Year 8 -10 lesson plans Rationale Up a Dry Gully is an online education portal that can be adopted by schools and integrated with the curriculum to promote the ‘water story’ , from catchment, store, treat and supply in South East Queensland. Implementation of this program is important to ensure that the community of South East Queensland has an awareness and understanding of water in our region. This project is very topical given the challenge Queenslanders face in securing water in a climate of extremes. The knowledge, skills, perspectives and values this education resource offers will enhance the development of the children and their knowledge of Seqwater infrastructure. Up a Dry Gully lesson plans are designed to engage all learners in a variety of research and hands-on activities related to water conservation and sourcing in the South East Queensland region. Each learning experience is inclusive of all types of learners. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the activities to best suit the students’ needs. Key learning area’s Geography Science Mathematics Economics.
Transcript
Year 8 -10 lesson plans
Rationale
Up a Dry Gully is an online education portal that can be adopted by schools and integrated with the curriculum to promote the ‘water story’, from catchment, store, treat and supply in South East Queensland.
Implementation of this program is important to ensure that the community of South East Queensland has an awareness and understanding of water in our region. This project is very topical given the challenge Queenslanders face in securing water in a climate of extremes. The knowledge, skills, perspectives and values this education resource offers will enhance the development of the children and their knowledge of Seqwater infrastructure.
Up a Dry Gully lesson plans are designed to engage all learners in a variety of research and hands-on activities related to water conservation and sourcing in the South East Queensland region. Each learning experience is inclusive of all types of learners. Teachers are encouraged to adapt the activities to best suit the students’ needs.
Key learning area’s
Geography
Science
Mathematics
Economics.
Year 8 – 10 lesson plans
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Table of contents
Lesson one ................................................................................................................................ 3
Water - where does it come from? .......................................................................................... 3
Resource 4a: ABC Catchment Detox virtual game ............................................................... 40
Resource 5a: The story of a river ......................................................................................... 41
Year 8 – 10 lesson plans
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Lesson one Water - where does it come from?
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Have a basic understanding of the term ‘natural resource’.
Have a basic understanding of how the natural process of the water cycle functions.
Have a basic understanding of the concepts of evaporation, condensation, precipitation,
collection and run-off.
Understand how humans catch this water for their needs.
Understand how water can be stored for future use in dams.
Introduction Begin the unit with a class discussion about water. Discuss the importance of water (using various props) and get students to guess how much water is in each of the items selected. Examples include:
apple (85% water)
water melon (90% water)
mango (82% water)
human (approximately 60% water).
Discussion points
Why is water so important?
Where does water come from?
What is a natural resource?
What is a man-made resource?
Where does water come from?
How do clouds form?
How do we catch the water?
How does it get back to the start of the cycle again?
Guide the discussion and possibly illustrate on the board, aiming for the students to demonstrate the water cycle key principles of the following:
evaporation
transpiration
condensation
precipitation (rain, hail, sleet and snow)
infiltration
run-off
stormwater
catchment.
Students will then need to ensure they have a copy of this in their notes.
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Discussion Points
Where does water come from?
How do clouds form?
What are some different types of cloud common to Queensland?
What is the difference between storm water and wastewater?
Extension
How does acid rain form? Emphasise the human influence impacting this natural process.
What impact does acid rain have on our environment?
What is the difference between the El Niῆo and La Niῆa?
Activity Design an experiment that illustrates how the concepts of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and transpiration take place. Boil an electric kettle/jug to demonstrate how evaporation and condensation takes place. Use a plate held above the steam for students to see how the moisture forms. Discussion point
Where is the water stored?
Get the students to guess how much water is stored in our lakes and rivers, oceans and under the ground.
lakes and rivers 0.6%
underground (groundwater) 1.6%
oceans 97%
frozen stores (polar caps, snow and glaciers) 2.4%.
Activity
Use a blank map of the world to demonstrate how much water is stored in our oceans.
Students can then label the oceans with the correct percentage figures and label the land with the other labels.
What are the two driest continents on the planet? Write a paragraph to explain how global
warming would influence the water storage at the poles.
Conclusion Revisit the key concept words in the form of a quick revision quiz for students to
demonstrate the understanding of the water cycle.
Resources For the teacher For the student
Master copy of world map Blank world map
Resource 1a: Water Networkers activity book year 4 -7 (appendix)
Kettle
El Niῆo and La Niῆa research information
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Lesson two Storing our water – introduction to Seqwater dams
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Have a greater understanding for the need to conserve water.
Have an understanding of how catchments work from the water cycle and how we store it
for future use.
Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between Seqwater dams and the
community.
Have an understanding of the location of the largest water supply in South East
Queensland.
Have a basic understanding of how a large dam works.
Be aware of other fresh water storage facilities in South East Queensland.
Be able to locate the major water resources on a map of South East Queensland.
Introduction Students begin to think about drought and population growth in South East Queensland and how they are affecting water supply to community. Begin the unit with a class discussion about dams and water storage. Use a large map of South East Queensland or Resource 2a: Seqwater assets map (appendix) to show where Brisbane is located and the location of five South East Queensland dams in relation to the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Discussion points
Where does our water supply come from?
Why do we need to conserve water?
What is the community doing at the moment to conserve water?
What will happen in ten years’ time if there is no water left?
Which dam is the largest in South East Queensland?
How many swimming pools do you think could fit in the Wivenhoe dam?
Who uses the water from these five dams?
What uses other than holding water can a dam serve (flood mitigation: floods of 1974 and
1893)?
