Primary school

There's lots to learn about water

We have a great range of free resources specially designed for children in primary school and their educators. Your students can do their own watery experiments, learn about water's journey to and from their homes, and understand what makes water a precious resource we should never take for granted.


Aqua Innovate - Excursion

Designed by qualified teachers, this free on-site learning experience at Quakers Hill Purified Recycled Water (PRW) Discovery Centre has been tailored to meet NSW syllabus outcomes for Years 3 to 6.

  • What is the value of water?
  • What impacts the availability of water?
  • What is PRW and how is it made?
  • How can water be managed sustainably?

Throughout the learning experience, students will have the opportunity to build their very own urban water cycle, learn about water management over time, and visit a working treatment room to see the PRW process in action. 

To learn more about PRW or to secure your excursion to the PRW Discovery Centre, please visit Purified Recycled Water 


Aqua Allies - Incursion

Designed by qualified teachers, this free in-school learning experience has been tailored to meet NSW syllabus outcomes for Years 3 to 6.

  • How do I interact with water?
  • How does water get to my tap?
  • Where does the wastewater go when it leaves my house?
  • How can I care for water and use water more sustainably?

Throughout the learning experience, students will have the opportunity to build their very own urban water cycle, learn about Sydney Water’s filtration and treatment processes and reveal what household products are best to bin! 

For more information or to express your interest in booking Aqua Allies, contact the Community Education Team at wondersofwater@sydneywater.com.au


Wondering about water

Stage 1 lessons and resources

Looking for inspiration to improve water literacy in the classroom? These modules are ideal inquiry-based resources that help connect your students with water, discover its unique qualities and build value and care for water. 

The modules can be used in sequence or as standalone lessons to complement any water education program. Students will explore, investigate and learn about:

  • water on Earth, the water cycle and the urban water cycle
  • the importance of access to clean, safe water
  • how we use and care for water.

Exploring our connection with water.

Lesson plans

Water and us lesson plan

Worksheets

Water and us – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Resources

Water and us – PowerPoint

The water story and recording

Liveable cities

Exploring what makes water a unique and wonderful substance.

Lesson plans

What makes water water – lesson plans

Worksheets

What makes water water  – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Resources

What makes water water – PowerPoint

Properties of water

Exploring amounts and distribution of water on Earth.

Lesson plans

Water on Earth – lesson plans

Worksheets

Water on Earth – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Resources

Water on Earth – PowerPoint

Water on Earth – video

Test the difference – practical investigation

Bluey: The Beach, read aloud by Julia Gillard –  video

Google Earth and Maps

 

Exploring the water cycle and how we manage it to meet our needs.

Lesson plans

The water cycle – lesson plans

Worksheets

The water cycle – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Urban water cycle – activity sheet

Resources

The water cycle – PowerPoint

The water cycle song

Water cycle animation

Make a Water Cycle Model – experiment

Water experiment – videos and brochures

Natural water cycle

Urban water management

Water networks

Did you know?

Clouds are made up of squillions of tiny water droplets.

The average cloud weighs about 500 tonnes – that's the same as 100 elephants!

Exploring access to clean safe water.

Lesson plans

Clean safe water – lesson plans

Worksheets

Clean safe water – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Storyboard template

Resources

Clean safe water – PowerPoint

How we filter water – video

Water experiment – videos and brochures

Abby Lau from Malaysia – video

Azam Muhammed from Pakistan – video

Gippsland Water Teaching Resources – The Water Princess

Water quality and filtration

Liveable cities

Did you know?

Not everyone has access to clean water straight from the tap.

Learn more about the challenges of accessing clean, safe water across the world, and find stories of inspiration and success.

Exploring how we use and save water every day.

Lesson plans

Every drop counts – lesson plan

Worksheets

Every drop counts – worksheets

Plan an investigation

Resources

Every drop counts – PowerPoint

How do we use water? – interactive whiteboard resource (this resource requires SMART Notebook to open)

Water use and conservation

Water in your home – video

Drip, drip, drip! 

10 Easy ways to save water at school – fact sheet

Did you know? 

Saving water can be so simple!


Understanding water

Drinking Water

Drinking Water

Did you know that all the water on Earth is all that we have?

Our natural water cycle moves water all around us, all the time, but less than 1% of fresh water is usable.

How we use water and conserve it is important to think about. The way we think, feel, value and use water contributes to our liveable cities.

Water quality and filtration is carefully managed to make sure your water is safe to drink straight from the tap.

Most of our drinking water comes from catchments.

Wastewater and water recycling 

Wastewater and water recycling

Have you thought about what happens to all the used water from your home or school?

We use wastewater treatment and water recycling to make water safe to be reused or returned to the environment.

Wastewater Treatment Primary Sedimentation

Stormwater

Stormwater

What happens when it rains on the road, your roof or your school's paved areas?

Stormwater rushes off hard surfaces and flows into drains that lead to creeks, rivers and the ocean.

You can help us care for our waterways by being mindful that the drain is just for rain!

Rouse Hill stormwater catchment


Activities

Make a cloud to see part of the water cycle in action.

Make a cloud – brochure

Explore how water evaporation works.

Water evaporation experiment – brochure

Use red cabbage to make a natural pH indicator.

Make a pH indicator – brochure

Make a simple water filter from things around the home.

Make a simple water filter – brochure

Create your own mini earth terrarium.

Water cycle and terrarium – brochure

Discover what breaks down and what doesn't.

Keep wipes out of pipes – brochure

Games

  • Explore a water cycle diagram and test your knowledge about the water cycle in this interactive diagram by Earthguide.
  • Explore the different parts of the water cycle with Thirst in the water cup by United States Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Find out just how hard it is to manage a river catchment with climate change, increased demand for water and environmental problems putting our rivers under stress. Catchment Detox by ABC Science.
  • Enjoy learning about or testing your knowledge with this natural water cycle game by South East Water, or explore the urban water cycle.

Explore more

Using water

Recycled water

Using water


Aqua Allies - Incursion

Designed by qualified teachers, this free in-school learning experience has been tailored to meet NSW syllabus outcomes for Years 3 to 6.

  • How do I interact with water?
  • How does water get to my tap?
  • Where does the wastewater go when it leaves my house?
  • How can I care for water and use water more sustainably?

Throughout the learning experience, students will have the opportunity to build their very own urban water cycle, learn about Sydney Water’s filtration and treatment processes and reveal what household products are best to bin! 

For more information or to express your interest in booking Aqua Allies, contact the Community Education Team at wondersofwater@sydneywater.com.au