Water analysis
This collection supports the House of Science resource kit - Water Analysis.(https://houseofscience.nz/)
Resources are grouped according to the kit's student activities. Please refer to the notes for the science ideas and concepts that underlie the activities.
The activities in the kit include:
- Stream habitat assessment – stream bed, algae, changes in water flow (pool, riffle, run), shading and stability and human impacts.
- Water quality – temperature, clarity, nitrogen content, pH
- Water velocity
- Stream bugs
Encouraging curiosity
Getting students hooked into learning - building their curiosity about the world around them
Rivers and Us – introduction
This article has lots of other links.
Inquiry and action learning process
This approach brings elements of Enviroschools and current pedagogical practice in a way that supports teachers to get deeper learning with their students in this context.
Rivers and Us – a context for learning
This article outlines support to bring this inquiry into the classroom
Wai words
Explore vocabulary and te reo Māori.
Wai Māori
Explore Māori perspectives about wai.
Water quality monitoring
Why do we need to monitor waterways?
Indicators of water quality – introduction
What do indicators tell us?
Water quality indicators
This interactive has short videos about how to monitor waterways using NIWA's SHMAK methodology.
New Zealand aquatic insects
Our aquatic insects are pretty amazing!
Testing the waters
Bringing in some literacy here to provide some integrated learning.
What action can we take?
Support action as a way of developing your student's key competencies.
Ake Ake – forever and ever
A fantastic model to explore with your class.
Students help restore mauri to the Oruarangi Stream
An example of a school taking action.
Wetlands – inquiry and action learning process
Water in our environment can also be found in local wetlands - they play an important part in our ecosystem and can be monitored for health as well.
Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust
Community action
Wetlands – the river’s kidneys
Wetlands are part of our waterways in New Zealand.