Getting to know water
Aotearoa is a landscape where water dominates our environment. Water is all around us. It surrounds us and forms our rivers, lakes and oceans. Even though we are surrounded by water, the amount of freshwater that we can access and use is quite small. Water is a taonga (a treasure of immense value) that needs to be looked after, protected and treasured.
Smart Water: Water is a taonga – slideshow
It is useful as a prompt to start discussions about students’ prior knowledge and experiences of water.
This is part of the Getting to know water activity.
This activity is part of a suite of resources that support Smart Water – a context for learning, which provides students and teachers with opportunities to connect with water and learn more about drinking water in the Waikato region. The science and mātauranga concepts that underpin Smart Water are transferable to other locations in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this activity, students are introduced to the context of freshwater through an engaging slideshow and a hands-on demonstration. Students reflect on their prior experiences and knowledge.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
describe the importance of clean freshwater
recognise their personal connections to water.
Download the Word file (see link below).
