Praxis Malawi

June 2014

Unit Plan 5 - Water

Theme: Water
Concept(s): Life and Matter
Big idea: Water is a source of matter that is essential to life.
Timeline: 4 weeks
Rationale:
This unit will help to introduce to students the idea that water is more then just an
everyday commodity, it is a complex element within almost all facets of the living world.
Students will gain a deeper understanding of the element of water by exploring the
different states of water (solid, liquid, gas), the different units of measurement for liquids
(ml, l) and also by looking at the water cycle. This unit will also encourage students to
look at the multiple sources of water in order to help increase the conservation of water.
Students will also gain knowledge on the multiple purposes of water. For instance, how it
can be useful when it comes to farming, also the ways in which it is important in terms of
personal hygiene and hydration. They will also discuss the possible consequences that
can arise if the water consumed is not clean and/or boiled. By the end of this unit,
students will have gained a new appreciation for water, as they will understand that water
is a vital element for all living things.
Q.E.P Competencies:
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Cross Curricular Competencies:

Competency 1: To use information
Competency 2: To solve problems
Competency 3: To exercise critical judgment
Competency 4: To use creativity
Competency 8: To cooperate with others

Broad Areas of Learning:

Environmental Awareness

English Language Arts/Chichewa Language Arts (As Per Discretion of

Teacher)
Competency 1: To read and listen to literary, popular, and information based texts.
Competency 2: To write self-expressive, narrative and information based
texts.
Competency 3: To represent her/his literacy in different media.
Competency 4: To use language to communicate and learn

Praxis Malawi

June 2014

Mathematics
Competency 1: To solve a situational problem related to mathematics.
Competency 2: To reason using mathematical concepts and processes.
Competency 3: To communicate by using mathematical language.

Science and Technology

Competency: To explore the world of science and technology

Social Sciences
Competency: To construct his/her representation of space, time and
society

Visual Arts Education

Competency 1: To produce individual works in the visual arts.
Competency 2: To produce media works in the visual arts.

Dance
Competency 2: To interpret dances.

- Music
Competency 2: To interpret musical pieces
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Physical Education and Health

Competency 3: To adopt a healthy, active lifestyle.

Ethics and Religious Culture:

Competency 1: Reflects on ethical questions
Competency 3: To engage in dialogue

Resources needed:
- Books
- Guest speaker.
- Materials from outside to create boat (leaves, sticks, rocks)
- Pencils
- Paper
- Coloring pencils
- String
- Map
- Water
- 1 cup for each student (if possible it would have lines on it that shows ml)
- Barrel
- Measuring cups
- 2 glasses for conservation task (different shapes)
- Word wall

Praxis Malawi

June 2014

Lesson ideas:
Matter

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Science:
Discussing the ways in which you can conserve water. (e.g., dams, lakes, rivers,
wells)
Looking at the water cycles. (i.e., air particles, condensation, water, freezing, ice,
melting, evaporation, precipitation, clouds).
More general concepts- solid, liquid, gas.
The idea for this experiment comes from Piagets water displacement task.
o You have two glasses of water with the same amount of water in each.
o One glass that is short and large and one glass that is tall and slim.
o Ask students which cup they think has the most water. The students will
likely say that they think the taller glass has more water.
o Afterwards, use a measuring cup to calculate the amounts of water in each
glass in order to be able to show students that both glasses do in fact hold
the same amount of water.
o Lastly, ask students if they all agree that both glasses hold the same
amount of water.
The students will do the activity called Float your Boat. In this activity, students
will work in pairs to create a boat using natural resources (e.g., sticks, leaves,
corn, husks) as well as string to hold it together. The goal for the students is to
create a boat that can float on water. The boats will be tested all together!

Math:
Volume and measurement of liquids (e.g., L, mL). This can be done using basic
word problems (e.g., 2L + 2L = 4L) or (500ml + 500ml = 1L).

