Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students work in pairs to review the important issue of sustainable use of water resources. Students also discover the most appropriate way to find credible information about this issue on the internet.
Students are given time to find internet material that they evaluate according to a set of criteria.
Students identify websites that are credible, useful, and informative.

Learning goals:

  • Student evaluate the sources of information about water resources found on the internet. Justifying claims about the credibility of websites.
  • Students identify what information is needed to make informed decisions about the allocation of water resources.

Australian Curriculum Mapping 

Content descriptions:

Year 9 Science

  • People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions (ACSHE160)
  • Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS172)

 Year 9 English

  • Interpret, analyse and evaluate how different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are constructed to serve specific purposes in texts (ACELY1742)

Year 10 Science

  • People can use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they should accept claims, explanations or predictions (ACSHE194)
  • Critically analyse the validity of information in secondary sources and evaluate the approaches used to solve problems (ACSIS206)

Year 10 English

  • Use comprehension strategies to compare and contrast information within and between texts, identifying and analysing embedded perspectives, and evaluating supporting evidence (ACELY1754)

Syllabus Outcomes: SC5-13ES, SC5-7WS, SC5-8WS, EN5-2A. 

Topic: Water 

Year levels: 9 and 10

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor

Time required:  2 x 45 mins.

Learning areas addressed: Science, Geography, English, ICT.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Assist students with additional key words when searching, draw together students’ conclusions about the usefulness of internet material about water issues.

Resources required: Internet, writing materials Student Worksheet.

Homework and extension opportunities: None.

Keywords: water, sustainable, resource, evaluate. 

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

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Teacher preparation

Introduction

Water resources are a hot topic in almost every part of Australia. Is the material on the internet of any use for the average person to make sense of the issues involved? Is the material mostly opinion? When there are claims that there is evidence, can we be sure we are provided with all the evidence?

In this activity, students will use their critical analysis skills to evaluate on-line resources. Students will review a range of websites and decide if they are reliable resources.

Activity

Part 1: Review student's prior knowledge by discussing two or more of the following ideas as a class.

  • Water is a renewable resource that is replenished by the water cycle which is part of one of the major cycles that involves the atmosphere.
  • While water is a renewable resource it is in limited supply.
  • Water resources (dams, reservoirs, desalination plants) need to be, and are managed.
  • Water resources are required for different needs that also include
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Student Worksheet

Water is a valuable and essential resource for life. How do we know if the information about water resources on the internet is valid and reliable?

On-line resources make it easy to research and collect information about various issues, but it is up you, as a consumer of information, to make an informed decision about it's usefulness and reliability. Use the following table to help answer the question at the top of this page.

 

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY?
-Who wrote the page and are they an expert?
-Who sponsors the site?		 - What is the purpose of the site? - When was the site created?
- When was the site last updated?		 - Where does the information come from? - Why is this site better than any others?

 

 

WEBSITE WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY?

 

 

 

 

Which of the websites that you discovered was the most useful?

Briefly explain what made the website t

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