Wonderful Water: - The Tesco Eat Happy Project

Wonderful Water:
Activity ideas to support
the Online Field Trip
LESSON ACTIVITY PLANS
Age group: 7 - 11 years
1
Age 7-11 Activity ideas to support the Online Field Trip for water.
Key Words
Liquid, transparent, water vapour, atom, molecule, hydrogen, oxygen,
evaporate, freshwater, saline, ocean, sea, river, stream, reservoir,
canal, lake, pond, onomatopoeia, water cycle, current, dissolve, cells,
dehydrate, beverage, purification, filter, mineral, spring, carbonated.
Activities
Here are a set of activities to support the Online Field Trip
about water. The intention is to provide a range of activities
that span the curriculum and motivate children to want to
learn about water – why it is so essential to all living things
and so vital to our everyday lives. After the introduction,
the activities are listed in a structured order to progress
children through the topic and finish with a variety of extension
ideas. Feel free to select the activities that suit the needs of your class.
Introducing Water
• Start by giving each child a cup of water. Ask them to look, smell and taste it. Invite the children to describe
the water. Discuss the fact that water is a tasteless, colourless, odourless, transparent liquid.
• Invite comments from the children about why they think water is important. Discuss the fact that all living
things need water to survive. We also use water for many other different things.
• Ask the children to comment on how water can change its form. Discuss the fact that water is a liquid but
will freeze at 0°c to form a solid (ice) and boil at 100°c to form a gas (water vapour/steam).
• Tell the children that water is a molecule made up of two hydrogen gas atoms and one oxygen gas atom,
which is why it is sometimes referred to a H2O. When these three atoms come together, they form a strong
bond called a water molecule and that bond can last for billions of years.
Water on Earth
• Explain that water covers approximately 70% of the Earth’s
surface, which makes it the most common substance
we have. Approximately 97% of that water is saline
(salty) and only 3% of it is freshwater.
• Find out how much children know about water
on Earth by sharing the picture and fact cards
[WaterOnEarth_7-11_Water]. Ask the children to
note where salt water and freshwater are found and
also to spot which bodies of water are natural and
which are man-made.
2
Consider the following information:
1 Oceans
Very large bodies of salt water that cover two thirds of the earth’s surface. We have five oceans around the world. They are called:-
PACIFIC
OCEAN
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
SOUTHERN
OCEAN
ARCTIC
OCEAN
2 Seas
Smaller bodies of salt water than oceans and partly or fully enclosed by land. We have over fifty seas around
the world. The largest are the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the South China Sea, the Bering Sea
and the Gulf of Mexico.
3 Rivers Large natural streams of water that flow to the sea, a lake or another river. Rivers contain freshwater and
flow in a channel. The bottom of the channel is called the ‘bed’ and the sides are the ‘banks’. Rivers have
a current that keep them moving.
4 Streams
Small, narrow rivers of freshwater that have a current.
5 Lakes(Or Lochs in Ireland and Scotland) Large areas of deep water surrounded by land. They can be natural or
man-made. Most lakes contain freshwater but without a stream draining water away from the lake, it can
become salty. Lakes must have a continual source of new water or they will eventually dry up. Lakes may sometimes have currents.
6 Ponds Small areas of still, freshwater, different from lakes because they are not so deep. They can be natural or
man-made. They may be fed by a small stream and tend to have more plant life than lakes.
7 Reservoirs Artificial, man-made lakes formed by building a dam across a river. They fill up with water when it rains
and the water can then be stored to use later as a water supply.
8 Canals
Long man-made channels of water, built to allow the passage of boats or ships or to carry water for irrigation.
Sometimes called artificial waterways. Canals often connect existing lakes, rivers, seas and oceans.
• After you have shared and discussed the information on the eating water cards, invite the children to think of other bodies
of water that may not have been included. They may think of ‘lagoon’, ‘brook’, ‘marsh’, ‘harbour’, ‘creek’ or ‘swamp’.
Encourage the children to investigate any suggestions and share with the class anything they find out.
The Water Cycle
• Talk to the children about how water is constantly recycled in a process called ‘the water cycle’.
The process involves heat from the sun causing water to evaporate from all the wet
surfaces of the Earth. Water vapour rises to form clouds that then fall as rain.
• With the children, look at the information sheet for the water cycle
[TheWaterCycle_7-11_Water]. Each stage of the water cycle is explained
and fits together to form a continuous circle, but the stages have been mixed
up. Ask the children to colour the diagrams, cut out each section, and fit the circle
back together in the correct order.
