RiverCare

L E S S O N P L A N S

FUNDED
 CONTENTS
Lesson Plan 1
Identifying pollution hotspots.
Fact Sheets 1,2,3 & 4

Lesson Plan 2
Investigating the cause of river pollution.
Fact Sheets 5 & 6

Lesson Plan 3
Analyzing the socio-economic and cultural impact
of river pollution in the community.
Fact Sheet 7

Lesson Plan 4
Presenting your test results to the community.
Fact Sheets 8 & 9

Lesson Plan 5
Identifying possible solutions through networking.
Fact Sheet 10

Lesson Plan 6
Linking with the community.
Fact Sheets 11 & 12
Caring for our rivers is the key to a healthy
community
Rivers in Fiji are under constant pressure from urban develop-
ment, agricultural run-off, sewage, logging and soil erosion.
RiverCare is an educational response to pollution and the
degradation of the rivers in Fiji. The project recognizes that
teachers and young people are a vital force in creating a sus-
tainable river environment through environmental education.

To support teachers and students Live & Learn Environmental

Education has developed this booklet with Lesson Plans and 12
Fact Sheets. Both these resources are used simultaneously in
conjunction with two water test kits.

Live & Learn Environmental Education will provide in-house

training on your request. Should you require further informa-
tion please contact us at our office in Suva.

We look forward to work with you in protecting Fiji's rivers.

Lepani Rabuli

RiverCare Coordinator

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LESSON PLAN 1: IDENTIFYING POLLUTION HOTSPOTS

LESSON OBJECTIVES:
Students are to be able to:

! Identify their targeted river

! Make a habitat assessment

! Draw a physical map of the area

Activity 1: Students to visit the river site

Activity 2: Students to observe and record landform, landuse,

vegetation and any other special features within the riparian zone
and aquatic zone of your river.

Activity 3: Questions and discussion.

! From the visible biological indicators (organisms and plants) in
your river, how would you grade your river’s present quality?

Clean Polluted

! Which pollutants can you identify and what plan of action can
you take against them?

! Does the landform, land use, human activity or vegetation have

any effect on the water quality? If yes, how?

! Would you drink or swim in the river as it is now? If no, why

not?

! Do the people in this area make use of the river? If no, why
not? If yes, how?

! Does water scarcity impact on people's lives? (e.g. agricultural

yield, health, livelihoods)

Activity 4: At school, you can start working on your site map.

Include vegetation, roads, development and other activities in the
area.

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LESSON PLAN 2: INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF RIVER
POLLUTION

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

a) Students are to be able to:

! Identify causes of pollution by conducting simple scientific
assessments through the use of:
! The RiverCare test kit and AM 12 test kit
! Physical tests
! Habitat assessment and interpretation of results
b) Gain research skills in trying to establish the cause of pollution.

Activity 1: Take a test at the river sites using the RiverCare test
kit and the AM 12 test kit with physical test and habitat assessment,
recording your results.

Activity 2: Display recorded results for all students to see.

Activity 3: Research work (1 week)
Through the interpretation of the test results, ask the students to
identify the causes of pollution. Conduct library research, interviews
and network with government departments, non-government organ-
izations and other stakeholders.
Activity 4: Group discussion and reporting (after research).
Teachers to facilitate the discussion using questions like:-
! Which of the components of water has a high concentration,
and by how much (use ppm as a unit of measure)?
! What does this imply on the river water quality?
! How will this affect the livelihood of people using the river?
(health risks, socio-economical risks, etc.)
! What is the main source of this risk or pollution?
! If you were presenting this research paper to the Minister of
Environment, what recommendations would you like to make?
How would you like the recommendations to be implemented?
What can your team do to make this happen?
! Use graph representation for your test results.
Activity 5: Group report and display. Each group is to be allowed
to make a report on their findings.

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LESSON PLAN 3: ANALYZING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND
CULTURAL IMPACT OF RIVER POLLUTION IN THE COMMUNITY

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

Students to be able to:

a) Identify the impact of water pollution on their health and socio-
economical status.

b) Take ownership of these pollution problems and develop critical

thinking skills through debate and dialogue.

c) Gain skills, experience and confidence in exposing and debating

on factors related to river pollution.