ELA & CLA:

The teacher will place students into groups of 5. The teacher will draw the outline
of a barrel (resembling the bucket from outside collecting water). On the side of
the barrel, the teacher will draw a meter stick. Students will draw a line to
determine how much the water will have increased from the previous day. In the
space between how much the water has increased the students will write one
reason in their groups saying why they are thankful for water. For example:
Today I am thankful for water because I was able to brush my teeth.

Life

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Science:
How does rain and water generally help farming and crops?
Exploring the importance of boiling water and the possible consequences if water
is not boiled (e.g., disease and water).

Praxis Malawi
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June 2014

Science experiment: Measuring the rain levels of the water falling off the roof
(putting a bucket to be filled just outside the classroom) Also, putting a bucket of
water in the open ground and then compare the two quantities and hypothesize
why they think one has more than the other.
Different uses for water (e.g., drinking, washing, bathing, cooking, watering
plants, for animals drinking).
How do wells work? Students will go visit a well and have the person who built
the well explain to them how it works.
How do plants use water? Have students create a diagram in pairs of how they
think plants use water. Afterwards, explain the process of Mitosis as a class.
Teacher should draw a diagram of the process.

Math:
How much water should we be drinking each day? Give students inexpensive
cups. Have students put measured lines on their cups, which tell them the quantity
of water in the cup. For example, 150ml, 250ml, 300ml, etc. Throughout the day,
the students should keep track of the quantity of water they will have drunk. Also,
at the end of each day they should add up these quantities to see the total amount
of water that will have been drunk in one day. At the end of the week, they can
add up all of the quantities to know how much water they drank during a week.

Phys. Ed:
Having a discussion about health with the students. Explain to them the
importance of staying hydrated. Explain to them the benefits of drinking water.
Explain to them the Olympics day- Using energy, eliminating toxins, and water in
the body. Having them do a physical activity and explaining to them afterwards
benefits (the importance of hydration, the elimination of toxins).

Dance:
Rain dances. Suggestion for song: Little clouds up in the sky, gather round dont
cast us light, you will give us nice cool rain, to help our corn plants grow again.

Music:
Songs about rain and water

ELA & CLA:

Stories about water.

Visual Arts:
Making art that uses water (e.g., water pastels, mud, cornstarch and water to make
goo etc.)

ERC:
Discussion: sharing water. (i.e., engaging in ethical dialogue- if you only have this
much water (give quantity), how will you split it up amongst your family? Will
you give more to the children? Elderly? Etc. ).

Praxis Malawi

June 2014

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Social Sciences:
Geography: Learning about the differences between lakes and oceans.
Sources of water: Ask students-> where can you find water? Afterwards, have a
discussion with them about the different sources of water.

History:
History of water issues in Malawi

Visual Art:
Ask students what does water mean to you? Have them create a drawing
representing what water means to them. They might draw a rain drop, a bath, a
well etc.

Performance task:
Why do we need water? Exploring health and life with water. Students will create a
pamphlet for why water is important. They will work in groups of 4 or 5 students.
Timeline:
Week 1:
- Ask students what does water mean to you? Have students draw a picture representing
this.
-Exploring the different uses of water
-Introduction of bucket activity
- How does rain and water generally help farming and crops?
-How plants use water (introduction to Mitosis)
-Exploring the importance of boiling water and the possible consequences if water is not
boiled (i.e., disease and water).
-Set up bucket-> science experiment: Measuring the rain levels
- Water displacement task
Week 2:
-Measured lines on their cups
-Start creating boat for Float your boat activity.
- Sources of water- discussion.
-Conservation of water (e.g., dams, lakes, rivers, wells)
-Going to visit the well and water tower.
-Songs about rain and water
Week 3:
- Looking at the water cycles
-Have an Olympics
- History of water issues in Malawi
-Discussion: sharing water.

Praxis Malawi
-Test out your boat for Float your boat activity.
- Learning about the differences between lakes and oceans.
Week 4:
-Rain dances
-Story about water
-Making art using water (pastels, paint etc.)
-Pamphlet

June 2014