not
conserving water and how
this can be detrimental to
the wellbeing of life on
Earth. They will view how
water conservation can
affect their wellbeing and
the importance of having
easy access to safe, clean
water which allows people
to drink and use water that
will not harm their health.
Having accessible and
clean water also creates a
safe environment to live in
that can remain habitable
to help support and keep
people safe.

Learning: Children will learn how water

conservation is good for and supports
our environment. They will learn how it
is a sustainable practice for the future
as well as learning how to conserve
water in the school and home setting.
They will also learn how to collect and
record data as well as listen to stories
on water conservation to learn about its
impacts.
Communication: Children will be able to
communicate their ideas of sustainable
development and how water conservation is
a sustainable practice within relevant
classroom discussions. They will also
communicate with each other in relation to
their own conservation of water in school
and work together in groups to discuss
saving water and reusing water so it is not
wasted.

How we will introduce the

learning focus?
Sustainable development is development
that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs
(Gunther,
&topic
Warren,
2010,
Although
this is may beKuen,
a difficult
for the children
to p.264)
understand it is
an important concept that the children will be introduced to this week. It
will be vital to allow them to ask lots of questions so they can gain an
understanding of sustainable development and intertwine this
understanding of sustainable development into the need to conserve water.
Sustainability plays a role in childrens learning as mentioned on the ACARA
website, where it highlights that: The Sustainability priority provides the
opportunity for students to develop an appreciation of the necessity of
acting for a more sustainable future and so address the ongoing capacity of
Earth to maintain all life and meet the needs of the present without
compromising the needs of future generations. (ACARA, 2013)

How we will introduce the

learning focus?
This particular discussion with the children will take a focus
on this specific part of ACARA and will allow the children to
explore their ideas of sustainability and link this to water
conservation.
We will need to highlight to the children how conserving and
caring for our water sources now is a sustainable practice
that will help the people of our generation have clean and
accessible water. By conserving and looking after our water
resources now, it also means that there will be fresh, clean
and accessible water for the people in the future, making it a
sustainable practice that should be followed by everyone.

How we will introduce the

learning focus?
After the discussion of sustainability we will introduce the
water cycle to the learning experience. Through a class
discussion we will highlight to the children that there is
always the same water in the world forming a water cycle and
present them with diagrams and explanations of how the
water cycle works.
With this understanding it will allow for students to make a
connection of why water needs to be conserved and saved for
a sustainable future. This will create a meaning towards all of
the following tasks for students to learn about water
conservation
To build on this we will discuss the following activities.

Science/ Visual Arts/ English

The Water cycle
Students will need to have an understanding of the water cycle
to create a link between the need to keep water clean and to
conserve water, as they need to understand that there is not
an unlimited amount of water in the world, and that it is a
cycle of recycling water.
A class discussion will enable the teacher to explore the water
cycle with the students
The following poster will be useful to demonstrate the stages in
the water cycle
The students will be given a work sheet to label the diagram
and then colour in the work sheet

English

Throughout the week we will have a focus of

reading and literacy with the children.
The following books can be read to children
in class which will educate them on
conserving water and why its important for
sustainability.
After each of the books you can set a task
for children for them to write their own short
story book about water conservation.

E-book- Captain Plops water-saving mission

The book, Join Captain

Plop, Is an adventure
book of an underworld or
Emily and Luke's home.

This informative book will

assist child different
concepts to save water at
home and information
about our plumbing
systems.
http://www.sawater.com.au/sawater/captainplop/cp_flash_spread/
index.html

Why Should I Save Water?

The book, Why should I save water?

will help children understand the
importance of water and ways
children and their families can avoid
wasting any water.
The book will also assist with many
popular questions usually asked by
children and provide the answers or
strategies to them.

All the water in the world

A fantastic book to read to the class is

called, : All the water in the world
and is a fun book that incorporates
poems in which you can involve the
children to participate in reading it
with you.
It provides useful facts about water
and the need for water conservation

Saving Water
The book, Saving Water written
by Nicola Chait can be introduced
and read to children in class in
order to learn about their
community and saving water.

This book will enable children to

learn about how they can make a
difference in their community
and their world through water
conservation.

It is a very useful and fun way to

incorporate in the classroom
when introducing this topic.

One Well: The Story of Water on

Earth

The book One Well, The story of water on

earth educates the children on how water
supports everyday life. This book helps advise
children to conserve water now and for years
to come.
This book helps inspire children and become
global citizens.