Activity Using Resource 2a: Seqwater assets map (appendix), ask students to label the map with the following:
Brisbane City
Moreton Bay
Gold Coast
Sunshine Coast
Baroon Pocket Dam
North Pine Dam
Somerset Dam
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Wivenhoe Dam
Hinze Dam.
Dams and reservoirs Guide discussions on the different ways of storing water in the ground. Students are encouraged to talk about dams they have seen; from reservoirs to large-scale dams built for the purpose of controlling floods or to generate hydroelectric power. Discussion points
What is a reservoir?
What are some of the sources of water for a reservoir?
Have you ever seen a dam?
What is the purpose of a dam?
How does a dam differ from a lake or river?
Optional activity Movie “The Deluge” (1999 - G rating).
Hinze Dam Ask students if they know where the water for the Gold Coast comes from. Discussion points
Where are Baroon Pocket, North Pine, Somerset, Wivenhoe and Hinze dams located in South
East Queensland?
What is the purpose of these dam’s (i.e. which ones are designed for flood mitigation and
water supply, and which dams are designed for only water supply)?
How do we get our water from Wivenhoe and Hinze Dam (i.e.upstream or intake tower at the
dam)? Activity Looking at a map of South East Queensland (appendix), students are to locate Baroon Pocket, North Pine, Somerset, Wivenhoe and Hinze dam and mark out the area they think these would be capable of supplying water to. The teacher can demonstrate on a larger map the areas supported by these dams and encourage discussion about their importance. Optional activity In groups of three ask students to spend 20 minutes online researching the different types of dams that can be built to store water and produce a mind-map. Then come back to the group and report on what they have found.
Raising the wall Students are to think about why a dam can be closed for construction.
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Discussion points
What were they doing to Hinze Dam in 2011?
Why was the dam wall raised (students are to consider the influence this had on tourism,
drought, growing population and evaporation in their discussion)?
What would raising a dam wall involve (this can be covered in a later lesson if needed)?
How would this affect our water supply?
Activity Students are given a map of their local area, including their closest Seqwater dam and are to label the following features:
intake tower or intake location
dam wall
spillway
direction of river and water flow.
Conclusion Students are asked to keep a log of personal activities to conserve water around the home and at school, in order to help support all South East Queensland dams and our catchments. This is to be continued throughout the duration of the unit. In a quick revision quiz, name five dams in South East Queensland. Explain briefly why we need dams.
Resources
For the teacher For the student
Labelled map of a local dam Map of South East Queensland
Fact sheets on Seqwater dams (www.upadrygully.com.au)
Resource 2a: Seqwater assets (appendix)
Resource 2a: Seqwater assets (appendix) Water conservation log
Movie “The Deluge” (G) (1999) starring Ray Barrett
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Lesson three Linking our water resources – interconnected bulk water supply network
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Understand the need to link our water resources.
Understand the supply network and how this works.
Understand the different sources of water – dams, recycled water, desalinated water.
Introduction Use images of water pipelines and discuss what these may be used for. Discussion points
Why do we need to pipe our water from one place to another?
How do we do this?
How is this pipeline going to help the people of South East Queensland?
How is this pipeline crucial to the use of desalinated water and recycled water?
One of the aims of the supply network is to reduce the need for severe water restrictions (most students should have a basic understanding of water restrictions but this may need revision). Ask the students to explain some of the things we can’t do when we have severe water restrictions (they may like to do this in a group as a brain storm activity).
Activity In groups of three and with access to the internet, students need to research one of the following questions:
How is the water moved from one place to another?
What volume of water is moved via the supply network and at what rate? (Relate this to
swimming pool size volume)
Where is the majority of the water moved to and from?
How does this supply network enhance the desalination and recycled water programs?
What could have been some challenges that were faced in the construction of the supply
network? Once students have researched this information, ask them to share with the class what they have developed into a pool of common knowledge. Using Resource 2a: Seqwater assets (appendix), ask students to mark where the bulk water supply network pipelines are located that link the different dams. A master copy of the Seqwater assets map can be found at www.seqwater.com.au/water-supply/supply-network Activity Design a board game based on the interconnected bulk water supply network and the concept of moving water around. Fast flow, maintenance and high rainfall could all be factors that advance or slow down the movement on the board. Get creative and apply your knowledge!
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Conclusion In a quick revision quiz, ask the students to complete the major supply network grid. Explain briefly why we need these pipelines for water supply.
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Lesson four Healthy catchments – looking after our waterways
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Have a basic understanding of what a catchment is.
Understand the need to look after our catchments and protect the species that live there.
Be able to demonstrate a way that they can look after catchments in their daily actions.
Introduction In order for students to understand the need for healthy catchments, we need to ensure that they understand how to define a catchment. Ask the students if they have ever heard of a catchment and know what it is. Discussion points
What is a catchment?
What is the name of the catchment the school is in (this might require a bit of research on your part)?
Where does all the water go?
How does storm water from our towns and cities affect our catchments?
Who lives in our catchments?
It is important to get students thinking about storm water too, as this is not treated but flows directly into streams and waterways. Activity Ask the students to design a cartoon image or poster that depicts a healthy catchment and a polluted catchment. Activity Using the Resource 2b: Seqwater catchment map (appendix) identify the following:
gullies
first order streams
streams
rivers
dam
estuary.
Use arrows to show the direction of flow. Extension activity Ask the students to identify what species would live in the above catchments and habitat regions.
Which species are indigenous and which are introduced?
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What is the difference to an introduced species and an Australian native species (you may wish to discuss flora and fauna, and the definition of a pest including Class 1, 2 and 3 pest species)?
