Lesson 4 and 5: How does flow through wetlands? Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes Suggested learning sequence cycle Use a sandpit and sandpit toys to Introduction – create a larger scale model. Note: If students have enough experience with the water cycle, you may choose to skip Take photos of catchment models as this lesson. they are being built during the flood, drought and pollution events. These Explore or review the water cycle using photos could be used for extra activities the Water Cycle Poster or the Total (see formative assessment Water Cycle Management Poster opportunities for this lesson), or to (depending on students’ prior make a book about the water cycle as knowledge of the water cycle) from the an extra literacy activity. Department of Environment and Resource Management Water Wise Students can draw a diagram of their Program (See for web sites’ ‘useful completed model to help cement their links). understanding of the water cycle. Put key words of the water cycle onto Discuss and make conclusions about the word wall. Ask students to use their what happens when there is too much knowledge from the Reef Beat poster in water, or when there is not enough to Lesson 2 and 3 to identify where the flow through the catchment. Who or wetlands are on the Water Cycle what is affected by too much water and Poster. Identify the wetlands as the lack of water? freshwater or saltwater wetlands. Activity Water flow through wetlands – Discuss and make a conclusion about how far the dye travels when it is Create a miniature catchment to introduced into the water cycle. Who or demonstrate how water flows through what is affected by the pollution (dye)? wetlands and can be affected by flood Do the wetlands catch and filter some and drought (natural events) as well as of the pollution? pollution (human influenced event). Use coloured dye in water to represent the Use knowledge from the wetland filter pollution to see how far it spreads. experiment or demonstration in Lesson Ideas to build the catchment model 2 and 3 to discuss and draw could be: conclusions about the importance of wetlands on filtering water as it enters Building a simple wetland in a tray the ocean. using play dough or clay to create a water path with sponges or Review with students the scientific materials of differing texture and vocabulary pertinent to this lesson (See absorbency to act as wetlands. Use Resource 1– Word bank for suggested twigs or toys to represent animals and plants.
Lesson 4 and 5: How does flow through wetlands? Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes Suggested learning sequence Introduction – cycle Note: If students have enough experience with the water cycle, you may choose to skip this lesson. Explore or review the water cycle using the Water Cycle Poster or the Total Water Cycle Management Poster (depending on students’ prior knowledge of the water cycle) from the Department of Environment and Resource Management Water Wise Program (See ‘useful web sites’ for links). Put key words of the water cycle onto the word wall. Ask students to use their knowledge from the Reef Beat poster in Lesson 2 and 3 to identify where the wetlands are on the Water Cycle Poster. Identify the wetlands as freshwater or saltwater wetlands. Activity – Water flow through wetlands Create a miniature catchment to demonstrate how water flows through wetlands and can be affected by flood and drought (natural events) as well as pollution (human influenced event). Use coloured dye in water to represent the pollution to see how far it spreads. Ideas to build the catchment model could be: Building a simple wetland in a tray using play dough or clay to create a water path with sponges or materials of differing texture and absorbency to act as wetlands. Use twigs or toys to represent animals and plants. Use a sandpit and sandpit toys to create a larger scale model. Take photos of catchment models as they are being built during the flood, drought and pollution events. These photos could be used for extra activities (see formative assessment opportunities for this lesson), or to make a book about the water cycle as an extra literacy activity. Students can draw a diagram of their completed model to help cement their understanding of the water cycle. Discuss and make conclusions about what happens when there is too much water, or when there is not enough to flow through the catchment. Who or what is affected by too much water and the lack of water? Discuss and make a conclusion about how far the dye travels when it is introduced into the water cycle. Who or what is affected by the pollution (dye)? Do the wetlands catch and filter some of the pollution? Use knowledge from the wetland filter experiment or demonstration in Lesson 2 and 3 to discuss and draw conclusions about the importance of wetlands on filtering water as it enters the ocean. Review with students the scientific vocabulary pertinent to this lesson (See Resource 1– Word bank for suggested