The correct order of the cycle is as follows:
1 Heat from the sun causes water to evaporate from the Earth’s wet surfaces.
2 The water vapour rises into the air, cools and condenses to form tiny water droplets.
3 Water droplets gather together to form clouds.
4 The clouds are carried away by currents of air until they meet cool air.
5 The cool air causes the water droplets to form larger drops, which fall as rain, sleet or snow.
6 The water soaks into the ground and most of it flows downhill back into the oceans and seas.
• Children may ask why rain isn’t salty. This is because, when water is evaporated from oceans and seas, it is only water
vapour that rises into the air, the salt does not. This is why seas and oceans become saltier as time passes. You can show
the children how this works by dissolving some salt in a glass of water. See how many teaspoons of salt you can add to
the water until it will no longer dissolve. If you then leave the glass of water in a warm place, the water will evaporate and
leave the salt behind.
3
Water and Living Things
• Explain to the children that water is not just on the
Earth’s surface, but also inside living things,
including the human body, animals and plants.
The human body is roughly 50-70% water and
we lose approximately three litres of our water
every day through urine or sweat, or simply by
breathing it out as water vapour. It is important
that we drink water to replace what we lose,
otherwise our bodies will shut down.
• Share the poem together:
I’m Made of Water.
Copies are available to download
[I’mMadeOfWater_7-11_Water].
I’m Made of Water
Wonderf
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water
- i’m made of
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W
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Won
IVITY
LESSON ACT
PLANS
Age group: 7
LESSON
ACTIVITY
PLANS
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Two thirds of my body is water
That’s a terribly large part of me
And the water is my main component
Though it’s not something that I can see
I have more water than I have organs
I have more water than I have blood
I have more water than I have muscles
It’s a wonder there isn’t a flood
Every cell of my body needs water
A bit like an engine needs oil
Without it my body would wither
And dry like some unwatered soil
Water is good at transporting
Nutrients and oxygen
It carries them all round my body
And then whizzes them all round again
Water is keeping my body
From getting too hot or too cold
And it helps to flush out all the toxins
That are bad for me, so I am told
So it’s good that I drink lots of water
And then I will not dehydrate
The water is helping my body
To keep in a good healthy state
Cut along dotted
line
er
my body is wat
Two thirds of
me
large part of
That’s a terribly main component
is my
er
wat
the
And
t I can see
something tha
Though it’s not
e organs
hav
I
n
er tha
I have more wat than I have blood
er
s
I have more wat
I have muscle
n
tha
er
wat
d
I have more
there isn’t a floo
It’s a wonder
er
body needs wat
Every cell of my ine needs oil
eng
A bit like an
ld wither
wou
y
bod
Without it my
red soil
some unwate
And dry like
g
d at transportin
Water is goo
oxygen
Nutrients and
body
all round my
It carries them
round again
zzes them all
And then whi
body
my
Water is keeping
cold
too hot or too
From getting
toxins
h out all the
flus
to
s
help
And it
I am told
so
me,
for
That are bad
of water
t I drink lots
So it’s good tha not dehydrate
And then I will
body
my
ing
help
is
The water
e
d healthy stat
To keep in a goo
Two third
s of my bo
That’s a
dy is wate
terribly la
r
And the
rge part
water is
of me
my
Though it’
s not som main component
ething th
at I can se
e
I have m
ore wate
r than I ha
I have m
ve organs
ore wate
r
than I ha
I have m
ve blood
ore wate
It’s a wond r than I have mus
cles
er there isn
’t a flood
Every cell
of my bo
dy ne
A bit like
an engine eds water
Without
it my body needs oil
would w
And dry
ith
like some
unwatere er
d soil
Water is
good at
transporti
Nutrients
ng
and oxyg
It carries
en
them all
And then
round my
whizzes th
body
em all ro
und agai
n
Water is
keeping m
From getti
y body
ng
too hot or
And it he
to
o
lps to flu
cold
sh out al
That are
l the to
bad for m
e, so I am xins
told
So it’s go
od that I
drink lots
And then
of water
I will not
de
The wate
r is helpin hydrate
g my body
To keep in
a good he
althy sta
te
• Invite the children to pick out some of the parts of the poem that tell us what water does to keep our bodies healthy.
What do the children think would happen if we stopped drinking water? See if anyone knows how long we could
survive without it (between 4 and 7 days).
