Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students collect data about their personal and family water use. They use their data to identify where water consumption could be reduced.

Learning Goals:

  • Students understand the amount of water required for different activities varies greatly.
  • Students will collect data showing which activities require the most water.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 5 Mathematics

  • Pose questions and collect categorical or numerical data by observation or survey (ACMSP118)
  • Choose appropriate units of measurement for length, area,volume, capacity and mass (ACMMG108)

Year 5 Science

  • Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS087)

Year 6 Mathematics

  • Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with the same or related denominators (ACMNA126)
  • Connect volume and capacity and their units of measurement (ACMMG138)

Year 6 Science

  • Decide which variable should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS104)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST3-4WS, MA3-10MG, MA3-11MG, MA3-12MG, MA3-18SP, MA3-9MG, MA3‑1WM, MA3‑2WM, MA3‑3WM, MA3‑7NA. 

Topic: Water

Year levels: 5 and 6

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor/Outdoor

Time required: N/A – This activity should be set as homework or set over the period of one whole day (possibly a weekend).

Learning areas addressed: Mathematics.

Level of teacher scaffolding: Assist students in analysing their water usage and participate in activity if really keen!

Resources required: Printed worksheet and writing materials.

Homework and extension opportunities: This activity should be set as homework or set over the period of one whole day, which will need to be a weekend or holiday when everyone is more likely to be at home.

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

Collecting the data should not involve recording any personal information. This activity is an estimate of the water usage of a family for a day. It is best if the student collects the data over a weekend day. They only need an approximate number of toilet flushes. They don’t need to time showers.

Activity outline

Our water is one of our most precious resources. Every drop that we use is precious.

In this activity students will learn how much water each of our family daily activities uses. Some appliances have more detailed water consumption figures on the label, so if you can find them, replace with those figures.

In this activity your students will record their water use over the course of one whole day.

Using the Water Consumption Table (Page 1: Student Worksheet), ask your students to record the number of times they do each activity.

Using the Water Use Reckoner (Page 2: Student Worksheet) ask your students to calculate the amount of water that they used

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Student Worksheet

Water Consumption Table

Student Name:

Item Number of times/
minutes used		 Total litres of water per
item per day
Toilet: 1/2 flush
Toilet: full flush
Washing hands
Shower
Bath
Brushing teeth
Drink
Daily total:  

 

Water use reckoner

Item Usage
Shower: water efficient 9 litres per min
Shower: standard 18 litres per min
Toilet: dual flush 1/2 flush = 3 litres
full flush = 6 litres
Toilet: single flush 18 litres
Bath 120 litres
Washing machine 150 litres
Washing dishes: sink 10 litres per sink load
Garden hose 20 litres per sink load
Garden sprinkler 10 litres per minute
Cleaning hands 5 litres per minute
Cleaning teeth 5 litres per time
Drink 1-5 litres

(Source: Plan'it Water)

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