Activity 1: Roleplay
Use “Factory Conflict Resolution Role Play” to create dialogue and
debate concerning water pollution. The teacher should only facilitate
the debate and not influence the students’ views on the matter

Activity 2: Drama Session

Step 1. Using the "Basic Statues Drama Technique"; encourage stu-
dents to create statues using scenarios. The scenarios should be
made up by the students to reflect the situations leading to river pol-
lution. (Refer to "Drama in Environmental Education - A Guide” by
Wan Smolbag Theatre group in Vanuatu, Live & Learn and WWF)

Step 2: Group Discussion

! What were some of the critical issues highlighted during the
drama session?
! Why are these issues important to be addressed and how do
you relate yourself to their consequences?
! How will addressing these issues improve on securing our river
water as a "sustainable resource"?
! Why is it important to have a sustainable water resource?

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Activity 3: Debate
(Note: Teacher to facilitate and two students to be secretaries for this
session.) The teacher facilitates the class debate by asking the fol-
lowing questions:
! What are the key factors of river pollution that you have
identified?

! Can you imagine yourself without access to safe drinking

water?

! How could this situation arise in your local community and

why?

! In what way will your community be affected should this hap-

pen?

! Who would suffer the most? How and/or why?

! Who decides on safe water accessibility in your local

community, district or country?

! How can you, the young people, take part in such decision-
making?

! What river water issues would you like to address if you were
one of the decision-makers or constituency representatives for
your area?

! How and why would you want to address these issues?

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LESSON PLAN 4: PRESENTING YOUR TEST RESULTS TO THE
COMMUNITY

LESSON OBJECTIVE:

To raise community awareness on water pollution issues

through action-based activities.

Activity 1: Open Day display

1. Use the opportunity during school functions like parent's day, school
bazaar, graduation day, etc… to display all river quality test results and
assessment graphs.

2. Network with other National Open Day organizers to take part and dis-
play test results eg…National Health Day, Library Week or World Water
Day.

3. Initiate a poster designing competition in relation to water issues

themes. These poster could be displayed/judged on the Open Day.

Activity 2: Oratory contest

1. The oratory contest can be based on the river pollution theme or other
water related issues.

2. The contest can be within the school or with a neighbouring school.

3. Invite policy-makers, environmentalists, media and other stakeholders

to the oratory contest.

Activity 3: Students’ media broadcasting

1. Approach local radio and television stations for “live wire” debate on
river pollution issues based on the test results.

2. Ask the local newspaper to print some of your test results.

3. Make information brochures and posters on river water pollution for

public site display.

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LESSON PLAN 5: IDENTIFYING POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS THROUGH
NETWORKING

LESSON OBJECTIVES:
a) Through a process of critical thinking and participatory
learning, students should be able to:
! Identify actions to minimize or rectify water pollution
problems

! Identify who will assist in the mobilization of these

actions
b) Broaden the scope of understanding on information gath-
ering by means of networking with government departments
and non-government organisations, gaining knowledge of the
value of the existence of these organisations.

Activity 1: Group work

1. Decide on the type of grouping you want to engage your students in.
Facilitate a group discussion on actions to be taken to minimize or rec-
tify water pollution problems.`

2. Ask the students the following questions:-

! What are the steps that need to be taken in this plan of action?

! Who do we need to implement these actions?

! How can they work to the maximum benefit of our initiative to

promote sustainable and efficient management of water? Is
this a long term or short term benefit?

3. Each group will submit its report. Allow for feedback from others.

Activity 2: Drafting an action plan.

The class should use reports to draft an action plan. Teachers will
facilitate this session by compiling students’ ideas.

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LESSONS PLAN 6: LINKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

LESSON OBJECTIVE:

Students to be given an opportunity to:

! Challenge community decision-makers on water man-

agement issues and consequences of their decisions.

! Build a firm foundation for comprehensive dialogue on

these issues.
Activity 1: Approach your local community elders

1. Make good use of this opportunity of meeting with community elders or

approach your school PTA. (Use the correct protocol of approach. eg.
Sevusevu)

2. Present them with all issues of your concern regarding water test results.

3. Create dialogue and comprehensive discussion among elders and stu-

dents.

4. Collect all suggestions put forward by this forum.

Activity 2: Plan of action

1. Teacher to facilitate while students work on the plan of action.

2. Use the drafted copy as a guide, and suggestions from the elders to
complete the plan.

3. Inform the school management, elders' forum, and other stakeholders

of your plan of action.

Activity 3: Put your plan into action.

1. Mobilize your action group.

2. Communicate your progress with the local community/authority.

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RiverCare