Why have the introduced species been released? You may wish to extend this topic to
discuss the complications and challenges faced in introducing species into the natural environment. Use examples of pest and weed management strategies that are current and the cane toad release.
How have they impacted the ecosystem?
Alternative activity Design a poster that shows how people in your class and community can make a difference in the health of our waterways. These can include:
Putting rubbish in the correct bin.
Keeping excess nutrients out of our creeks.
Keeping sediment out of our waterways (reducing erosion).
Minimising what goes into our sewerage system by composting and not pouring wastes
down the drain.
Conserving water (various methods).
Buying produce from sustainable producers, without excess packaging.
Respecting waterways by not using them as a dumping ground.
Try to incorporate Resource 3a: Catchment creatures (appendix) in your poster.
Deforestation in the upper gullies of many catchments has negatively impacted our ecosystem, with erosion and transportation of alluvial material impacting stream habitats. Farming and the application of artificial fertilizers, particularly nitrates and phosphates have altered the chemical balance of many waterways, often causing algal blooms. Get students to identify the problem and look at solutions to minimise the impact of human activity in our catchments. Optional activity Your students should now understand the benefits of a healthy catchment. Now discuss town planning within this catchment and its purpose in ensuring a balance between good economic growth and catchment health. Using the ABC Catchment Detox virtual game located in Resource 4a: ABC Catchment Detox virtual game (appendix), get the students to play to achieve the highest score. You may even wish to have a prize for the student who has the highest catchment and economic health out of the class.
Conclusion In a quick revision quiz, ask the students to define a catchment and what human impacts are occurring in these natural areas.
Get involved!
Is there a section of creek in your local catchment that you could adopt and clean up?
Participate in Schools Clean Up Day and Clean Up Australia Day in March each year.
Participate in Connect to Your Creek week each year.
Monitor changes throughout the year and at the end of the year and pass this onto the next
year level coming up.
Year 8 – 10 lesson plans
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Join Water Watch and get involved!
Resources For the teacher For the student
Resource 2b: Seqwater catchment map (appendix)
Resource 3a: Catchment creatures (appendix) – cut out and blank
Resource 3a: Catchment creatures (appendix)
Catchment teacher notes – www.cleanup.org.au
Queensland Biosecurity pest information – www.daff.qld.gov.au
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Lesson five Water sources
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Have a very basic understanding of the concept of water from sources other than rainfall
and climate supply.
Understand that we can treat sea water for human use.
Have a good understanding of non-climate water.
Be able to differentiate climate and non-climate water.
Understand that with technology we can recycle and reuse our water supplies.
Introduction Start the lesson with two clear containers of water – one clear and clean and the other obviously dirty. Having already learnt about dams and the water cycle, ask students if they know of other places we can get our water from? Ask the students if they know of any way we can make the dirty water look the same as the clear water – that is recycling the water. Discussion points
What kinds of things can we find in our water?
Where is water stored?
Where do these contaminants enter our water?
How can we alter the water to ensure it is fit for drinking?
Why should we care for our catchments?
How do we clean water?
Why do we need to?
How could we recycle water?
Why would we need to recycle our water?
Activity You will need:
some water with soil or sand in it (to make it obviously dirty)
filter funnels
filter paper (pre-folded and inserted into the funnels)
cotton balls
extra sand (you will need to collect this from the beach)
a clear container to catch the water in.
Using the pre-folded filter paper inside the funnel, line the sand over top of the filter paper and then line the cotton balls over top of the sand. This will make a layering affect. Hold the funnel over the clear container. Pour the dirty water slowly into the funnel and watch the water pass through the layer of cotton, sand and filter paper.
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Focus questions
What can you see in the funnel once the water has passed through?
How clear is the water in the clear container?
What happens if you repeat this process again through a new filter paper?
What can you see in both the clear container and the paper?
What have you learnt from this experiment?
Desalinated water With students having just completed the dirty water filtration experiment, ask them if they think they could remove salt from water in the same way. For example, using the same activity method as before try - drinking water only and add a teaspoon of salt. Then ask one of the students to taste the water to see if the salt has been removed out (just don’t use equipment from the science lab to drink from). In groups, get the students to brainstorm ways of removing the salt from the water. They can then share their suggestions with the rest of the class. This should give you some idea of prior knowledge and much how they understand so far. Step the students through a very basic explanation of how salt is removed from sea water for human use. The sea water is passed through very fine sheets of material, and under pressure the salt is removed and mixed back into the sea. The pressurisation and separation of the salt from the water is called reverse osmosis. You may wish to develop a specific lesson on reverse osmosis. Extension activity
Draw a flow diagram that shows how the water is treated within a desalination facility. At
each stage, show what is removed and what happens next (keep the reverse osmosis part quite simplified).
Discuss reverse osmosis in the separation of particles in the water –
Not everyone is keen on the idea of taking our drinking water from the sea. Why might this
be?
How is drinking water treated?
How do we pump it from the ocean?
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In columns, come up with ideas why people might be for or against the idea of desalinated water. Here are a few to get you going:
Reasons for desalinated water Reasons against desalinated water
Provides a guaranteed water source. We need the water for our growing population in South East Queensland.
It might taste salty (some people actually think this).
Our climate is very variable and we cannot always count on the water from our climate.
The excess salt taken from the water creates a waste problem.
It might make the sea saltier when the salt taken out is put back into the environment.
It might harm the sea life at the intake piping.
