Activity Introduction

Quick summary: Students will collect data about the school’s plumbing. Using their data they will report on ways the plumbing can be improved so less water is wasted.  

Learning goals:

  • Students collect data about the school plumbing.
  • Students identify areas where improvements could be made to save water.
  • Students write a report with recommendations.

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

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)
  • Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218)

Year 5 Mathematics

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

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)
  • Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS221)

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. 

Topic: Water

Year levels: 5 and 6

Indoor or outdoor activity: Indoor/Outdoor

Time required: 90 mins

Learning areas addressed: Geography, Health and physical education (ICT if students use the online student worksheet).

Level of teacher scaffolding: Assist students with analyzing data.

Resources required: Data record sheets and writing materials.

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 

The focus on this audit is on plumbing.

An actual audit of water use is not presented as an activity. In a typical school about a third of the water used is through the toilets. Monitoring and collecting real data about toilet use is probably not practical.

Opening discussion

Discuss with students that they will be collecting data about the school’s plumbing. They will use their master maps from the previous activity to locate and inspect the plumbing. They will collect different kind of data for the major types of plumbing: taps, drinking fountains, toilets and garden/sports/lawn watering systems. 

Check out the water meter – collect water consumption data

Before the audit starts, students can check out the water meter and take a reading to see how much water is used each day, and how much water is used over the weekend.

Water meters give readings in kilolitres. There are different kind of meters. The school’s will probably have rotating numbers, but it cou

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Student Worksheet

Tap audit

Use a copy of the school's master map to locate the school’s taps. You might like to use a colour pen to number the taps on the map and use the number as a location. Check each tap. Then tick the boxes that apply to each tap.

Location Drips Easy to
turn off		 Hard to
turn off		 Hard to
turn on		 Pressure
needs
changing		 Tap needs
fixing

 

When completed use the data as part of a report. Highlight any aspects that require fixing. Explain what people need to do if the taps are not being used correctly.

Garden /lawn/sport field watering system

Use a copy of the master map to locate where the school’s watering systems are located.  The purpose of this audit is to look for evidence of too much water being used to water outdoor areas.

Location Water has
been running
down gutters		 Puddles after
watering		 Boggy
patches		 Type of
watering
system

When completed use the data as part of a report. Highlight any aspects that require fixing.

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