How is water used and conserved?

Year Level: 2
Learning Area: Science
Strand: Science Understanding: Earth and Space Sciences
Duration: 10 lessons

Inquiry Overview
This unit of learning is using an inquiry based approach where students will explore the open ended question of
How is water used and conserved? The unit aligns with the Australian Science Curriculum and the strand of
science understanding of Earth and space sciences. Students will research and conduct an experiment to see how
much water is wasted by a dripping tap over a period of time. The unit of work will further link to the Australian
Numeracy general capability continuum. This is evident when students present the findings of their experiment as
they will collect, describe, and interpret data to lead towards the inquiry question. This will allow students to
research and present their data using Communication Technologies General Capabilities which wil l also heavily
feature throughout the unit.

Learning Intentions
Established Goals: Australian Curriculum
General Capabilities
Numeracy
Interpreting statistical information

Typically by the end of year 2, students will:

Numeracy
Interpreting statistical information
-

ICT
Investigating
Creating

Interpret data displays

collect and describe data on a relevant issue based on one variable
and display as lists, tables or picture graphs

ICT
Investigating
-

Locate, generate and access data and information

locate information from a given set of digital sources
Creating

Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

experiment with ICT as a creative tool to generate simple solutions,
modifications or data representations for particular audiences or
purposes

Learning Area
Science
Relevant Strands and Content Descriptors

Relevant Elaborations
-

identifying the Earths resources including water, soil

and minerals, and describing how they are used in the
school

considering what might happen to humans if there were

a change in a familiar available resource, such as water

Strand: Science Understanding

Sub Strand: Earth and Space Sciences
Content Descriptor:
Earths resources, including water, are used in a variety of
ways (ACSSU032)

Sustainability

Strand: Science as a human endeavour

Sub Strand: Use and influence of Science
Content Descriptor: People use science in their daily lives,
including when caring for their environment and living things
(ACSHE035)

identifying actions at school such as turning off

dripping taps, that can conserve resources

identifying the ways humans manage and protect

resources, such as reducing waste and caring for water
supplies

Relevant links to the Year Level Description

and Achievement Standards:
Year Level Description:
The Science Inquiry Skills and Science as a Human Endeavour strands are described across a two-year band. In their planning,
schools and teachers refer to the expectations outlined in the Achievement Standards and also to the content of the Science
Understanding strand for the relevant year level to ensure that these two strands are addressed over the two-year period.
From Foundation to Year 2, students learn that observations can be organised to reveal patterns, and that these patterns can
be used to make predictions about phenomena. In Year 2, students describe patterns and make predictions. They explore the
use of resources from Earth and are introduced to the idea of the flow of matter when considering how water is used. They use
counting and informal measurements to make and compare observations and begin to recognise that organising these
observations in tables makes it easier to show patterns.

Achievement Standard:
By the end of Year 2, students identify that certain materials and resources have different uses and describe examples of where
science is used in peoples daily lives.
Students pose questions about their experiences and predict outcomes of investigations. They use informal measurements to
make and compare observations. They follow instructions to record and represent their observations and communicate their
ideas to others.

Knowledge

Skills

Students will KNOW that:

Water is used in a variety of ways at school

and at home
Water can be conserved by shorter showers,
not using a hose to water the garden etc.
Data can be represented using column graphs
and picture graphs

What will students be able to DO?

List the ways water is used
Use multiple methods to record data

Learning Area: Science

Science Understanding - Identify/recognize uses
of water at home and school
Science as a human endeavor
identify/recognize ways to save and preserve
water
Record observations using multiple methods
with teacher assistance

Numeracy general capability:

Interpret Data Displays be able to ask and
answer simple data questions and interpret data
ICT general capability:
Locate, generate and access data and
information
Generate solutions to challenges and learning
area tasks use ICT as a creative tool to create
data representations (graphs)

Enduring Understandings

Essential Questions

Students will UNDERSTAND that:

Key questions to guide the inquiry will be:

Beginning of unit:
Where do we use water at school/home?
Why is water so important in our lives?
Middle of the unit:
What happens when someone leaves a tap
dripping?
How much water do you think will be wasted by
the tap?
What can we do to help save water around the
school/home?
What does the graph show you?
How can your graph influence people?
End of unit:
What do readers learn from your poster?
What would happen if we ran out of water?

