RHEEC PROGRAM: Water in my World
Multistage ES1- S3
Overview: Students will participate in field work activities to observe, catalogue and record the living things
found in a riparian aquatic environment, and describe how the needs of macro-invertebrates are met. They will
also investigate how water is used in a variety of ways, share their observations and ideas about the ways that
water is used by people in their daily lives and identify some actions which could be taken to care for and use
water sustainably.
Curriculum Focus and rationale: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY K-6
Duration: One Full Day
Syllabus Outcomes
Syllabus Content
Learning across the curriculum
Early Stage 1
STe-4WS a student explores their
immediate surroundings by
questioning, observing using their
senses and communicating to
share their observations and ideas
Students
 respond to questions about familiar objects and events they are
curious about in the natural and made environments (ACSIS014)
 Organise objects or images of objects to display data and/or
information
Sustainability: Sustainability Action Process:
Making a case for change. Knowledge of
Ecological and Human Systems: water, civics
and citizenship, materials and waste.
Repertoires of Practice: world viewing,
systems thinking, futures and design thinking.
Stage 1
ST1-4WS investigates questions
and predictions by collecting and
recording data, sharing and
reflecting on their experiences and
comparing what they and others
know
Students
 Make predictions about familiar objects and events and the outcomes of
investigations (ACSIS024, ACSIS037, ACSHE021, ACSHE034)
 explore and making observations by using their senses to gather
information about objects and events in their immediate surroundings
(ACSIS011, ACSHE013)
 make and record observations and measurements honestly, using tally
marks and informal units
 share their observations and ideas about the ways that water is used by
people in their daily lives
 identify some actions which could be taken to care for and use water
sustainably, eg turning off dripping taps and/or taking shorter showers
 explore ways in which people use science knowledge and skills in their
daily lives to care for the environment and use resources sustainably
(ACSHE022, ACSHE035)
 observe the different places in a local land or aquatic environment
where living things can be found, eg a schoolyard, pond, beach or bush
English - ENe-11D; EN1-11D; EN2-11D;
responds to and composes simple texts
about familiar aspects of the world and their
own experiences EN3-8D identifies and
considers how different viewpoints of their
world, including aspects of culture,
are represented in texts
ST1-9ES Identifies ways that
people use science in their daily
lives to care for the environment
and the Earth’s resources.
ST1-11LW- Students describe
ways that different places in the
environment provide for the needs
of living things
Mathematics- MAe-1WM; describes
mathematical situations using everyday
language, actions, materials and informal
recordings MA1-1WM describes
mathematical situations and methods using
everyday and some mathematical
language, actions, materials, diagrams and
symbols MA2-1WM uses appropriate
terminology to describe, and symbols to
represent, mathematical ideas MA3-1WM
describes and represents mathematical
situations in a variety of ways using
mathematical terminology and some
conventions
RHEEC PROGRAM: Water in my World
Stage 2
ST2-4WS investigates their
questions and predictions by
analysing collected data,
suggesting explanations for their
findings, and communicating and
reflecting on the processes
undertaken
ST2-11LW describes ways that
science knowledge helps people
understand the effect of their
actions on the environment and on
the survival of living things
Stage 3
ST3-4WS investigates by posing
questions, including testable
questions, making predictions and
gathering data to draw evidencebased conclusions and develop
explanations
ST3-11LW describes some
physical conditions of the
environment and how these affect
the growth and survival of living
things
8ways
Story Sharing
Land links
Multistage ES1- S3
Students
 conduct investigations by following the planned method, adjusting
procedures as necessary, including exploration, fieldwork, surveys and
researching secondary sources.
 identify some factors in the local environment that are needed by plants
and animals for survival
 describe some examples of how science knowledge helps people to
understand the effect of their actions on the environment and the
survival of living things (ACSHE051, ACSHE062)
Students
 predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS231,
ACSIS232)
 work individually and collaboratively in conducting a range of
appropriate investigation methods, including fair tests, to answer
questions or solve problems
 draw conclusions and providing explanations based on data and
information gathered first-hand or from secondary sources
 use gathered data to develop explanations about how changing the
physical conditions of the environment affects the growth and survival
of living things
National Safe School Framework focus
Element 2: A supportive and connected school culture
Element 5: Positive behaviour management
Element 6: Engagement, skill development and safe school
curriculum.
Deconstruct Reconstruct
Images and symbols Element 7: A focus on student wellbeing and student
ownership
RHEEC PROGRAM: Water in my World
Introduction:
RHEEC lead introduction discussion regarding RHEEC and the day’s activities;
expectations and safety rules. Discuss the water cycle, where water is, what
lives in water, why water is precious etc. Discuss the meniscus and
demonstrate it with an experiment.
Multistage ES1- S3
BIOLAB (onsite)
Resources: NSW rivers panel, water cycle picture, glass,
water.
Learning Activity One: Danny the Drip/ Oil Spill
BIOLAB
Discuss our River System and the Murray Darling Basin using display.
Resources: NSW rivers panel,Danny the drip crate, Oil Spill,
Interactive story telling at stage appropriate level to demonstrate how pollutants foil tray, Water, oil.
can get into the water cycle. Read Oil Spill and do experiment that
demonstrates the effects of oil in water.
Learning Activity Two: Bugwatch
Field work at Wyaldra Creek. Discussion of the place in terms of Aboriginal
land and how they lived before European settlement.
Explanation of Bug Id charts. Discuss river systems and bugs – explain
‘sensitive’ and ‘tolerant’. Demonstration of activity, collecting and recording of
data. Draw conclusions about river health.
Learning Activity Three: What will you do?
Water Demonstration of ‘How much potable water is there?’
Discuss simple ways to conserve water and reduce pollution in the water cycle
at home and at school.
Students create a personal Water Pledge.
Conclusion: RHEEC staff discusses what was learnt, students depart.
Wyaldra Creek
Resources: Blackboard, chalk, dip nets, ice cube trays,
macro invertebrate pics, magnifiers
BIOLAB/KITCHEN
Resources: Water demonstration crate. 2 Buckets, yoke.
Water pledge sheets. Pencils, crayons.