Objectives
Students will be able to:
- describe various water issues;
- describe how people can keep water systems, and the wildlife associated with those systems, healthy; and
- identify actions that they may take to protect water habitat for wildlife.
Method
By viewing short online webisodes about water and the wildlife that live in aquatic ecosystems, students will become more aware of important water issues and how they can take action to improve the health of Canada’s water bodies, including oceans.
Materials
Access to the Internet; computer equipment; access to equipment (such as LCD projectors) to view online videos on a large screen or wall space.
Background
In partnership with the University of Lethbridge and Gallant Productions Inc., the Canadian Wildlife Federation has made available 30- and 60-second public service announcements (PSAs) and three seven minute video clips on the following topics:
- Waste Water
- Storm Water
- Groundwater
- Conserving and Protecting Water
- Surface Water
These PSAs and webisodes feature some of Canada’s best freshwater scientists who define and describe the problems and challenges faced by our rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands. Each topic provides a wealth of important information about critical Canadian water issues. Each PSA and webisode offers information about how your students can take action, at home and at school, to help keep water, and the wildlife that live in and around it, healthy. These resources are available on CWF's YouTube channel channel in streaming video format.
Procedure
- Visit our YouTube channel. You will find a list of 30- and 60-second PSAs and longer webisodes. Each one describes some of the challenges facing Canada’s water in streaming video for you to view and share with your students.
- Select one or more topics of interest. Prepare students by discussing the topic before they view the PSA or the webisode of your choice. Then have them view the video(s).
- Follow up with a general brainstorming about actions they can take at home or at school to help improve the health of water and wildlife.
- Introduce students to CWF’s Blue School program. Discuss if they would like to join this program by undertaking a project at school or in their community.
Extensions
- Ask students to view all of the water webisodes as a homework assignment. Ask them to select one topic (a topic that was not covered in your classroom) and then conduct further research on their chosen topic. Have students share their findings with their classmates.
- Use the water webisodes as a starting point to have students create murals or posters for display on a wall or on lockers at their school.
Evaluation
- Have students identify at least three actions that they can take to help wildlife that live in water.
- Have students write a short essay that explains one main water issue in Canada and how it affects aquatic wildlife.
- Have students trace one water issue and how it can affect wildlife that live in one or more of Canada’s three oceans: the Atlantic, Pacific or Arctic.
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