Public discussion is one of the key ways of people expressing their concerns and they all need to be taken into consideration when decisions are made that impact our communities. Once students have formulated some ideas for and against the concept of desalinated water, get them to form teams and have a discussion about the topic. They could represent different groups in society (i.e environmentalists, local boat users/fishermen, indigenous Australians, council and government representatives, engineers and town planners). Encourage students to use persuasive language to get the others to see their point of view. Alternatively, openly form two teams (for and against) come up with a moot and debate away! Another slant on this issue can be found using the catchment creatures – which of them could be impacted by a desalinisation facility and how could we ensure it doesn’t happen?
Discussion points
Why do we need to get water from the sea?
Why do we seem to need more and more water?
Why can’t we rely on rain to supply our water needs?
Activity In groups of 3–5, have a brainstorm about desalination. Give the students 4 minutes to write down everything they know about recycled and desalinated water. Then get them to come back to the class and share what they know. Optional activities- mapping task On a map, locate and mark the Gold Coast Desalination Plant. Locate and label the other potential sites that have been identified for future desalination facilities should they be needed. Extension activity
Set up and explain how solar energy works - www.energymatters.com.au/education/
Debate topics Materials as described in teacher resources for each group
Some water with soil or sand in it (to make it obviously dirty)
Filter funnels
Filter paper (pre-folded and inserted into the funnels)
Cotton balls
A clear container to catch the water
Sand
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Lesson six Planning for the future – urban design
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Understand the basic needs to be considered when planning a town.
Be able to demonstrate how planning can ensure a sustainable water supply.
Introduction Using a large sheet of paper and several coloured markers, have the students form groups of four to five. Write one of the following names on each of the sheets of paper:
shop owners
small farm owners
sports clubs
local home owners
schools.
Imagine that they are a part of the group written on the piece of paper (ie. shop owners) Give them five minutes to come up with a list of all the different facilities and services they would need in their town. This may include electricity, water, roads, traffic lights, road rules, sporting fields, vegetation and parks etc. Once the students have made their lists, share their ideas with the rest of the class. Using sticky notes or sticky tape, place their ideas to the front of the room for the whole class to see. Have a class discussion about all the different things needed in a town and introduce the concept of a town planner. Show the similarities between all the students’ ideas. Discussion points
Who makes sure that the town has all of these things?
Who decides where the roads and houses and businesses are going to go?
What happens when people don’t agree?
What is the name of our local council? (You may like to do this as a whole class activity or use a current local council).
How do we plan for the future?
Activity
Have each group come up with an idea to collect and use water around the house. We can’t
always rely on our dams for water:
— What can we do around our homes to try and provide water for ourselves?
— How can we use this water? Discussion point
How can businesses help supply some of their own water needs?
Can you think of any of these ideas that you have seen local businesses do in our
community? For example, Bunnings now have very large rainwater tanks in front of most of their stores.
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What can we do in our community and in our homes to help supply some of our own water
needs? Optional activity Your students should now understand the benefits of a healthy catchment. Now discuss town planning within this catchment and its purpose in ensuring a balance between good economic growth and catchment health. Using the ABC Catchment Detox virtual game located in Resource 4a – ABC Catchment Detox virtual game (appendix), get the students to play to achieve the highest score. You may even wish to have a prize for the student who has the highest catchment and economic health out of the class.
Conclusion Your students would have demonstrated from the above activities that it is important to have a balance between the health of the environment and the economic value of a community. Students should have an understanding of the critical factors to consider in urban planning that considers the community in providing a livable city. Their decisions should consider several key factors including social and health services, recreational activities, natural environment and catchment health and basic human needs.
Resources For the teacher For the student
Large sheets of paper Markers and paper as supplied by the teacher
Markers Access to internet
Resource 4a – ABC Catchment Detox virtual game (appendix)
Access to computer
Computers and internet access
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Lesson seven Environmental sustainability and wise water use
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Understand how humans impact our environment.
Understand the concept of sustainability and how it relates to Queensland.
Understand the need to look after our catchments and protect the species that live there.
Be able to demonstrate ways they can personally use water wisely.
Introduction Most students should be reasonably well versed in water wise activities, so some of this content may well be revision. Give students the figure of one litre of water dripping per hour. Then get them to calculate the volume of water with the below timeframes:
one minute
one hour (1 L)
one day
one month (2000 L)
one year.
Dripping taps are a great big waste of water.
How do we measure our whole home water usage? Introduce the concept of the water
meter. Optional activity Complete a small lesson on reading water meters. Visit local water retailer websites for more information (Queensland Urban Utilities, Unity Water or your local council). Discussion points Dripping taps are not the only way that water can be wasted.
What other ways can people waste water around the house?
Activity In groups of 3–5, create a mind map/brainstorm of all the ways that water can be wasted around the house. Give the students 5–10 minutes and then get them to report back to the class. Discussion point Environmental sustainability is a key issue that must be addressed in our water management within Australia.
How does a growing population impact our water usage?
What does the government need to do to address these issues?
Activity- the story of a river To complete this activity you will need:
one large bowl (approximately 10–20 L capacity - a fish tank would work nicely) to represent
the river
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Resource 5a: The story of a river (appendix)
catchment story labels
13 or more film canisters or something similar (available from most photo labs). Number
needed depends on class sizes. In this story there are 15 land uses, represented by different substances that are provided in canisters by you. As the story is read, the students will need to add their land use ‘character’ to the ‘river’, thus demonstrating how we can influence our waterways. Students are not to look in their containers until their ‘character’ emerges in the story.
