This project was completed by Year 6 – 8 students, studying the reasons behind the continued development of irrigation infrastructure in our local Duntroon/North Otago area.
The students gathered their information via:
While on our field trip it was easy to see the difference that irrigation makes to farmland as you can see above.
- Watching old television footage about drought in our area.
- Reading old newspaper clippings referring to times of drought.
- Emailing, faxing, writing and ringing experts.
- A fieldtrip around irrigating farms and related irrigation infrastructure.
- Inviting experts to visit.
- Searching internet archives for recorded interviews with irrigation experts etc.
As more than half of the class live on farms, we had a good knowledge base from which to work - as they clearly understood the value of water to farming practices. In saying this only some of these are irrigated farms and for many children irrigation has been a recent addition to their families farm - so we still had plenty of scope for learning.
Skills:
- The posing of inquiring questions to gather the necessary data
- Using Front Page to develop a web site
- Understanding the relevance of information gathered beyond an individual farm
- Being able to judge accuracy of information
- Organisation and processing of information gathered
- Reflection and modification of work to enhance the end product
Interpersonal Skills:
- Co-operation and communication skills
- Learning to listen
- Being responsible for achieving a goal and working to full individual capability
- Ability to compromise and show consideration towards others.
Knowledge:
- Unit related terminology
- Understand how the local area has changed as people try to harness the power of water from the Waitaki via dams and past/present irrigation systems.
- Water gathering/delivery and application methods
- The water cycle
- States of matter (solids, liquid and gas)
- Value of water to humans, animals and plants etc
Essential Learning Area:
Social Studies & Science in the NZ Curriculum at Levels 3 and 4
Social Studies Strands:
Time, Continuity & Change (AO1)
Economic Resources (AO1)
Place & Environment (AO1)
Science Strands:
Planet Earth & Beyond (AO 1 & 2)
Physical World (AO 1/2)
Living World ( AO 2 & 4)
Making sense of the Nature of Science & its Relationship to Technology (AO 1 & 2)
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