Mathematics
Probability and Estimations task
In class ask students when they use water at home and write a list on board
Once there is a list on board, get students to write out the list in their books
and create a table.
In class get them to estimate how many buckets of water they think their
households use and allow them to fill in the table.
The children will be then be asked to put buckets under their taps and
shower, and are then required to measure how many buckets of water they
saved at home, finding the actual amount of water that is used and
compare it to what is estimated in their table.
Once the results have been brought back to class, have the students make
a bar graph to compare their predicted results to their actual results.
As a group get the students to discuss their results in class and talk about
ways that they can conserve water, helping to reduce the results in their
graphs. For example discussions may include- Timer for shower/ washing
car on grass/ using water from tank/ turning off taps when not in use whilst
brushing teeth/ Put a bucket when washing fruit and veggies and pour onto
garden, etc.

Mathematics

Shower
Washingdishes(sink)
Washingfruitsand
vegetables
Brushingteeth
Washingshands
Other

Estimationof
bucketsused

Actual amountof buckets

used

10
7
2

4
1
0.5

Differencebetween
estimationandactual
amountof bucketsused
6
6
1.5

2
3
0

3
5
0

1
2
0

Mathematics

Estimation of buckets used

Actual amount of buckets used

Mathematics
Buckets under water taps
Ask children to bring a 2 litre ice cream container from home
that they can place under the drinking taps at school
Educate the children in the classroom that when they see the
container full of water they need to pour it in the garden and
add it to the tally in class
1 ice cream tub of water = 2 litre of water
At the end of the week the children will see how many buckets
of water they have conserved from going down the drain and
using the water instead for the school garden, this will highlight
the sustainable practice they have performed.

Drama/ Music and English

Students can
watch this song
about saving water
as an introduction.
Then as a class the
students can write
their own song
about water
conservation and
then perform at
the school
assembly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfQ_waFZCo

Visual Art
Sand time maker
Get students to bring recycled plastic bottles
from home and go to the school sand pit to
collect sand.
Give each child sand for their sand timer and
allow them time to create their timer and allow
for students to decorate however they wish.
Once the class have made their sand timers,
discuss how they can use the timer to conserve
water when having a shower linking to the
previous mathematics task and their
discussions of saving water.

Science
Importance of plants to keep water clean experiment
Students will be able to see why keeping trees and plants living in
our soil is good as it purifies our water.
Students in groups with a demonstration from their teacher will
create this experiment to view the difference between water quality
when there is plants in the soil then without plants
Have the students predict which soil will produce the cleanest water.
The materials required for this task is

Rope
3- 2litre bottles
A watering can
3- tops of bottles
Soil
Grass plants
Mulch

Science
Making water clean
This science experiment will demonstrate
to the students that dirty water can be
cleaned by filtration. Which provides the
students with the sustainable practice of
cleaning dirty water not just saving water.
The students will create a a filtering
system to show that gravel and sand can
clean water.
The materials needed in this experiment
are

gravel
sand
blotting paper or 3 or 4 coffee filters
clean flower pot
transparent jug
large measuring cup or pouring jug

Science
Instructions for the experiment to make clean water Put blotting paper or 3 or 4 coffee filters, then sand, and
finally gravel in a clean flower pot
Place the flower pot in a larger transparent container so the
filtered water can drip through and the children can observe it
In a large measuring cup, place dirt, bits of plant matter and
water
Mix it up to make muddy water
Pour the muddy water into the flower pot as shown in the
image on the right.
Students will be able to observe the color of the water
dripping out the bottom of the pot into the transparent
container
http://www.kindergarten-lessons.com/nature_education.html
Take the filter apart and try and find the dirt and bits of plant

In relation to the AusVELS

curriculum- The Arts
The Arts dimension Creating and Making and
Exploring and Responding are both meet in these
task relating to water conservation.
Students are Creating and Making in the sand timer
task and when doing the water cycle work sheet.
Students are Exploring and Responding as the
students are creating with meaning when they
develop a song about water conservation and
respond to the theme of water conservation when
performing their song creation.

In Relation to the AusVELS

Curriculum- English
AusVELS English, the priority of sustainability provides rich and engaging
contexts for developing students abilities in listening, speaking, reading, viewing
and writing. (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2014)
In the tasks just discussed it has addressed the following of the English
curriculum

Discuss the nature and effects of some language devices used to enhance meaning and
shape the readers reaction, including rhythm and onomatopoeia in poetry and prose.
Students are required to write a song about water conservation, they will use different
language devices to enhance meaning to the song for greater audiences reaction.
Create imaginative texts based on characters, settings and events from students own
and other cultures using visual features, for example perspective, distance and angle.
When creating their own short stories about water conservation students will be
creating imaginative texts based on the theme of water conservation.
Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communicate in a clear,
coherent manner using a variety of everyday and learned vocabulary and appropriate
tone, pace, pitch and volume These interaction skills will be used during class
discussion and in groups when performing the science and maths tasks.
(Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2014)

In relation to the AusVELS

curriculum- Mathematics
The mathematics tasks previously explained relate to AusVELS mathematical
curriculum of Using units of Measurements Measure, order and compare objects using familiar metric units of length, mass and
capacity. Both Mathematical task require the use of measurement, students will require
to have an understanding of units of measurements to analyse the level of water saved.

