Science · Grade 2

Active learning ideas

Sources of Water

Active learning is fantastic for exploring water sources because it moves students from passive listening to active discovery. Hands-on activities like mapping and sorting allow students to directly engage with the concepts of different water types and locations, building a concrete understanding.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• 2-ESS2-3

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Local Water Source Mapping

Students work in small groups to create a map of their local community, identifying and labeling visible water sources like rivers, lakes, and ponds. They can use symbols to represent different types of water bodies and discuss their importance.

Differentiate between fresh water and salt water sources.

Facilitation Tip

During the Local Water Source Mapping activity, encourage groups to discuss and justify their map's features, ensuring they are considering both natural and human-made water sources in their community.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Pairs

Water Source Sorting Game

Prepare cards with names and pictures of various water sources (ocean, river, lake, well, glacier, puddle). Students sort these cards into categories like 'freshwater' and 'saltwater' or 'natural' and 'man-made'.

Explain why rivers and lakes are important for living things.

Facilitation Tip

In the Water Source Sorting Game, circulate and observe how students are grouping the cards; prompt them to explain their reasoning for placing certain sources together or apart.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 60 min · Individual

Water Source Dioramas

Individually or in pairs, students construct simple diorama models representing different water sources. They can use craft materials to show a river flowing into a lake, an ocean shoreline, or a well.

Construct a map showing local water sources.

Facilitation Tip

When students are constructing their Water Source Dioramas, ask them to explain the key elements they've included and how these represent the specific water source and its environment.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

When teaching about water sources, begin with concrete examples familiar to students before moving to more abstract concepts like groundwater. Using visual aids and hands-on sorting helps address misconceptions about water drinkability and importance early on.

Students will be able to identify and categorize various water sources, distinguishing between freshwater and saltwater. Successful learners will articulate why different water sources are important and where their own community's water might originate.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Water Source Sorting Game, watch for students who group all water sources together without distinguishing between freshwater and saltwater, or those who assume all sources are potable.

  Redirect students by asking them to create two distinct piles: 'Drinkable Freshwater' and 'Not Easily Drinkable Saltwater,' prompting them to re-evaluate each card based on this new criteria.

• During the Water Source Dioramas activity, observe if students depict rivers and lakes solely as recreational spaces without including the surrounding ecosystem or inhabitants.

  Prompt students to add at least two living things (plants or animals) to their diorama that depend on the water source, and ask them to explain how the water supports these life forms.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation