SCHOOL DIRECTORY
Catholic Education South Australia
HLB-6.jpg

Water is a resource that is both abundant and scarce. 

Inquiry Questions

What is water and what is it made of?
Where does the water we use come from and where does it go?

Australian Curriculum

Cool Australia

Cool Australia creates units of work and learning that can be downloaded and used directly in the classroom. There is as digital library to support the learning that contains videos, images, infographics, research and news articles. 

Link: Cool Australia Investigation

In this investigation, students can use objects from their home to observe the water cycle. The website also has links to other mini-investigations that can be set within the family home. 

 

PBL Works

PBL works, formerly the Buck Institute of Education, provides project based learning insights, resources, and sample projects. 

Link: PBL Works water project

Although aimed at a year 11 chemistry level, this is a famous project based learning program looking at water quality. It is well resourced, and can be used as an inspiration for local water quality, or home water quality, projects. 

 

Science Alert

Science Alert provides a weekly infographic titled: The Science News You Need to Know This Week. 

Link: This week in science

The Science Alert infographic can be used as a prompt for weekly “Science as a Human Endeavour” discussions to create a routine of critical thinking and communication within the remote classroom. Typically there is a news piece each week that can be linked to the current learning of the classroom. 

 

Considerations and strategies for EAL Learners

Show students the morphemic breakdown of words where possible, so that they can use this in other instances to decode unfamiliar vocabulary (for example, non + renew + able). 

Predictions involve hypothesising. This requires the use of conditional language structures, which entails using multiple verb structures and tenses.  Provide clear models of conditional sentence structures for EAL/D students to follow (for example, I think that x will happen if y occurs). 

When reading about abstract concepts, EAL/D students may become lost in the information. Use visuals, models and labelled diagrams to support students’ understanding.  

Explicitly model the text structures, language and tenses required through classroom modelling and the use of exemplar texts and/or guided writing outlines.