Year 7 learns about The Nectar of Life through unique project
An exciting new transdisciplinary project was recently launched for Year 7. The project, Water — The Nectar of Life, explores the global water crisis and how water sustains and enriches daily life in different cultures throughout Australia and Asia. Spread across three key learning areas The Nectar of Life covers the research areas of Geography, Science and Technology.
Students were given simulation activities focusing around water and the water crisis with a series of challenges. They experienced what it might be like to live and eat like people in a developing country where water is scarce. Each student was given a role within the family group and then scenarios were delivered intermittently throughout the activity. To begin, meagre materials were distributed to groups for housing so they could set up basic shelter.
Mrs Sarah Calder, Year 7 PC Teacher, says “Students were in their groups trying to build a shelter. Some groups had been given more items than other groups. They’d been told to make the best with what they had. They could barter and trade however housing materials could be stolen if they weren’t taken care of.”
While building their shelters challenging scenarios were delivered including collecting water over long distances with small cups, physical exercise challenges in exchange for more materials and basic meal breaks (breakfast for the family was allocated 2 x bananas to be shared within the family and lunch was rice and beans). Once their shelters were built students experienced extreme weather conditions simulating a hurricane — thanks to Mr and Mrs Knight with the creative combined use of a leaf blower and watering cans.
Mrs Calder says she hopes students learnt to “work on their teamwork because these are the groups they are going to be working in for the next five weeks as part of the project. They are learning what it’s like to possibly not have as many resources as other people in the world. Students will hopefully understand what it’s like to experience the discomfort of not having enough food and water.”
After the Year 7 experiential component, a panel was held where speakers talked about water in places they had lived/travelled to. This involved the SPLC Pastors, Year 12 Captain Minna H. and Key PC Teacher, Mrs Kathryn Boase.
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