In the canisters you will need:
Land use Substance Quantity
Herd of cattle Thick muddy water Canister
Farming country Baking powder Teaspoon
Piggery Thick muddy water Canister
Grazing land Salty water Canister of water, 1 tsp salt
Hobby farm Yellow water/toilet paper Coloured water with paper fragments in water
Fishing Tangle of line Small piece
Water skiing Vegetable oil 1 teaspoon
Park Polystyrene/plastic Small pieces broken up
Tourism Paper/plastic Small pieces broken up
Subdivision Soil Ganister
Gardens Baking soda (pesticides) 1 tsp in a canister
Roads Vinegar (acid run-off) Canister
Forest Tea Canister
National park Mulch 1 teaspoon
Industry Soapy water Canister (1 drop in water)
Discussion points
What do we do to our waterways?
How can we better manage our land use so that it minimises our impact on the environment?
How different would this story be if there were no people in it?
Conclusion Get the students to write their own version of this story, before the river was influenced by humans and their use of the land (homework task).
Ask the students to complete a weekly recording sheet of their daily water saving techniques. Explain briefly how these techniques are useful in saving water, and estimate the volume of water saved before and after. Students should be able to explain why saving water is important.
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Resources For the teacher For the student
Resource 5a: The story of a river (appendix)
Canisters (20+)
Canister labels
Ingredients as specified above
One large bowl or container
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Lesson eight Our climate water supplies
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Be able to construct a simple climograph.
Interpret basic data from the climograph.
Have an understanding of when our peak rainfall and warmest average temperatures occur
(Brisbane).
Understand on a basic level the challenges of water supply when the climate does not
deliver regular water.
Introduction Begin by getting the students attention with a couple of questions.
Who in the class has lived in Brisbane the longest?
Ask them to tell you when the wettest month of the year is, in their experience (this way, going by their experience it is opinion and not fact, so they cannot be wrong).
Ask the students, in their opintion, what is the:
hottest month
driest month
coolest month
favourite month.
Ask along the way if there are opinions that vary from those given. You may have multiple students that have never lived anywhere else. Ask these students to answer one question each. Record all responses on the board. Ask the students if they know of any way of finding out this data accurately, this will lead into discussing a climograph. To access current data please visit The Bureau of Meteorology www.bom.gov.au and select Weather and Climate Statistics, Monthly Data.
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You will need to display annual data collected from www.bom.gov.au for the students to view. Step the students through the construction of the graph. Instructions should be found in most Jacaranda Atlases or Geography textbooks. Students can then read their graphs and compare the data from the ‘opinions’ shared earlier in the lesson.
Conclusion How does climate change, that seems to be occurring, provide challenges for us in ensuring a consistent water supply for the future? Resources For the teacher For the student
Australian Bureau of Meteorology - www.bom.gov.au
Annual rainfall and temperature data for local area
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Lesson nine Treating our water
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Understand the need to recycle our water.
Have a basic understanding of how water is recycled.
Understand how water can be used at different levels of filtration.
Introduction Start the lesson with three beakers of water – one clean, one slightly cloudy and one obviously dirty. Use this as the focus point for you discussions about treating water. Discussion points
What is treating water?
Why do we need it?
What is it used for?
How is it treated (to gauge prior knowledge)?
Activity Fill a tray or bowl with water. The bowl represents your local creek or waterway. Using a funnel, this represents a storm drain; place some of the pollutants into the funnel, holding your finger over the bottom so that they stay inside. Hold the funnel over the ‘waterway’ and take away your finger. Pour some water on top of the pollutants in the funnel. This water represents the rain - washing things into the storm drain.
What happened to the water in the bowl? Describe what you can see.
Try the experiment again, this time holding a sieve under the funnel.
Discussion points/focus questions
What happened this time?
Did the sieve stop all the pollutants?
What kind of pollutants still entered the ‘waterway’?
Extension activity Try using different materials to ‘filter’ the waste from the water as it is poured down the drain. Which of the materials used best filtered the water (suggestions include fabric, paper and an impermeable)?
Learning - Recycling our water When most people think about recycled water, they imagine drinking it. However, there are a multitude of water uses that don’t actually involve us consuming the water. Industry has high demands on our water resources and recycled water is a great way to meet these demands. But what does recycled water actually mean and what does it involve? And is recycled water actually clean enough for us to drink?
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Using access to computers and the internet, have students take a look at what is involved in the seven barrier filtration methods used in Queensland. Research in pairs may help to speed up the process. Show the different steps that are taken to cleanse our water so it can be recycled. Focus questions
What is removed at each stage?
What can water be used for at each stage?
What are the advantages of recycling our water?
How will this help us meet future water needs?
There are some excellent resources available at www.nrm.qld.gov.au/waterwise/ Activity - how clean are you at home? Complete the ‘Pollution – how does your household rate?’ survey, which can be found at www.cleanup.org.au/kidskit2007/pdf/Activity08_Work-Household.pdf This is an excellent survey for students to relate clean waterways and sewage to their own lives. Activity Using the materials listed below, students will view a homemade filter system. Dirty water will pass through the filtering materials and cleaner water should be collected at the end process.
2-litre soda bottle cut in half
gravel (filter stage 1)
sand (filter stage 2)
cotton balls (filter stage 3)
napkins or paper towels (filter stage 4)
dirty water (you can make it by adding cooking oil, food coloring, pieces of paper, and tiny pieces of Styrofoam to water).
Making it Happen 1. Put the top half of the soda bottle upside-down (like a funnel) inside the bottom half. The top
half will be where you build your filter; the bottom half will hold the filtered water. 2. Layer the filter materials inside the top half of the bottle. Think about what each material
might remove from the dirty water and in what order you should layer the materials. For an added challenge, use only two of materials to build your filter.
3. Pour the dirty water through the filter. What does the filtered water look like? Provide a description both before and after filtration.
