Wonderful Water

Water isn’t just essential to life-it’s the lifeblood of our planet! 

In Wonderful Water we’ll begin by taking a journey into space, where we’ll explore the view of Earth as the “Blue Planet” and learn why this unique perspective is so important. Once we land back on terra firma, we’ll dive into a hands-on scientific investigation to answer the question: Is all water the same?

Next, we’ll go fishing to catch local species and sort them by their natural watery habitats, all while learning the Nyoongar names for each one. Through the lens of Nyoongar culture, students will draw from the Dreaming story of the Waugal, the water serpent, and how it shaped the water sources we rely on today.

This program emphasizes the importance of caring for water and the land, inspiring students to think about sustainability and the shared responsibility of looking after Country.

Student experience

Students will:

• Take a journey through space and marvel at why Earth is called the “Blue Planet.”
• Experiment to explore whether all water is the same and what that means for life on Earth.
• Identify and sort species from different aquatic environments while learning their Nyoongar names.
• Relate the Dreaming story of the Waugal to the creation of local water sources.
• Visit the Changes Gallery to investigate how Aboriginal communities source and sustainably manage water.

Feedback

"Engaging facilitator for our pre primary’s today. The content and activities were age appropriate and the children had fun." Emily Kindy-Pre Primary Teacher.

" Excellent.  Presenter was engaging, students didn't have to sit and listen for too long, students enjoyed the experiment." Carita Kindy-Pre Primary Teacher.

Skills development

This program links to the following strands of the Western Australian Curriculum:

Pre Primary

Science

• Biological sciences: Plants and animals have basic needs that are met by the places they live (WAPSSUB1)
• Earth and space sciences: Daily and seasonal changes in the environment affect our local community and the world around us (WAPSSUE1)

HASS

• Geography: 
  • The globe as a representation of the Earth on which Australia and other countries can be located (WAPHAKUG1)
  • The places people live in and belong to, the reasons places are special or important to people and their significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (WAPHAKUG2)
• History: How the stories of families and the past can be communicated and passed down through generations and how the stories may differ, depending on who is telling them (WAPHAKUH3).

Year 1

Science

• Biological sciences: Plants and animals have external features that serve a purpose and by which they can be grouped (WA1SSUB1)
• Earth and space sciences: Water is a natural resource that comes from a variety of sources and is used by people, plants and animals in different ways (WA1SSUE1)

HASS 

• Geography:
  • The location of local places and their natural, managed and constructed features (WA1HAKUG2)
  • How places change and how they can be cared for by different groups including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (WA1HAKUG3)

Year 2

Science

• Biological sciences: Plants and animals have life cycles through which they grow, change and have offspring (WA2SSUB1)

HASS 

• Geography:
  • How people and places interconnect across Australia, Asia and the world (WA2HAKUG2)
  • The ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples maintain connections to Country/Place, the names and meanings given to local features and places (WA2HAKUG3)
• History: The importance today of an historical site or place and why it has heritage significance and cultural values for present generations (WA2HAKUH2)

All facilitated workshops are led by the Museum’s experienced Learning and Engagement team and have been curated using the Museum’s unique resources to provide a deeper learning experience in our specialist subject areas.

Your booking for a facilitated workshop will include all materials and activities for the duration of the program with no prior preparation required.

As part of all facilitated workshop bookings, you are welcome to explore the rest of the Museum free of charge pre or post workshop and do not need to make any additional bookings to do so.  WA Museum Boola Bardip is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm, with last entry at 4pm.