Activity: Clean Up Australia – It’s just a drop experiment: Year 5 & 6

Quick summary: Students will learn about water wastage and understand the importance of saving water. They will undertake a measuring task to see how much water leaks from a tap. Students will look at how water is wasted around the school and home and what actions they can undertake to conserve more water.

Following this lesson plan is an ideal way for your school to take part in Schools Clean Up Day. You’ll be joining thousands of amazing teachers in making a difference and creating positive environmental change.

Learning goals:

• Students investigate the water wastage at their school.
• Students analysis and evaluate primary data.
• Students begin to take responsibility for their personal water use.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 5 Science:

• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS231)
• Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate(ACSIS087)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218)
• Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)

Year 5 Mathematics:

• Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey (ACMSP118)

Year 6 Science:

• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS232)
• Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate(ACSIS104)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS221)
• Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS110)

Year 6 Mathematics:

• Interpret and compare a range of data displays, including side-by-side column graphs for two categorical variables (ACMSP147)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, MA3-18SP, MA3‑1WM, MA3‑3WM. 

Time required: 60 mins

Resources required: Buckets, measuring cylinder, timers.

Digital learning opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Get the students to conduct the same experiment at home.

Keywords: Water, Clean Up Day, waste, experiment.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Schools Clean Up Day