Teachers’ notes
Environmental Studies
Topic: WaterSense
Class: Primary 4-6
Curriculum Links
Knowledge and Understanding – People and place
Human-physical interactions – Level B (Pupils able to...)
• Give some ways in which everyday resources are conserved or recycled locally (waste water treatment)
Human-physical interactions – Level C (Pupils able to...)
• Describe ways in which resources in Scotland are conserved and recycled (waste water treatment)
Human-physical interactions – Level D (Pupils able to...)
• For a selected land use change or industrial process, describe possible effects, good and bad, on the landscape/environment (waste water treatment)
• Describe some methods used and the reasons for conserving major resources (water)
Knowledge and Understanding – Living things and the processes of life
Interaction of living things with their environment – Level B (Pupils able to...)
• Give examples of feeding relationships found in the local environment ( web of life in Forfar Loch)
• Construct simple food chains
Interaction of living things with their environment – Level C (Pupils able to...)
• Explain how living things and the environment can be protected and give examples (be responsible about what goes down the drain and reduced use of phosphates)
Interaction of living things with their environment – Level D (Pupils able to...)
• Describe examples of human impact on the environment that have brought about beneficial changes and examples that have had detrimental effects (use of phosphates in detergents)
Knowledge and Understanding – Earth and Space
Materials from Earth – Level B (Pupils able to …)
• Explain why water conservation is important (impact of phosphates on wildlife and people)
Changing Materials Level B (pupils able to…)
• Give examples of common causes of water pollution (Phosphates in washing powders)
Developing Informed Attitudes
Respect and care for others
• Thinking through the various consequences for living things/environment
of different choices
Social and environmental responsibility
• Considering sustainable ways of using and conserving an important natural resource
• Thinking through the various consequences for living things/environment of different choices
• The interplay between meeting people’s needs through use of materials/technology, money and time while minimizing harmful effects on the natural environment
Watersense also meets the needs of cross curricular themes such as
Personal and Social Education: self awareness and determination, interdependence
Citizenship: ability to transfer knowledge and skills to solve problems, problem solving, critical thinking, decision making.
Resources
• Watersense Leaflet & Watersense Schools Information Sheet
• Forfar Loch Ranger Service. Forfar Loch Country Park, Craig o’ Loch Road, Forfar, DD8 IBT. Tel. (01307) 461118. For help and information telephone the Ranger Service to discuss your plans and requirements.
• Scottish Water’s Education Website (www.scottishwater.co.uk) and Support Materials
• WWF’s website for teachers, www.wwflearning.co.uk
• Water section in the Eco Schools Handbook from Eco Schools, Islay House, Livilands Lane, Stirling, FK2 2BG Tel 01786 468233/4 www.eco-schools.org.uk
Key questions/learning activities
1. Where does our clean water come from?
In our country, where we just have to turn on a tap to get clean water,
it can be easy to forget how important clean water is. In other countries
people are not so fortunate. The World Health Organisation estimates
that 80% of all sickness and disease can be traced back to poor water
and sanitation. So if water is so important to our health, where does
our clean water come from and how does water from rivers and reservoirs
get turned into drinking water?
2. Why is it important not to waste water?
Over 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water but 99% of
it is either salty sea water or frozen polar ice. All the living things
on our planet share just 1% of the world’s water. Although Scotland
may seem like a very wet country, water is still a precious resource.
The way that we use water had a big impact on the environment both locally
and globally.
3. What happens to the water that goes down the drain?
There are over 5 million people in Scotland and everyone needs to wash,
go to the toilet, clean their clothes and wash their dishes – but
when we’ve finished doing these things we usually just pull out
the plug or flush the toilet, then forget about it. That’s a lot
of dirty water going down the drain and some of it contains some really
unpleasant things. So where does our wastewater go and what happens to
it? expand
4. What else sometimes goes down the drain?
There are many types of drain; toilets, sinks, washing machine and dishwater
outlets, drainpipes and street drains. With wastewater coming from so
many different sources, it’s not just water that ends up going
down the drain. All sorts of things end up in the sewers – some
are meant to be there and some definitely shouldn’t be. expand
5. What should we do with things that aren’t
meant to go down the drain?
Putting the wrong things down the drain can cause all sorts of problems
from blocked pipes to serious environmental pollution. Being aware of
what goes down your drains is a simple and easy way that we can all help
the environment. If you’re not sure if it’s safe to put certain
things down the drain, there is lots of advice available from your water
company and your local council can usually safely dispose of these things
for you.
6. What effect do the detergents that go down the drain
have on the environment?
We all like clean clothes and in the UK we carry out 17 million washes
every day! But when it comes to keeping things clean we are sometimes
a bit too enthusiastic and use more detergent than we really need to.
Here in Scotland we also have soft water and some of the detergents
we use are stronger than they need to be. Many of these detergents
contain
phosphates and when too much of these phosphates get into rivers and
lochs they can cause a lot of environmental damage.
7. How can we protect the environment from the effects
of phosphates from detergents?
Reducing the amount of phosphates that enter our rivers and lochs,
and reducing the damage they cause, is easy. Buying phosphate-free
or low
phosphate detergents (less then 5%) helps a lot. Using the right
amount of detergent is also very important, so checking the instructions
on
the packet and measuring the amount you use will also make a difference.
Download this information in PDF format.
For further information please contact WWF Scotland: phone 01350 728200, email info@watersense.org.uk, or write to WaterSense, c/o WWF Scotland, Little Dunkeld, Dunkeld, PH8 0AD
