Our wastewater is carried through a network of underground pipes and pumps to the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant. At this facility, students will discover what happens to anything that goes down the drain. Be prepared for a revival of your senses - this is a smelly one.
| Age/level: | Years 5–13 |
| Availability: | Available year round |
| Length: | 2.25 |
| Site: | Christchurch Waste Water Treatment Plant |
| Cost: | Free |
| Number of classes: | One at a time
(One class = 35 students) |
Requirements: Closed-in shoes must be worn
Programme outline
Key concepts
Sustainability, natural cycles for dealing with waste, processes, chemistry in society, technology.
Lesson description/intentions
For once, hands-on is not the first choice of learning. Students are able to get up close to the working systems and processes that take place to treat what we flush away in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry. Closed-in shoes are required for entry to this working site.
Possible success criteria
Students may be able to:
- Describe one or more parts of the waste water treatment cycle.
- Consider the implications of disposing liquid waste.
- Describe the natural processes that are used in the treatment of waste water.
- Name two key issues about the treatment of waste water.
- Name two by-products from waste water treatment.
- Explain to others what they think is the best way to deal with waste water in Christchurch and justify their decision.
- Identify actions they can take to reduce the amount of waste water produced in their homes.
Key Competencies
Using language, symbols, and texts - students will uncover the secrets of the processes taking place at the Waste Water Treatment Plant
Thinking - students will be able to justify their decisions and aspirations for a sustainable waste water system
Participating and contributing - students can become actively involved in securing a sustainable future for their communities by identifying ways of maintaining environmentally friendly water systems
Feedback
"Bringing the information to the children at an understandable level."
Teacher, Years 5 and 6
"Great eye opener - got the kids thinking about ‘waste’ at a personal level. Never seen them so animated - multi sensory!!"
Teacher, Year 6
"Our waste water gets turned into fertiliser. The water gets cleaned. I didn’t realise how much goes into it."
Student, Year 6
Learning areas
| Key competencies – Thinking; using, language symbols and texts; managing self; relating to others; participating and contributing. |
| Technology | Nature of technology | Levels 3–5 | - Characteristics of technology
|
| Levels 4 and 5 | - Characteristics of technological outcomes
|
| Technological knowledge | Level 4 | |
| Science | Material world | Levels 3, 4 and 6 | |
| Social sciences | Place and environment | Level 2 | - Understand how people influence places and places influence people
|
| Level 3 | - Understands how people view and use places differently
|
| Level 5 | - Understand how people's management of resources impacts on environmental and social sustainability
|