They can make a difference at school and at

home when trying to save water
Collecting data can be achieved in many ways,
especially through digital technology
Water can be used in many different ways because
of this we must learn ways to save water

Required Resources
Scootle:
1. Water Matters: Watering the Garden
Student Pin: SQENKI
TLF-ID: L1798
Link:http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/L1798/inde
x.html
2. Water Matters: Car Wash
Student Pin: SQENKI
TLF-ID: L1800
Link:http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/L1800/inde
x.html
3. Water Matters: Water Fight
Student Pin: SQENKI
TLF-ID: L1801
Link:http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/viewing/L1801/inde
x.html

Graphing Website:
http://www.softschools.com/math/data_analysis/bar_graph/activi
ties/make_your_own_bar_graph/
Edmodo website: https://www.edmodo.com/
Water videos: use either or both
Kids Science: Learn the uses of water:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOFGFwyXft8
A snapshot of everyday life: water use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO0RhULMDaE
Water book: Water: Emergent Reader Science by Susan Canizares;
photographs by Pamela Chanko

4 Explain Everything App

Assessment For Learning

Evidence will be gathered from:

Brainstorming
Observations

Checklists
Peer feedback
Questioning
Two stars and a wish

Work samples
Word wall
Prompts
Class discussions

Summative Assessment
Include your Design Brief and Assessment Rubric into this document and refer to it in this section.
-

The summative assessment criteria that will be used to evaluate students work for this unit will be an analytic
rubric.
The students will be assessed on the science content descriptors ACSSU032 and ACSHE035.
The students will be given a task that will require them to demonstrate their now understanding of water use and
water conservation.
Through the use of a poster, students will display how water is used and what ways we can save water. The poster
must include writing and pictures with all pictures having a title. Students will be given the freedom to design their
poster however they choose using word.
For those students who need some scaffolding two sentences will be provided for them to include on their poster
these are: We use water in many ways and we can save water by
Students will need to complete this assessment individually using word, clip art and possible Google images to assist
them.
The teacher will be looking at how well students portray their knowledge of water use and water conservation, how
they use colour and font, that they include at least 6 uses of water and 4 ways to save water, use ICT, and their use
of time/participation.
Students will be provided with a design brief, rubric and checklist when completing their assessment.
The summative assessment will be used in conjunction with the formative assessments throughout the unit to give
students an overall grade.

Formative Assessment Strategies

Strategic Questioning
By continuously asking students questions throughout the unit helps the teacher gauge how the students are
progressing with their knowledge on water and conservation. These questions help the teacher find holes in
students knowledge and adjust their teaching accordingly. The essential questions have been identified for each
section of the inquiry. However, the teacher will be continuously asking questions to evaluate student knowledge
and see what students need more help or which students could be extended.

Teacher Feedback
Teacher feedback is very important in any unit of work. It assists students in their learning and gives students
motivation to achieve their best. Throughout the unit the teacher will be marking work and leaving the students
comments in their books. This is written feedback however; students will also receive oral feedback throughout the
unit. It will be important for the teacher to make sure they reach every child for the majority of the lessons with
feedback.

Peer Feedback
Students will be given time throughout the unit to engage in class discussion as well as small group discussions. This
gives them the opportunity to ask class members for feedback on work, in particular their poster, and to bounce
ideas off each other. It can also be helpful for the teacher for students to find the answers they seek from peers and
help the teacher see where the students are at in their learning.
.

Student Self-assessment
Throughout the unit students will have the chance to reflect on the topic/lessons. They will reflect on what they
have learnt throughout the unit. Students will be asked a variety of questions but also asked to use the two stars and
a wish method at the end of some lessons to assess their continuing progress. During the making connections and
reflection stages students will write a self-assessment covering what they could improve on next time, what they
would like to learn more about, how they think they worked, what was the most interesting thing they learnt, and
what lesson they enjoyed the most and why.