4. Take the filter apart and look at the different layers. Can you tell what each material removed from the water?
5. Wipe the bottle clean and try again. Try putting materials in different layers or using different amounts of materials.
Extension Activity Try using different materials to filter the waste from the water. Which of the materials used best filtered the water?
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Lesson ten Too much water, too fast – a look at flooding
Student objectives By the end of this lesson students will:
Understand how geological events can impact our soils and thus our landscape.
Basic understanding of how the late 2010, early 2011 and 2013 geological events impacted
Queensland.
Understand how humans were impacted by this geological phenomenon.
Understand the need to regulate land use and zoning to look after our catchments and
protect the species that live there.
Understand flood mitigation strategies.
Introduction The idea of this lesson is to give students an understanding of the capacity of different soils to hold water and what can happen when soil becomes saturated by a severe geological event. How far you wish to take this lesson is entirely dependent on the capabilities of the students. The key points are:
Different types of soil have different capacities for retaining rainwater.
If the soil in an area will not hold enough rainwater, flooding problems will ensue.
Soil can be tested for its water-retaining capacity.
Most students should be reasonably familiar with the flooding of 2010-2011 or 2013. Many may have been personally impacted and have their own stories to share. Note, you may need to run server lessons to cover the full content of this lesson (research and preparation). Materials The following materials should be distributed to each group:
three soil samples: sand, agricultural soil (potting soil), and clay
water
three measuring cups
funnel
filter paper.
How to:
Present the following scenario to your students:
— The class is a team of "consulting engineers" for a new housing development to be built in the local council area. Many of the local citizens are protesting the development. They are saying that the soil in that area will not hold the rain and there will be flooding problems for all dwellings nearby, however others believe this is just an excuse to delay and block the development.
Tell students that their challenge is to aid in the decision-making process by testing different
samples of soil to see how much water the soil will absorb.
Divide your class into small groups, distributing materials to each group.
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Students should first test each type of soil in its dry state by measuring the same amount of
each soil, in turn, into a funnel lined with filter paper, and then pouring a measured amount of water through it. They should use the same amount of water for each type of soil. The water that drains through each type of soil should be collected in another measuring cup and the amount recorded.
Have students repeat the test using the same types of soil in their saturated states.
Discuss with the class which soil held the most water when dry and which saturated soil
held the most water. Which type of soil would be most likely to cause flooding problems?
Have each student write a lab report describing the soil tests including an explanation of
how communities and developers would use such tests. There are some sensational images of the flooding of the 2010-2011 and 2013 in Queensland – a great way to start off this lesson is to share a few of these. Discussion questions
Explain why a river can flood even if there was no recent rain in that section of the river
valley?
Why are sediments found in rivers? Discuss how rivers carry sediments and explain how
this impacts the land during a flood.
What characteristics determine how much water soil can hold?
Debate the merits of building dams upstream to prevent flooding—thereby making former
floodplains available for development.
Debate whether or not people should be allowed to rebuild homes in an area prone to
serious flooding.
Extension activity Have students collect samples of soil from home to try to determine the type of soil where they live. How does this compare to other students results and their classroom test?
Activity Again the river system you chose to study is wide and varied and not just related to metropolitan Brisbane. Suggested river basins include:
Brisbane River Catchment
Fitzroy River Basin
Burnett River Basin
Condamine/Balonne River Basin
Mary River Basin
Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley
Logan River Basin (2013).
Activity In groups of 3–5, have students chose a river catchment. They are then to do some research on their selected river basin, looking at how it was affected by the weather events of 2010–2011 and 2013. They are then to present their findings as a ‘news report’ using digital media (video, image files, research information). Characters they can use include a news anchor in the studio, one or two reporters in the field plus camera crew. In their report they will need the following information:
Name the river basin/system they are monitoring.
Give the max height of that river at the peak of the flood event.
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Try to find out the rainfall in the ‘area’ and comment about whether or not the flooding event
is due to rainfall locally or upstream.
Name a town(s) affected by the flooding event.
Include images of their affected area.
Provide some sort of ‘geological information’ explaining how this event occurred (like John
Schluter, Channel 7’s ‘Weather Guru’). Each student can report back to the class and present their news report videos.
Conclusion
The presentations delivered to the class will identify their understanding of geological events and flooding.
Resources For the teacher For the student
Class ‘sets’ of the following items for groups work The set of group items to complete the experiment (as supplied by the teacher)
Three soil samples: sand, agricultural soil (potting soil) and clay
Water
Three measuring cups
Funnel
Filter paper
Photograph images of past flooding events
Map of the suggested river basins
Markers
Smart board, TV or screen for the student presentations
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By the end of this lesson students will: Understand there are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification
helps organize this diversity.
Understand how scientific indicators such as diversity and pH can be indicators of the health
of waterways.
Be able to perform simple scientific tests to check the water quality of at least one location.
Be able to perform simple classification of macro invertebrates in a water sample.