Data representation and interpretation

Identify questions or issues for categorical variables. Identify data sources and plan
methods of data collection and recording
Collect data, organise into categories and create displays using lists, tables, picture
graphs and simple column graphs, with and without the use of digital technologies
Interpret and compare data displays

The students will be required to collect data of water usage and analyse their
findings and create tables and graphs to display their findings. Group discussions
about their findings of water that had been conserved will allow for the students to
have a greater understanding and interpretation of what they found.

(Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2014)

In relation to the AusVELS

curriculum- Science
The science tasks previously explained relate to AusVELS science
curriculum of Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and
relationships. The Science experiments explained in the previous slides
require the students to make a prediction of which soil will be the cleanest.
They will then be able to see the pattern between each soil and the
cleanliness of the water.
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions.
The science experiments aim to create a link between what limited plants
in the world have on the effect of water cleanliness, this will hopefully
create a link between the students actions and their environment.
Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record
observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as
appropriate The experiments will allow for the students to experience and
learn to use the materials and tools appropriately in the classroom.

Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of

identity

In the activities that the children will be participating in at class, such as

discussing water conservation and part taking in activities within school
and at home will enable them to build relationships with their classmates
and teachers, in addition to family other adults or siblings at home.
The children are able to discuss the ways they can save water and
contribute to class discussions by sharing their findings and ideas on how
much water they have saved. This builds the childrens confidence and
increases their conversations within the classroom and working with
others.
Furthermore, the activities incorporated within the class curriculum will
allow children to learn about water conservation, its importance within our
community and the world, whilst building a respect for its significance.

Outcome 2: Children are connected with and

contribute to their world

Involving the children to participate in activities

through storey books, writing their own storeys of
water conservation and what it means to them, being
involved in music activities about water, learning
mathematics through amounts of water that can be
saved by each individual child and as a classroom is
very crucial. It enables children to take on the
responsibility to care for the importance of water and
how they are able to contribute together with their
other classmates and the outcomes they can achieve
together as a community.

Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of

wellbeing

Allowing the children to explore their

community within their school grounds
and by going on walks they can
identifying in the environment what
things they believe can contribute to
conserving water or what they think can
be put into place in order to preserve
water. These types of activities
encourage children to reflect on
themselves to allow them to strive to be
proud of their achievements and feel
safe participating in their community or

Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved

learners

It is important for teachers and

fellow classmates to encourage one
anothers participation in learning to
conserve water. This will develop the
childs positive characteristics of
learning. Their active involvement
within class and at home doing the
activities increases their deeper
level of understanding of water
conservation and builds their
confidence to take part in class and
develop their ideas and interests.

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

Asking open ended questions towards the

children about what water conservation
means to them, how they think they can
contribute to the community to conserve
water, what type of things at school or home
do they think they can part take in to help
save water are many ways that will allow
children to explore their own opinions and
ideas in addition to becoming effective
communicators. Over the class sessions of
learning the topic of water conservation
children will become more and more familiar
to the content and this will impact on their
communication wither it be through verbal or
written forms of communication, through

Assessment Criteria and Method

of Evaluation
The tasks in this learning experience will be assessed
and evaluated through teachers observations of
students understanding of water conservation and
their ability to perform the tasks in groups.
Observations will also be made on whether the
students display skills related to what has just been
highlighted about the AusVELS curriculum and EYLF
curriculum.

References
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2014). AusVELS Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au
Gunther, L., Kuen, A., & Warren, C. (2012). VCE Health and Human Development. Australia:
Oxford University Press.
Australian Curriculum Assessment And Reporting Authority.(2009). Australian curriculum.
Retrieved from http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/cross_curriculum_priorities.html
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
(2011). Victorian Early Years Learning Framework: For all children from Birth to Eight Years.
Melbourne: Early Childhood Strategy Division Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development and Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
Seed Harvest Spoon. (2012). SHS Garden Journal: Using the Early Years Learning Framework
Outcomes to Support Sustainability. Retrieved from
http://www.seedharvestspoon.com.au/shs-garden-journal/using-the-early-years- learningframework-outcomes-to-support-sustainability