Curriculum into the classroom
Science
Water — Waste not, want not — continued / Year 7 / Unit 2
Lesson 9 / Water usage — Exploring water use
Lesson concepts /
Example learning sequence
Exploring how water is used
•Review ways water is used on a local, national and global basis.
•Consider water use for domestic/agricultural/industrial purposes.
•Discuss how science knowledge has helped manage water use across the globe.
Examining data and drawing conclusions about water use
•Examine a completed a NKIEEC water use survey.
•Summarise data collected from the NKIEEC water use survey.
•Calculate a water footprint from the NKIEEC water use survey.
•Conduct a compare and contrast on home water use.
•Draw conclusions about home water use and how it affects water supply.
Exploring water use in the school grounds
•Discuss water use in the school grounds.
•Conduct a water use audit of the school grounds and home
Example resources
Completed water survey sheets
Sheet — Water footprint
Sheet — School water audit
Supporting learning resource — Conducting a school water audit
Helpful information
Website — The World Factbook(Central Intelligence Agency CIA)

Website — Water: Learn it for life (Department of Environment and Resource Management)

Learning object — Displaying data using a computer program
Safety
Teachers need to:
•identify safety issues relevant to practical activities and conduct risk assessments on conducting outdoor activities, including sun safety
•refer to Workplace health and safety (WHS) policy pertaining to schools
•ensure students following safety and hygiene guidelines when working in wet areas such as toilets.
/ Water is an important resource
/ Ideas across disciplines of science can be collaborated on and connected to develop science knowledge
/ Representations can be constructed and used to represent relationships
/ Data from investigations is summarised and scientific understanding used to draw conclusions
/ Ideas and findings are communicated using scientific language and representations
View unit mapping of concepts
View year level mapping of concepts
Learning area specific language:
domestic, agricultural, industrial, water footprint
Lesson objectives
Students will:
understand that water use can relate to circumstances
calculate a water footprint.
Evidence of learning
Can the student:
describe water use related to a particular circumstance?
calculate a water footprint?
Ideas for monitoring
Monitor students’ ability to:
relate water use to different situations.
Learning alerts
Be aware of:
students thinking that households are the largest consumers of water.
Suggested next steps for learning
Ensure students realise that agriculture and industry consume far more water than individual consumers.
Ideas for differentiation
Support
Have students work with a peer partner to discuss and calculate a water footprint related to home use.
Extension
Examine the domestic, agricultural and industrial water use of a chosen country using The World Factbook.
/ New
/ Ongoing
/ New & building for assessment
/ Ongoing & building for assessment
/ New & building for monitoring
/ Ongoing & building for monitoring

Australian Curriculum references for this lesson

Year 7 Science — Content descriptions
Science Understanding
Earth and space sciences
Water is an important resource that cycles through the environment
Science as a Human Endeavour
Nature and development of science
Science knowledge can develop through collaboration and connecting ideas across the disciplines of science
Science Inquiry Skills
Processing and analysing data and information
Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships including using digital technologies as appropriate
Summarise data, from students’ own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions
Communicating
Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations using digital technologies as appropriate
View a mapping of the Science Content descriptions for this unit
View a mapping of the Science Content descriptions for this year level
Australian Curriculum: Science for Prep (F) — 10 Version 3

[accessed on 16 August 2012] / General capabilities
Literacy
•Comprehending texts through listening, viewing and reading
•Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
•Text knowledge
•Word knowledge
•Visual knowledge
Numeracy
•Using fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and rates
•Interpreting and drawing conclusions from statistical information
ICT capability
Queensland Student ICT Expectations:
•Operating with ICT
Student ICT Expectations — by the end of Year of 7

[accessed on 31 July 2012]
Australian Curriculum ICT learning continuum:
•Managing and operating ICT
Critical and creative thinking
•Inquiring — identifying, exploring and clarifying information
•Generating innovative ideas and possibilities
•Reflecting on thinking, actions and processes
Personal and social capability
•Self-management
•Social management
View a mapping of the General capabilities learning continua for this unit

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