Introduction This lesson is a chance for students to get out in the field and collect water samples for testing. Seqwater offer water quality testing modules at selected Seqwater dams and water treatment plants. For more information and to book an Seqwater learning experience visit www.upadrygully.com.au If a field trip is not possible, then the teacher will need to arrange collection of water samples for testing in the lab. There will be quite a bit of background information you will need to cover to ensure knowledge prior to going out of the classroom is sufficient to maximize the time in the field. Activity Fill a clean beaker with water. Put orange and green food colouring in water to make it appear dirty. Tell your students that you just got this water from the dirtiest local body of water. Ask your class why they think the water is so discoloured. After some discussion on the filth of the water dramatically drink it! After their reaction, explain that all the water we drink comes from bodies of water that are polluted and it is essential for our survival to have clean water. After their reaction, explain that all the water we drink comes from bodies of water that are polluted and it is essential for our survival to have clean water. Prior to water quality testing and/or field trip, discuss the following:
Techniques involved in macroinvertebrate identification. To access macroinvertebrate
identification posters visit New South Wales (NSW) Waterwatch at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waterwatch/getPublications.htm
Discuss classification – are there types of bugs that have similarities (e.g. two legs, four
legs, six legs, no legs etc)? As a class attempt to sort a selection of insects into different taxa groups (this may need a little or a lot of help from the teacher). It is important that you complete the taxa sorting activity, as students will need this knowledge out in the field.
Materials
old clothes that can get dirty and/or wet (non-uniform)
nets for each group, capable of catching macro invertebrates on the surface, just under the
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white or clear bottomed containers (old takeaway containers are great) to view the macro
invertebrates
safety goggles
thermometer
gloves
soap
25 – 50 ml test tubes
chemical water test kits
calculator
handouts (as supplied by the teacher).
It is suggested for the purpose of this lesson that students work in groups for some collaborative learning and to speed up the pace of the learning in the field. Students will need to record data about where and when they tested their water – water temperature, location, date and time. Discussion points Discuss the different indicators that determine water quality. This includes the following:
biological (macroinvertebrates)
physical (turbidity, temperature)
chemical indicators (pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates and phosphates).
Test 1: Macroinvertebrate diversity
Collect samples of macroinvertebrates from the water surface, in the water and the bottom
dwellers in the rocks and sediment. Aim to collect at least 50 different bugs if possible. Sort the bugs into taxa groups.
Identify each macroinvertebrate collected in the sample using Resource 5b: Water
Networkers activity book (appendix). Note that the taxa groups will indicate their tolerance to pollution. For example, the taxa group with the most organisms is most tolerable to pollution and the taxa group with the least organisms is least tolerable to pollution.
Use the formula given below to determine the quality of the water.
Test 2: Sequential comparison index (SCI) Greater diversity usually means better quality water. To put this theory to the test, we use the SCI (or Sequential Comparison Index). This is based on the theory of ‘runs’. A new run begins each time an organism picked form the sample looks different to the one picked just before it. This is how it works: pick the organisms randomly from your sample and place them into a separate container. A partner or group member should compare each organism with the previous organism and record either an ‘x’ or an ‘o’. If the specimen is the same as the previous one selected, record the same symbol. If different, use a different symbol. Even if you have two different flies, they could be two different species and thus should have different symbols. The water quality rating for SCI is 0.0–0.3=Poor, 0.3–0.6=Fair, 0.6–1.0=Good
The formula works like this:
— SCI = {total number of runs} / {total number of organisms picked}
— e.g. total runs = 8, total organisms = 17, SCI = 8 / 17 = 0.47, water quality rating for SCI is fair.
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Test 3: Diversity index (DI) To determine the taxa richness of your sample population, you must have the number of different taxa. Multiply the taxa richness by the SCI value from Test 2. The water quality rating is 0–8=Poor, 9–12=Fair, 12–24=Good.
The formula works like this:
— DI = SCI value x taxa richness.
Test 4: Test the physical and chemical properties of the water sample Using water quality test kits (as per materials on page 31), which may include a thermometer and a turbidity tube, test each water sample appropriately. Use the gloves to prevent touching samples. Rinse out all test tubes with sample water. Fill each test tube with 5 ml of sample water and using the test strips or tablets for pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphate and nitrate, test the appropriate chemical indicator. Record the value of each chemical indicator in Resource 1a: Water Networkers activity book (appendix) and ensure all students wash their hands after completing the testing. Repeat this testing three times and average the results for each (this can be done by adding up your three values and dividing by three). Background information on pH The pH measures H+ (hydrogen) ion concentration of liquids and substances. The pH scale ranges from 0-14. Pure deionized water contains equal numbers of H+ and OH- (hydroxide) ions and has a pH value of 7. If the sample has more OH- ions it is considered basic and has a higher value than 7. If the sample has more H+ ions than the sample is considered acidic and has a lower value than 7. A change in the pH of a river may result in the death of a species in that river.
Examples of pH levels Household Supplies
Battery acid 1
Lemon juice 2
vinegar 3
Coca Cola 4
Rainwater 5.6
Distilled water 7
Baking soda 8.2
Ammonia 11
Bleach 12
Extension activity You may wish the students to test the pH of lemon juice, rainwater and baking soda and compare the results recorded against their water sample tests. Extension activity You may wish to discuss the periodic table and the definition of H+ and OH- ions including the chemistry reaction between breaking atoms to form new substances.
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Conclusion Conduct a quick revision quiz and ask the students to list the key biological and chemical indicators to test water quality.
Resources For the teacher For the student
Water quality testing kit which includes the following:
The set of group items to complete the experiment (as supplied by the teacher)
Chemical indicator test strips or tablets - http://www.vendart.com
Water samples
Water sample with food colouring (‘dirty’ water)
10 mL canisters for each test or test tubes
Gloves
Calculator
Nets
Thermometer
Turbidity tube
Resource 1a: Water Networkers activity book – Year 4 to 7 (appendix)
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Australian curriculum linkages
Year level Geography Science Economics Maths
8 ACHGK052, ACHGK059
ACSSU151, ACSSU152, ACSSU225, ACSHE136, ACSHE227
ACHEK029 ACMMG195, ACMMG242
9 ACHGK060, ACHGK061, ACHGK063
ACSSU176, ACSSU178
ACHEK038
10 ACHGK070, ACHGK071, ACHGK073, ACHGK074
ACSSU185, ACSSU186, ACSSU187, ACSSU189
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Appendix Resource 1a: Water Networkers activity book – Year 4 to 7
Introduction This resource has been designed to implement a collection of activities into one student booklet. Activities include a water quality testing page. This activity book can be accessed by visiting Up a Dry Gully at www.upadrygully.com.au.
