Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students engage in a whole-class exercise/game that explores the topic of water, then use a stimulus text to create an exercise exploring the topic of water. In ensuing lessons, the class can participate in some of the exercises that are devised.

Activity developed in partnership with  tasmania_hydro_200x84_300pxl

Hydro Tasmania has been at the forefront of clean energy innovation for one hundred years. It is Australia’s largest producer of clean energy – generating hydro and wind power – and the largest water manager. Hydro Tasmania has 55 major dams, operates 30 hydropower stations and has built some of Australia’s largest wind farms.

Hydro Tasmania also sells energy in the National Electricity Market through its retail business Momentum Energy, and sells its expertise internationally through its consulting business Entura. Visit the Hydro Tasmania website to learn how the business is working towards Australia’s clean energy future.

Learning goals:

  • Students engage in whole-class exercises and activities.
  • Students respond to a stimulus text to devise a practical exercise.
  • Students engage in group collaboration.
  • Students reflect on their own and others’ participation in logbook entries.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking, Personal and social capability, Ethical understanding.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.1, OI.8.

Australian Curriculum content description:

Year 3 & 4 Drama:

  • Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships and create dramatic action with a sense of time and place (ACADRM032).
  • Shape and perform dramatic action using narrative structures and tension in devised and scripted drama, including exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drama (ACADRM033).

Syllabus Outcomes: DRAS2.2, DRAS2.3

Topic: Hydro Tasmania, Energy.

Time required: 60 mins.

Level of teacher scaffolding: High – oversee sample game, assist students with creating and testing games, facilitate discussion.

Resources required: Sample Game Worksheet  (the Animal Race Cards should be cut up and placed in a hat/bag). Student Worksheet (one copy per student OR computers/tablets to access the online worksheet).

Digital technology opportunities: Digital sharing capabilities.

Homework and extension opportunities: Includes opportunities for homework and extension.

Keywords: Water, hydropower, game, Hydro Tasmania.

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

Overarching learning goal: In this activity students are asked to engage in whole-class exercises and activities, respond to a stimulus text by devising a practical exercise, and engage in group collaboration. Finally, students reflect on their own and others’ participation in this activity.

Teacher background information: Energy is the lifeblood of our modern life. It gives us light and keeps our food fresh. It powers our industry, fuels our cars, and charges our iPhones. Our energy is produced by burning fossil fuels and this has a range of environmental, social and economic impacts. One of the most significant is the emission of greenhouse gases. A solution is the transition to clean energy sources. The brilliant thing is that we have huge amounts of free, renewable and clean supplies of natural energies. These include sunlight, wind, running water, oceans and underground hot rocks.

According to the Clean Energy Australia Report 2013:

  • 14.76% of Australia's
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Student Worksheet

Thought starter: What can we do to stay safe when playing around water?

Now that you have played a game with the class, get into a group of 3, 4 or 5 and create an original group game. Your game must be related to the topic of water, with a focus on one or more of the ideas mentioned in the stimulus text below. Read it as a class.

First ... an introduction to Hydro Tasmania

Hydro Tasmania provides electrical energy for the people of Tasmania, Australia’s island state.

The word ‘hydro’ means ‘water’. Hydro Tasmania has thirty hydropower stations in Tasmania and a wind farm on an island in Bass Strait. Hydro Tasmania operates two wind farms on mainland Tasmania under a joint venture. Hydro Tasmania catches the electrical energy from these sources and sends it to places where it is needed, to power people’s homes and businesses. The information below focuses on water.

Stimulus Text

Read the text below, which has been taken in part from Hydro Tasmania’s website.

Water

It’s the most

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