AuSSI Water Use Audit - Upper Primary

Activity Introduction

Quick summary: In this activity students conduct an audit of water use at their school. The aim of the activity is to: use the school water meters to find out how much water your school uses in an average week and what the usage patterns are; find out where water is being used wisely at your school; find out where water is being wasted and sites of improvement; and communicate findings to the school community.

This lesson can be used when working on the Water Module of ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Certification. By completing this lesson you will have completed the following actions:

Water Checklist Compulsory Actions:

A1 – Have you completed an audit to assess water usage and stormwater collection around your school?
A1 – Have you collected data on past water usage for at least two years?
A1 – Has this data been entered as your baseline data?

Checklist data goals:

No official data goals.

Australian Curriculum Links:

Cross curriculum priorities	Sustainability – OI.1 – The biosphere is a dynamic system providing conditions that sustain life on Earth.
General capabilities	Numeracy, Critical and creative thinking
Explicit content description	Geography Year 5 Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary and secondary sources (ACHASSI095) Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI105) Reflect on learning to propose personal and/or collective action in response to an issue or challenge, and predict the probable effects (ACHASSI104)
	Geography Year 6 Locate and collect relevant information and data from primary and secondary sources (ACHASSI123) Present ideas, findings, viewpoints and conclusions in a range of texts and modes that incorporate source materials, digital and non-digital representations and discipline-specific terms and conventions (ACHASSI133) Reflect on learning to propose personal and/or collective action in response to an issue or challenge, and predict the probable effects (ACHASSI132)

Syllabus Outcomes: GE3-4.

Connecting lessons: Stormwater audit – must be completed as a compulsory action.

Resources required: Map of school grounds (if no hard copy available, use Google Maps), access to school water meter, internet access, student worksheet.

Digital technology opportunities: Google Maps, desktop publishing tools, digital sharing capabilities.

Keywords: Water, audit, school, water meter, taps, fountains, toilets, watering system.

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Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher preparation:

Overarching learning goal:

Students understand how to read a water meter and recognise ways to interpret meter data.
Students recognise where their school is already using water wisely.
Students recognise sites where water could be used more efficiently.

Teacher content information: Cast your mind back to the big drought we had from 1997 – 2009. Eight out of ten Australians were on water restrictions. Some of us even stopped watering our driveways. However, now that the rains have returned it seems that our efforts to save water have been washed away. But think about this: fresh water is the most precious resource on Earth. It is essential for the survival of all living things. Did you know that the water you drink today is the same water that the dinosaurs enjoyed? The water just keeps cycling around the Earth! Human's depend on water for drinking, eating, energy, entertainment, and transport. One could say Australian's have water on tap - but what hap

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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: How much water do you use when flushing the toilet?

The aim of conducting this water audit is to:

Find out how much water your school uses in an average week and what the usage patterns are;
Find out where water is being used wisely at your school;
Find out where water is being wasted and sites of improvement; and
Communicate your findings to the school community.

School water meter

Record the water meter reading first thing in the morning and last thing in the afternoon for eight days (excluding on the weekend). From the data calculate the amount of water used during school hours and after school hours.

Day and time	Meter reading
Monday morning
Monday afternoon
Tuesday morning
Tuesday afternoon
Wednesday morning
Wednesday afternoon
Thursday morning
Thursday afternoon
Friday morning
Friday afterno

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Activity: AuSSI Water Use Audit – Upper Primary

Activity Introduction

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