Water in Year 7’s world

Year 7 this term will delve further into the fascinating world of chemistry! In STEM, students have begun their integrated project, ‘Is it Safe to Drink?’, which focuses on how chemistry impacts our everyday life and the importance of safe drinking water.

Water is a fundamental requirement for all living beings. We drink it, we use it for cooking and cleaning, and even for recreational activities. But, have you ever stopped to think about the quality of the water you drink? Unfortunately, water pollution is a global concern, and it can have adverse effects on our health.

In this project, students explore the chemistry behind water quality, the sources of pollution, and the methods to treat water to make it safe to drink. Students also learn about First Nations perspectives and how in Canberra we have safe drinking water.

Through conducting experiments, analysing data, and drawing conclusions the ‘Is it Safe to Drink?’ project is an exciting opportunity for Year 7 to learn about chemistry, water quality, and environmental science.

Humanities classes have found themselves learning complementary knowledge and skills to those in their STEM lessons, as their Humanities units focus on ‘water in our world’, as well as ‘landscapes and landforms.’ Students have been busily building metalanguage as they learn about the role of water in their lives, agriculture, management of the Murray Darling Basin, natural hazards, and even cities facing countdowns to ‘Day Zero’ where water supplies will be entirely cut off. We will continue to develop our understanding of cause and effect, as we analyse climate data, learn to read topographic maps, and draw conclusions about how to best protect our environment in a sustainable way.

These authentic interconnections between core subject areas of the curriculum support student’s understanding and skill development, as logical relationships are drawn between their learning and their lives. This highlights the valuable nature of our integrated Middle School curriculum.