Smart Water – integrated inquiry cycle
The Smart Water inquiry cycle encourages students to think about water as a natural resource and take action for conservation.
Select a label for links to additional information.
This interactive groups Smart Water and Hub resources within the stages of an inquiry cycle.
Click on the labels for links to supporting articles, activities, media and downloadable PDFs.
The article Smart Water – a context for learning provides pedagogical suggestions.
Transcript
Connect with water
In the first stage of the inquiry, students connect with the context of freshwater. They establish their prior knowledge and experiences and start a learning inquiry.
Using an inquiry process develops essential skills as students become involved in finding information, examining different points of view, communicating with others and problem solving for environmental action and improvement. Providing support and guidance of the process for students is key for successful learning and action outcomes.
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Engage and understand
Students engage with deeper learning with topics including te mana o te wai – the first right for water being with the water, water collection in catchments and global water perspectives.
This step develops thinking skills and information gathering to delve more deeply into the topics. It supports the science capabilities ‘Gather and interpret data’, ‘Use evidence’ and ‘Critique evidence’.
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Reflect on water use
At this stage of the inquiry, students are encouraged to investigate how much water they use and explore the drinking water treatment process.
This step also involves thinking skills and information gathering to delve more deeply into the use of water as a natural resource. It supports the science capabilities ‘Gather and interpret data’, ‘Use evidence’ and ‘Critique evidence’.
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Find your flow
Aotearoa New Zealand has an abundance of freshwater, but water is not something we should take for granted. As the population increases and water supplies are challenged with human impacts and climate change, a plentiful supply of drinking water in the future is not guaranteed.
At this stage, students reflect on their inquiry to summarise their findings and examine issues in their communities.
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Smart water use
This stage of the Smart Water inquiry cycle is using new knowledge and understandings to make a difference and save water.
Taking action enables students to participate and contribute with science in an authentic context. Communicating information is an effective means to engage with the community and to potentially get others involved with ongoing or future action. It also provides cross-curricular opportunities in speaking, writing and presenting.
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Activities
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External resources
Acknowledgment
This resource has been produced with the support of Smart Water.
