Students will be able to:
- describe wildlife that lives in water;
- describe relationships between people, water systems and the wildlife associated with those systems; and
- identify actions that they can take to protect water ecosystems.
Students plan, prepare and present a hands-on or an electronic display on an ocean and watershed theme. They may also share their displays with other schools through CWF Education and other media.
Common art materials for hands-on displays; appropriate equipment and computer programs (e.g., videocameras, computer programs) for video, PowerPoint or website presentations.
Follow these five steps to create a spectacular display. (See descriptions under each theme in the sections below for more details.)
- Choose your theme. Match your theme to your grade level, curriculum focus and interest.
- Select a display style. Have students select a style for their display.
- Research, plan and prepare. Have small groups of students work co-operatively to research, plan and prepare parts of the display (see the Resource section of this unit).
- Show the display in busy locations at school. Let students select a suitable location to show their display for maximum exposure at their school.
- Connect, share and celebrate. Have students celebrate their display by connecting with other classes and schools in your watershed.
Choose Your Theme!
Here are some suggested topics:
- Me and my rivers, lakes and streams
- Living things in the water
- Water in my environment and what lives there
- A community beneath the water
- Freshwater and saltwater communities
- Comparing the diversity of living things in our lakes, rivers and oceans
- Our connections to rivers and oceans
- Water systems in our watershed and beyond
- Water beneath the ground
- Trace “our footprint” from our river to the ocean
- Challenges to underwater life
Select a Display Style
For Younger Students:
- Story: As a class, deliver an important message through a simple, illustrated story. A theme such as “Underwater Life” may work well. Have different students work on different parts of the display and the titles or captions.
- Mural: Have students create a spectacular themed mural and contribute illustrated elements.
- Collage: Allow students to produce individual items for a collage. The theme “Unlock Underwater Mysteries” works well in this style.
For Older Students:
- 3-D model: Let students make a three-dimensional model of Canada’s underwater “waterscapes.”
- Large Wall Map: Have students show different land uses by people and how such uses may affect wildlife that live in water. Contact CWF for a copy of the Discover Canada’s Watersheds map as a resource for the display.
For High School Students:
- PowerPoint Presentations: Encourage students to create innovative computer presentations.
- Videos: Older students could videotape interviews with people on how their use of the water and the land may affect wildlife that lives in water and what they could do to maintain the health of wildlife.
- Website Development: Let students build a website about practices that help sustain people, water and the creatures and plants that live in water. Post the websites within school district systems for maximum exposure. Link your students’ websites with CWF for more exposure by contacting CWF at email@example.com.
Research, Plan and Prepare
Research the theme that is chosen for the display. Communicate your ideas visually through colourful photos, artwork or crafts. Here are some ideas:
- Be interactive. Create displays that motivate audience participation by including elements such as quizzes and scavenger hunts (where students search for items in a display or a website).
- State a clear theme. One key element in any display is a clearly defined theme.
- Make it 3-D. Include special crafts such as origami and mobiles in a display.
- Use visuals. Get lots of great photos from the CWF's Education Website or CWF’s Rivers to Oceans Week partners (see www.cwfEducation.ca for more information).
Show the Display in Busy Locations at School
Maximize the exposure of your display and its messages by positioning it in busy locations at your school.
- Plan to take photos of the assembly process from start to finish. Create a photo journal, video or PowerPoint presentation. Send it to CWF Education.
- Alert teachers, administrators and caretakers that there will be a display.
- Follow your school’s guidelines for attaching things to walls, ceilings, lockers, etc., if you are doing a hands-on display.
- Create work teams with leaders. Brief them on the task and your expectations.
Connect, Share and Celebrate
Your students have done a great job. Now let’s share it!
- Connect with your school. Have older students give an “interpretive tour” to younger students of how their display connects them with rivers and oceans, and the wildlife that lives in water.
- Contact other schools. Link with other schools located in your watershed.
- Celebrate. Plan an official “unveiling” of your display. Conduct a tour of the display during Rivers to Oceans Week (June 8 to 14) or any other time of the year (such as National Wildlife Week, Biodiversity Day or Environment Week). Notify local media to help promote awareness.
Share with CWF
Send us a copy of your display (video, PowerPoint, website, etc.) for posting on the CWF Education Website (see Contact Us). Be sure to create a photo journal of your project if you developed a hands-on display. Please include:
- pictures and explanatory notes of your preparation activities, your final display, your celebrations and any related events;
- an explanation of how your activities are helping wildlife that lives in Canada’s rivers and oceans; permission to post your project on the Education website; and your location and your class contact information.
Evaluate students on their clarity (written work and presentation), creativity and the integration of their visual messages with the theme.
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