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Theme 1: Water & Catchments


Following are some Broad Learning Outcomes and Activities which
relate to all of the nine topics listed on the menu, and covered by
this Theme.

Learning Outcomes

Students will understand:

  • how a catchment functions
  • the critical role of water in catchments
  • that the whole planet can be divided into catchment environments
  • that water is essential for life.

Learning Activities

Students will:

  • examine the role of the water cycle in the global and local environment.
  • use catchments as the framework for studying water within the environment and develop an understanding that the study of water is the same as studying the whole environment.
  • understand what makes a healthy catchment.
  • examine the different freshwater, groundwater and coastal/marine water systems, how they interact and how each of these are important for overall catchment health.
  • examine the importance of water quality, why it is important, and what happens to the environment if water quality declines.
  • understand how physical, chemical and biological processes in the environment rely on and maintain water quality.
  • explore how the quantity of water available to different environments determines not only what a catchment may look like, but is also critical to the health of a natural catchment.
  • explore ways in which plants, animals and all life interact in the environment and how they are heavily influenced by water quantity and quality.
  • explore the complex interrelationships that maintain biodiversity in a natural catchment.