Part 3 - Temperature

In this section of Understanding Healthy Waterways we pose the question: How does temperature affect the health of a waterway? Every one knows a bit about temperature – we think about it most days before we get dressed to go to work or to school. But

• How does temperature relate to hot and cold?
How do we actually measure temperature?
What is the role of temperature in nature?

And, even more importantly:

• Why is temperature any more important to water
life than it is to us?

Students will aim to explore the question about this important measure of water quality through following a coherent learning sequence. The sequence is based around the 5Es:

ENGAGE:  Students share their experiences of hot
and cold and then discuss ways in which temperature
can affect living things.
EXPLORE:  Students experiment with hot and cold
by making their own thermometer and look first
hand at how changes in temperature can affect
water quality.
EXPLAIN:  Students research the ways that
temperature changes in waterways.
ELABORATE:  Students plan their own experiments
to find out more.
EVALUATE:  Students reflect on the problem and
look at a local example of where temperature
matters to the continued survival of a water animal.

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Part 3 - Temperature (pdf file size 2.7Mb)