STUDENT WORKBOOK - Water QualityTesting_Updated-2012 May .pdf
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Resource 2a: Seqwater assets
Introduction This map is in poster format identifying the Seqwater major assets (i.e. dams and water treatment plants). For use in the classroom, teachers may wish to blank out the dam and water treatment plant names and use this as a student or classroom activity. Master copies of this map are located on the Seqwater website at www.seqwater.com.au and on Up a Dry Gully website at www.upadrygully.com.au. A draft copy of this map is below.
Seqwater major assets map
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Resource 2b: Seqwater catchment map
Introduction This map is in poster format identifying the South East Queensland catchments. A master copy of this map is located on the Seqwater website at www.seqwater.com.au and on Up a Dry Gully website at www.upadrygully.com.au.
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Resource 3a: Catchment creatures
Introduction Original coloured and black and white copies of the catchment creature images are located on Up a Dry Gully website at www.upadrygully.com.au. Below are the black and white versions of all Seqwater catchment creatures.
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Year 8 – 10 lesson plans
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Resource 4a: ABC Catchment Detox virtual game
Introduction “Play Catchment Detox to see if you successfully manage a river catchment and create a sustainable and thriving economy. The challenge is to manage a river catchment so that after 100 years you have a healthy economy and a healthy environment.” (ABC Catchment Detox). This game has been designed by eWater, CSIRO, ABC, Australian Government and National Science Week.
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Resource 5a: The story of a river
Introduction The story of a river is linked to Lesson 6 and can be a whole class or large group activity. The canister items, which are used throughout the story, are listed below.
Canister items
Land use Substance Quantity
Herd of cattle Thick muddy water Canister
Farming country Baking powder Tsp
Piggery Thick muddy water Canister
Grazing land Salty water Canister of water, 1 tsp salt
Hobby farm Yellow water/toilet paper Coloured water with paper fragments in water
Fishing Tangle of line Small piece
Water skiing Vegetable oil 1 tsp
Park Polystyrene/plastic Small pieces broken up
Tourisum Paper/plastic Small pieces broken up
Subdivision Soil Ganister
Gardens Baking soda (pesticides) 1 tsp in a canister
Roads Vinegar (acid run-off) Canister
Forest Tea Canister
National park Mulch 1 tsp
Industry Soapy water Canister (1 drop in water)
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Resource 5a: The story of a river continued
The story of a river This is the story of a river travelling through its catchment. It begins in the higher parts of the catchment where the rain runs off the slopes and begins its long journey to the see. The river flows through a national park and then through a forest. The water gathers momentum as it descends the slopes.
The river continues its journey towards the sea through farming country where, recently, some crops were fertilised. Afterwards they were watered and the run-off into the river has brought with it some of the fertiliser.
The neighbouring farm is a piggery. Some of the manure form the pig pens washes into a drainage pipe, which then empties into the river. On the other side of the river are grazing lands. There are very few trees remaining and, in some of the lower parts of the pasture, the water brings salt in the soil up to the surface, making the land unusable. IT also means that run-off from the land is salty and this threatens the fresh water organisms and animals that live in the river. A grazing herd of cattle feed on the vegetation on the banks and drink from the river. When heavy rains arrive, the banks erode and collapse into the river.
Slowly the river starts to wind its way through the outskirts of a major town. Here there are a number of hobby farms.
The houses here are not connected to the sewerage system; they have their own septic tanks. Occasionally these tanks overflow and untreated sewerage seeps directly into the river.
There are a number of people making use of the river around the bend. Someone is fishing on the banks. Unfortunately their fishing line gets caught on a rock and is left in the water. Other people are water-skiing. Their boat needs a service and its engine is leaking oil directly into the water. Another group of people are enjoying a picnic at a park overlooking the river. A gust of wind blows some of their rubbish off the table and into the water. Further downstream the river is being utilised for tourism. A charter boat is giving some people a scenic tour of the river. Drinks are for sale, but not everyone uses the bins that are provided.
The river now starts to meander through the suburban part of town. A new subdivision is being developed. Many of the trees have been removed and when it rains the top layer of soil is eroded and contributes to the silting up of the river. Most houses in the developed parts of town have a garden. To keep pests and nasty bugs away, the gardeners use a range of pesticides. When it rains, the pesticides wash off the gardens, into the storm water drains and then into the river.
People who have spent the day at work are now starting to drive home. The roads are choked with traffic. Oil drips out of these cars and sometimes they brake in a hurry, leaving traces of rubber on the roads. Every time it rains, these pollutants are washed into the storm-water drains and straight into the river
There is still some industry along the river here. Detergents are used to keep the production equipment clean. Sometimes the dirty water is washed out of the factory and into the gutter
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where it disappears into the storm water drains. Once again, this water flows straight into the river. If there are phosphates in the detergent, they cause increased algal growth in the river. When this algae dies, it rots, using up valuable oxygen in the water. Many animals may suffocate as a result. With one final bend, the river finally arrives at its mouth and spills out into the sea. But just look at what flows out with it! Other local river uses can also be added to this activity to give the students ‘ownership’ of the task.
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