This week, as outlined in the ‘Coming Up This Week’ message on Seesaw, we explored our third line of inquiry: caring for and sharing resources, with a particular focus on water.
We began by considering how animals are affected when water becomes scarce. The children viewed video clips and photographs of animals gathered at water holes, noticing how limited water impacts their survival. In small groups, we read The Water Hole by Graeme Base, observing how the water source gradually shrinks page by page until it disappears completely. The children noted that when the water was gone, the landscape became dry and lifeless, with dead trees and no plants, flowers, or grass. When the rain returned, the water hole filled again, and the animals reappeared. This helped to reinforce the understanding that all living things—plants and animals—need water to survive.
We also explored nonfiction texts about the importance of not wasting water, and the children agreed that conserving water is essential.
Later in the week, we read The Water Princess by Susan Verde. Through this story, the children learned about a young girl, Gie Gie, who walks long distances each day with her mother to collect water for drinking, cooking, and washing. They discovered that the story is based on real events, and saw photographs showing how, as an adult, Gie Gie (Georgie Badiel) works to provide clean water to communities by building wells, so that women and children no longer need to travel such long distances for water that may not be safe to use.
The children also watched a short video clip showing a young girl named Cheru, who spends many hours each day collecting water, which prevents her from attending school. This prompted thoughtful discussion about fairness and access to basic needs.
To deepen their understanding, the children worked in small teams to carry a partially filled bucket of water across the playground. They found the task physically demanding and reflected on the effort required. You can see photographs of the children engaged in this task below.
During our class discussion, the children expressed the view that everyone should have access to clean, safe drinking water, as we are fortunate to have. They also reinforced the idea that water is a vital resource and should not be wasted.