• The children will know that they drink when they are thirsty but ask what they think might make their bodies thirstier
than normal. Salty food, exercise, hotter temperatures and illness will often all cause our bodies to require more water.
• Invite comments as to why it is better to drink water than other drinks such as cordials or fizzy drinks. Although water
has no calories or nutrients and does not contain any sugar or additives it is vital to every cell of our bodies.
4
made of
wat
Eating Water
• Explain to the children that, although 80% of our water intake comes from
drinking water and other liquids, 20% comes from the food we eat. All food
contains water, even dry foods such as cereals. Many common foods have
a very high water content – particularly fruits and vegetables.
• Ask the children to bring in empty packets and food labels from home that
list water as an ingredient. Share findings amongst the class and ask the children
to create food choices that could help to keep them hydrated. Some examples
of food containing water are: ham, hard and soft cheese, custard,
yoghurt, tinned spaghetti hoops, baked beans and fruit juice. Use the
fruit and vegetable water content cards to play a Top Trumps style game
[EatingWaterCards_7-11_Water]. Play in groups of two. Deal out the cards
equally. Each child should look at their top card and choose to call out either
the item’s weight, the weight of the water, or the water content percentage
(usually the highest value). The other player then looks at their top
card to see if their item is a higher value for the category chosen.
If it is, they win the card and take the next turn. If the value is lower
or the same, they lose their card to the other player, who continues their
turn. The player with the most cards wins.
Creative Water
• Talk to the children about how water has been the inspiration for many artists and writers.
It takes many forms and can look beautiful in a natural setting, because
of this, it has inspired many artists and writers.
• The famous French painter Claude Monet created a water garden at his home
in Giverny [WaterlilyPond_7-11_Water], and painted 250 paintings of it.
Search online or use a reference book to view the famous painting
‘Water-Lily Pond’ by Monet. He described these paintings as “producing
the effect of an endless whole, of a watery surface with no horizon and
no shore”. Discuss the different colours that have been used to create
the water and how Monet has used light and shade to create the
impression of reflection.
• Using pastels, chalks or crayons, as the children to create their own
version of Monet’s famous painting.
• During a whole-class brainstorm, ask the children to suggest words
to describe water and make a list. Water is wonderfully descriptive
and is a lovely topic for creative writing. Use the vocabulary list that
the children have made as a class, plus the word bank of descriptive
words provided [WaterLanguage_7-11_Water] and ask the children
to complete a short piece of descriptive writing, or a poem, to describe
Monet’s painting. Share the finished work with the class.
• Whilst completing their creative writing, encourage the children to spot
examples of an ‘onomatopoeia’ (words that imitate the sound they make).
For example, ‘splash’ and ‘plop’ (extension activity for 9-11 year olds).
5
Tap Water
• Ask the children if they have ever thought about the
journey water has made before it comes out of our taps.
Explain that water has to be well purified in a water
treatment works before it reaches our homes.
• Use the tap water timeline [TapWaterTimeline_7-11_Water]
to explain the purification process.
Consider the following information:
1. Water is pumped deep underground from rivers or lakes
and stored in reservoirs.
2. Before it is treated, large debris such as leaves and twigs
are removed.
3. The water is filtered. Sometimes this is done through tanks of
sand – the sand traps any dirt and other particles as the water
trickles through. Sometimes the tiniest particles are removed
by creating a chemical reaction.
4. A small amount of chlorine is added to kill any bugs.
5. Once the water is treated, it is stored in covered reservoirs and then
pumped to our homes through a network of pipes.
• Ask the children to imagine they are a droplet of water about to be pumped
out of the river to be purified and taken to someone’s home, school or business.
They should write a fun description of what happens to them on their journey
from the river and where they eventually end up. In someone’s bath? Or in the
washing machine perhaps?
• Discuss the fact that, in Britain, we are lucky to have tap water that is clean and
safe to drink. In other countries this is not the case. Have the children travelled to
any countries where they have not been able to drink the tap water? Ask the children to think of the
difficulties they could encounter if their tap water was not safe to drink. Consider brushing teeth and
washing food.
Bottled Water
• Tell the children that, despite our tap water in Britain being perfectly safe to drink, bottled
water has become very popular. It is often sold as ‘mineral water’ or ‘spring water’ and
in Britain, we use three billion litres of bottled water every year.