Formative use of summative assessment

Briefly describe WHEN and HOW students will be supported to self assess their work e.g. exit cards at the end of each
For the summative assessment students will be given a design brief, checklist and rubric for them to refer to when
lesson and
completing the assessment, so they understand what is required of them. By asking the students to check off what
they have completed helps the students and teacher know where they are up to for the assessment .

Planning the Learning Activities

Using the Stages of Inquiry Learning
Tu ning In 1 lesson
- The unit will begin by the teacher asking the students what they know about water. What words they
associate with water etc. From this class discussion the class will create a word wall of everything they
thought of.
- The students will then be asked to talk with a partner and come up with some questions they have
about water and how we use water. These questions will be recorded on the IWB.
- The teacher will then introduce the question for the topic: How is water used and conserved?
- Students will then be grouped into pairs and asked to write down on the explain everything app things
they know about water and water use, things they want to find out and things we could do to find the
answer to our question.
Finding Out 2 lessons
- The lesson will begin with a book on water/water use.
- To begin to look at the uses for water the students will have a camera or Ipad per group of 4. The groups
will go around the school and take pictures of the uses of water they find.
- The students will then be shown a video on water.
- The students pictures of water use around the school will be displayed on the word wall.
- The students will be introduced to the experiment of how much water a dripping tap wastes over a
couple of days. The students will be asked what they think will happen, why it matters etc.
- The experiment will be set up and each day at a set time a group of students will take a picture of the
experiment and take down an informal measurement like how many finger widths the water level is up
to.
Sortin g Out 1-2 lessons
- The students will upload their photos of the experiment to the IWB and as a class they will look at the
results. The teacher will also display the informal measurements the students gathered.
- The class will discuss the results with the teacher asking questions like what do the results show, how
can we display the data, what does this data mean to us, how can we organize the data, is there
different ways we can show the data, can we do anything to stop the water wastage?
- The teacher will then show the students on the IWB how to enter the data into the graphing website
and create their own graph.
- The students will then create their own graphs either using the finger width measurements, mL
measurement or possibly using the pictures taken.
- The students will then be required to print their graph as well as post it to the class edmodo page (or
similar). Along with the graph the students must post their answers to these three questions: What does
your graph show you? How can it help us? What ways could we help stop water wastage?
G o ing F urt her 1 les s o n
- Students will discuss as a class different ways the school could save water. Students will be asked to go
home and ask their families how they save water.
- Students will then access the Scootle resources to see how their water usage at home affects the
wastage of water.
- They will then brainstorm some ways that they can save water at home and at school.
- The students will then be asked to do some research on water saving.
- If applicable a guest speaker would come into the classroom and talk about water use and conservation.

M a ki ng Co n cl us io n: S um m at i ve T as k 1 -2 les s o ns
- Students will be asked to think about what they have learnt over the unit. The class will discuss this as the teacher
writes their ideas on the IWB
- The students will be introduced to the summative assessment. They will be taken through the design brief and
rubric.
- Students will then go onto the computers and using word create their posters.
Ta ki ng A ct io n 1 l es s o n
- The students will print their posters and have them laminated. The class will then be split into halves. Half the class
will have their posters hung up in the library along with a class display. The other halves posters will be hung up
around the school. The posters highlight the uses of water and the ways we can save water.
- Students will be asked to complete a two stars and a wish reflection on their poster.

Reflection 1 lesson
-

To start students will be posed with hypothetical water scenarios for example:
1. What if the water coming out of the taps looked dirty? How might it affect our use of the water? What could we do
about the dirty water?
2. What if you could only have a specific amount (for example, bucket or jerry can) of water each day? How could you
manage the water available to you?
3. What if the water supply where you live was to be cut off for a specified period of time? What could you do?
4. What if we had a limited supply of water? How might it affect our life-style and what could we do about it?
Students could work in groups or pairs to work on their answers to the questions.
The teacher will then refer students to the word wall they started at the beginning of the unit. The class will discuss what
they learnt and what they thought of the unit.
Students will then be asked to reflect on the unit and do two stars and a wish for the whole unit.