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Te Mana o te Wai: Water in Our Lives - Coggle Diagram
Te Mana o te Wai: Water in Our Lives
Te Ao Māori Connections
Mana whenua perspectives:
learning about the relationship between local mana whenua and the local awa, including its Māori name and cultural significance where appropriate.
Whanaungatanga:
working together with classmates, whānau, and the wider community to care for local waterways.
Te reo Māori:
using vocabulary such as wai, awa, roto, puna, moana, taonga, and kaitiakitanga throughout the unit.
Kaitiakitanga:
developing a sense of responsibility to protect freshwater environments for present and future generations.
Wai as a taonga:
recognising the cultural, spiritual, environmental, and physical significance of water.
Mathematics
Contexts for learning
Investigate a local freshwater ecosystem by measuring and collecting environmental data.
Understand our daily water use.
Compare household water usage.
Learning Experiences
Statistics
Date collection:
Collect class data during fieldwork
Data display:
Create tally charts; Organise data into tables
Interpreting graphs:
Construct bar graphs, dot plots or line graphs
Comparing datasets:
Compare results between different sampling sites; Identify patterns and trends
Making evidence-based conclusions
Measurement
Measure water temperature (°C)
Measure stream width or depth (m or cm)
Estimate and measure distances along the stream
Measure the amount of litter collected/used
Read household water bill and understand usage and cost
Pedagogical Approaches
Hands-on Learning & Manipulatives
to develop measurement understanding through practical experiences using tools.
For example:
Use measuring cylinders to investigate water volume.
Use rulers/measuring tapes to measure width and depth.
Teacher uses
Talk Moves
to support students to articulate and refine their thinking.
Rich mathematical tasks:
Engage in open-ended, authentic mathematical investigations connected to the contexts.
Collaborative Learning:
Work in groups as researchers from data collection to presenting their findings
Culturally Sustaining:
Explore wai through local contexts and mātauranga Māori perspectives, recognising water as a taonga.
Literacy
Learning Experiences
Step 1. Read and analyse
persuasive letters, speeches and articles.
Step 3. Research and gather evidence
from science learning about freshwater ecosystems and water conservation to support persuasive arguments.
Step 4. Participate
in classroom discussions and debates to develop and justify viewpoints.
Step 5. Plan
arguments and supporting evidence using a persuasive writing organiser.
Step 6. Draft, revise and publish
a persuasive letter to the principal or local council advocating for actions to save water or protect local waterways.
Step 2. Identify
persuasive techniques (facts, emotive language, rhetorical questions, strong arguments, call to action).
Contexts for Learning
Freshwater protection within the local community.
Water conservation
Water as a valuable resource
Freshwater ecosystem
Pedagogical Approaches
Explicit teaching
using the writing process (plan, draft, revise, edit, publish).
Mentor texts
to analyse the structure, language features, and persuasive techniques used in effective letters and speeches.
Oral language activities
(discussion, debate) to develop ideas before writing.
Vocabulary instruction
using persuasive and topic-specific language.
Scaffolding
through the gradual release of responsibility (modelled writing, shared writing, guided writing, independent writing).
Talk & Reflect
with peer for feedback and self-assessment using success criteria.
STEPS framework:
Set-up, Teach, Engage, Show you know
Health & Physical Education
Contexts for Learning
Importance of clean water for health and wellbeing
Hydration and healthy lifestyle choices
Personal hygiene and sanitation
Water and community wellbeing
Water conservation and responsible decision-making
Connections between environmental health and human health
Learning Experiences
Step 1. Investigate
why our bodies need water
Step 2. Monitor
our daily water intake
Step 3. Compare
healthy drinks with sugary & fizzy drinks
Step 4. Explore
how hygiene prevents illness (clean water, handwashing)
Step 5. Discuss
water access in different communities and countries
Step 6. Participate in outdoor activities
while learning safe hydration practices
Step 7. Develop
a "Water Wise" poster promoting healthy and sustainable water habits.
Pedagogical Approaches
Whole school approach
Real-life problem solving
Health promotion
Inquiry-based learning
Student-centred discussion
Science
Contexts for Learning
Freshwater ecosystem
Pedagogical Approaches
Hands-on scientific investigation
Ākonga explore water properties and environmental issues through experiments.
Collaborative discussion
Ākonga share observations, discuss evidence, and justify scientific explanations.
Inquiry-based learning
Ākonga develop questions, investigate, collect evidence, and construct explanations.
Learning Experiences
Step 1. Build prior knowledge
by exploring the features of freshwater ecosystems, including habitats, food chains, biodiversity, and scientific vocabulary through videos, images, and class discussions.
Step 2. Explore
the plants, animals, and habitats found in freshwater ecosystems through pictures, videos, and class discussions.
Step 3. Conduct a field investigation
at a local stream or wetland to observe living and non-living things, record evidence, and collect data.
Step 4. Investigate
the health of the stream or wetland by observing water quality indicator (i.e. signs of clean or polluted water).
Step 5. Discuss
how human activities affect freshwater ecosystems.
Step 6. Produce
scientific investigation report of the local freshwater ecosystem