Unit 6:
Water Flowing
Around Us
Outline
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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
Time
Topic
Learning Outcomes
(As a result of this unit, students
should be able to…)
10 minutes
1. Team building
 Have fun
game
 Work together
30 min
2. The water cycle
 Understand the water cycle
45 min
3.
Building a
terrarium
15min
20 min
break
4. Water catchment
presentation




60min
5.
River users


WS= student worksheet
Activity brief description
Any team building game
Resources
Illustrate their
understanding of the water
cycle using a model
Build a model terrarium with annotated poster
explaining the water cycle.
Team games book or internet
resource
AG/WS: The Water Cycle
SS: Water Catchments
Computer & data projector
AG/HO: Building a Terrarium
Materials to build terrarium
Describe the location of
some of the Victorian water
catchment management
areas
Describe some of the
factors affecting river
health
Identify and research
stakeholders in their
catchment
Identify and describe how
and why different people
use rivers
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
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
Explanation of the water cycle, with a
worksheet to develop scientific literacy
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
1. The water cycle
Learning Outcomes
(As a result of this
unit, students should
be able to…)
 Understand the
water cycle
2. Building a
terrarium

Illustrate their
understanding of
the water cycle
using a model
3. Water
catchment
presentation

Describe the
location of some
Victorian water
catchments
Describe some
of the factors
affecting river
health
Identify and
research
stakeholders in
their catchment
Identify and
describe how
and why
different people
use rivers

4. River users


VCAL Learning Outcomes
(foundation level listed only – for intermediate see the
learning outcomes matrix)
PD F1-3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal
RW3: Writing for knowledge
RW7: Reading for knowledge
02: Oracy for knowledge
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
PD F1-3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal
RW3: Writing for knowledge
RW7: Reading for knowledge
02: Oracy for knowledge
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
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