• Look at some examples of bottled water and ask the children to examine the wording
on the packaging. If the label says ‘mineral water’ or ‘spring water’, the water has come
from an underground source, where it is bottled and therefore safe to drink without
any treatment. Some bottled water has had carbon dioxide added to it, making it
‘sparkling water’.
• Ask the children if they or their family purchase bottled water. Ask for their reasons
for doing this. What do the children think are the main reasons that bottled water
has become so popular? Does bottled water seem more pure or clean? Is it the idea
that it has added minerals and so is better for our health? Is it the convenience of
having a bottle to carry?
• Encourage the children to design a label for their own new brand of bottled water.
Discuss what colours and images should be used on the bottle to make it attractive
and suitable. Return to the descriptive words in the word bank
[WaterLanguage_7-11_Water] for inspiration with good marketing
language for water.
6
Speaking and
listening
Writing
Mathematics
Art and design
Design and
technology
Geography
Science
ENGLAND
SCOTLAND
Ask relevant questions to
extend their understanding
and knowledge.
Use relevant strategies to
build their vocabulary.
Maintain attention and
participate actively in
collaborative conversations,
staying on topic and initiating
and responding to comments.
Use spoken language to
develop understanding
through speculating,
hypothesizing, imagining and
exploring ideas.
I can show my
understanding of what
I listen to or watch by
responding to literal,
inferential, evaluative and
other types of questions,
and by asking different kinds
of questions of my own.
Identify key points and
follow up ideas through
question and comment,
developing response to
others in order to learn
through talk.
Participate in group and
class discussions for a
variety of curricular
purposes.
Share, respond to and
evaluate ideas, arguments
and points of view and
use evidence or reason to
justify opinions, actions or
proposals.
Identify and ask appropriate
questions to seek
information, views and
feelings.
Plan their writing by
identifying the audience for
and purpose of the writing,
selecting the appropriate form
and using other similar writing
as models for their own.
I am learning to use
language and style in a
way which engages and/or
influences my reader.
Writing in a range of forms.
Choose and use appropriate
vocabulary.
Express thoughts, feelings
and opinions in imaginative
and factual writing.
Solve problems involving
multiplying and adding.
Recall multiplication facts
for multiplication tables up
to 12 x 12.
Having explored the
patterns and relationships
in multiplication and
division, I can investigate
and identify the multiples
and factors of numbers.
Use their prior knowledge
to find mathematical facts
that they have not learned,
and to solve numerical
problems.
Engage in a range of
activities to develop
understanding of the four
operations of number; use
these operations to solve
problems.
To improve their mastery of
art and design techniques,
including drawing, painting
and sculpture with a range of
materials.
Learn about great artists in
history.
Inspired by a range of
stimuli, I can express and
communicate my ideas,
thoughts and feelings
through activities within art
and design.
I can respond to the work
of artists and designers by
discussing my thoughts
and feelings. I can give
and accept constructive
comment on my own and
others’ work.
Design and make twodimensional images using
a range of various materials
for a variety of purposes.
Be stimulated and inspired
by other artists.
Use a range of media,
materials, tools and
processes such as: drawing,
painting, printmaking,
malleable materials, textiles
and three-dimensional
construction, selecting
which is appropriate in
order to realize personal
ideas and intentions.
Look at and talk about the
work of artists.
Understand and apply the
principles of a healthy and
varied diet.
Understand seasonality,
and know where and how
a variety of ingredients are
grown.
When preparing and
cooking a variety of foods,
I am becoming aware of the
journeys which foods make
from source to consumer,
their seasonality, their
local availability and their
sustainability.
By investigating food
labeling systems, I can
begin to understand how to
use them to make healthy
food choices.
Classify food by commodity/
group and understand
the characteristics of a
broad range of ingredients,
including their nutritional,
functional and sensory
properties.
Describe and understand
key aspects of physical
geography.
I can describe the major
characteristic features of
Scotland’s landscape and
explain how these were
formed.
Identify and describe
natural and human
features.
Features of, and variations
in places, including physical,
human, climatic, vegetation
and animal life.
Identify that animals,
including humans, need the
right types and amount of
nutrition, and that they cannot
make their own food; they get
nutrition from what they eat.
Observe that some materials
change state when they are
heated or cooled.
I can apply my knowledge
of how water changes state
to help me understand the
processes involved in the
water cycle in nature over
time.
The need for a variety of
foods and exercise for
human good health.
Interdependence of people
and the environment
and how this has been
accelerated over time by
advances in transport and
communications.
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NORTHERN IRELAND