Unit 7: Using Water
Outline
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This project was funded by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia licence. A copy of this licence is available at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by‐nc/2.5/au/ or by writing to info@creativecommons.org.au. However logos are protected by copyright. Page 1 of 6
Unit 7: Using Water
Outline Time allowance: 3 hours Key themes: • Understanding global water availability • Calculating water use • Devising ways to reduce our water use VCAL Unit Level: • Personal Development Foundation 1 • Personal Development Foundation 2 • Personal Development Intermediate • Literacy: Oracy Foundation & Intermediate • Numeracy: Foundation & Intermediate
Outline ...........................................................................................................................2 Overview of Learning Activities .....................................................................................2 Session Plan....................................................................................................................4 Learning Outcomes ........................................................................................................5 Resource Requirements.................................................................................................6 Extension Activity: The Water Alert! Game...................................................................6 Main learning objectives................................................................................................6 Further Resources..........................................................................................................6
Overview of Learning Activities Access to clean and safe drinking water is a central issue in global equity. “Global water” is a short presentation to stimulate discussion about the global issue of water provision. Some students may have come from different countries or have travelled to developing countries and so may be familiar with some of the issues. Then an experiment is undertaken to measure how much time it would take to move the water we use on average each day by bucket. A short DVD selected from UNESCO’s web based program “The Water Channel” will help connect the students with real life examples of people living in a permanent state of water crisis. The next part of the session is designed to assess domestic water use. The activity “How do we use water?” is designed to assist students to calculate their daily household water use. Students can then compare their use with the state government’s current target of 155 litres per person per day. This activity can be extended to enable students to calculate and compare percentages. Many of the students will be aware of water saving measures because of recent water awareness campaigns. A summary activity, “Ways to Reduce Water Use”, will
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help students identify ways that they can reduce their personal use and help them prepare for the personal eco‐challenge. Showing students “How to Read a Water Bill” will enable them to check their actual average water consumption rates compared with their estimated water use in the previous activity. An extension activity, “The Water Alert Game”, enables students to use an “interactive educational resource on water, environment and sanitation where young people are engaged in an adventure of strategy and survival”. This is set in a fictional village in Africa that is usually drought ridden but about to face a flood event. The game challenges students to provide clean and safe drinking water for the village. Internet access is required. Refer: www.unicef.org/voy/explore/wes/explore_1818.html and http://www.unicef.org/voy/media/EngWaterFG.pdf for the facilitators guide. An alternative activity is also provided, which could be used in the place of one of the activities in the session plan. “Mission H20” is an internet resource based on domestic use of water. You can move through eight areas of a house to discover various water saving tips. Each area also has a related game for students to play if they wish.
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Date: Start time: 9.00am Finish time: 12.00pm Time allowance: 3.00hrs Key themes: • Understanding global water availability • Calculating water use • Devising ways to reduce our water use SS = slideshow AG = teachers’ activity Guide HO = student handout WS= student worksheet Activity brief description Time Topic Learning Outcomes (As a result of this unit, students should be able to…) 10 minutes 1. Team building Optional activity if time allows, using any team • Have fun game building game • Work together 70 minutes 2. Global water • Understand different access Slideshow on water use around the globe, then students calculate how long it takes to haul 175L of to water and consumption water from a tap 100m away using a 9L bucket. rates Finally, they watch a video from UNESCO’s “The • Compare water haulage Water Channel”. times for their daily consumption • Describe examples of the global water crisis from around the world 20 minutes Break 30 minutes 3. Our water use • Understand how and where Get students to estimate their daily water use, and to compare this to average daily water use figures. we use water in Australia 20 minutes 4. Ways to reduce Discussion on ways to reduce water consumption. • Generate a list of our use behaviours to reduce personal water consumption 30 minutes 5. Reading water bills • Analyse the information on Calculate the percentage of each component of water bill and discuss different water services. water bills and calculate percentages 3.00 hours
Unit 7: Using Water
Session Plan
AG/WS: Reading water bills Copy of a water bill for each student
AG/WS: Our Water Use AG: Ways to reduce water use
Team games book or internet resource AG: Global Water SS: Global Water Computer & data projector
Resources
Learning Outcomes PD F1‐2 = Personal Development ‐ Foundation Unit 1 Outcome 2 RW3 = Reading and Writing Outcome 3; O= Oracy; N = Numeracy Session/Activity Learning Outcomes VCAL Learning Outcomes (As a result of this unit, (foundation level listed only – for intermediate see the students should be able learning outcomes matrix) to…) 2. Global PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal • Understand water different access to PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal water and consumption rates PD F1‐5: Demonstrate teamwork skills RW6: Reading for practical purposes • Compare water 04: Oracy for exploring issues and problem solving haulage times for N2: Numeracy for practical purposes – measurement their daily N6: Numeracy for interpreting society – figures in texts consumption • Describe examples of the global water crisis from around the world 3. Our water PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal • Understand how use and where we use PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established goal water in Australia RW6: Reading for practical purposes RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for self expression 04: Oracy for exploring issues and problem solving N2: Numeracy for practical purposes – measurement N6: Numeracy for interpreting society – figures in texts 4. Ways to PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal. • Generate a list of reduce our PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established behaviours to water use goal reduce personal PD F1‐4: Demonstrate skills specific to an established goal water PD F1‐5: Demonstrate teamwork skills consumption RW6: Reading for practical purposes RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for knowledge 04: Oracy for exploring issues and problem solving N6: Numeracy for interpreting society – figures in texts 5. Reading • Analyse the water PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal water bills PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established services detailed goal information on PD F1‐4: Demonstrate skills specific to an established goal water bills and PD F1‐5: Demonstrate teamwork skills calculate RW6: Reading for practical purposes percentages RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for knowledge 03: Oracy for practical purposes N2: Numeracy for practical purposes – measurement N6: Numeracy for interpreting society – figures in texts Alternative PD F1‐2: Solve problems specific to an established goal • Better understand activity: PD F1‐3: Demonstrate knowledge specific to an established water Mission H20 goal consumption computer game patterns and water PD F1‐4: Demonstrate skills specific to an established goal PD F1‐5: Demonstrate teamwork skills saving measures RW6: Reading for practical purposes RW7: Reading for knowledge 02: Oracy for knowledge 04: Oracy for exploring issues and problem solving
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Resource Requirements Facilities and Equipment Computer and data projector Unit Materials 2. Slideshow: Global water Activity Guide: Global water 3. Activity Guide: Our water use Worksheet: Our water use 4. Activity Guide: Ways to reduce water use 5. Activity Guide: Reading water bills Worksheet: Reading water bills Alternative activity (Mission H20 game) Internet access for www.savewater.com.au/mission‐h2o‐game On opening the game it offers eight options to choose from, each for differing parts of the house. You can take a guided simulation tour of the sections of the home and read tips on water saving ideas. You can then launch the game by selecting the “launch … game” tab.
Extension Activity: The Water Alert! Game This can be found at www.unicef.org/voy/explore/wes/explore_1818.html. There is a facilitator’s guide to the game at: www.unicef.org/voy/media/EngWaterFG.pdf.
Main learning objectives • • • • •
Create an awareness of the inequities in water availability in different countries Have students work out where they use water on a daily basis Summarise the ways individuals can reduce water consumption in the home Understand the different charges on water bills Calculate percentage contribution of each of the water charges
Further Resources Team games books: • Funn ‘n Games • Silver Bullets • Quicksilver • No props Team games internet resources:
http://wilderdom.com/games/InitiativeGames.html www.group‐games.com/ www.businessballs.com/teambuildinggames.htm
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