Instructions:
- When thinking of the law of water and how everything is interconnected from an Indigenous perspective it is important to learn about the Western Scientific concept of a watershed. By learning about watersheds, we come to understand that from Western Scientific perspective interconnections are also acknowledged as significant.
- A watershed is a land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, and eventually to outflow points such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean (see image below).
- Students learn about what a watershed is and how it can impact various community stakeholders by engaging in the activity in Watershed Activity Instructions.pdf: in-your-watershed-1.pdf (nationalgeographic.org)
- Students make a watershed out of modelling clay. Students can view maps, aerial photos and drone footage to get a better idea of local land characteristics.
- Class drops water in different locations on the model watershed to see where the water flows.
- Students can use this to understand what impacts their local water sources and answer the following:
- If you were to spill something and it got into the water, where would that contamination go?
- If there was a spill in your area, where could that occur that would affect your school’s water quality?
To care for our water, we need to remember that water flows into and out of our area. Keeping water clean is a collective responsibility.
Optional Extension: 7 Generations Teachings:
- Class reviews 7 Generations Teachings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHg3enCCyCM Teacher generates awareness that we have responsibilities to future generations.
- In discussion teacher relates the Law of Water.pdf to the 7 Generations Teachings.
- Teachers leads a Talking Circle (instructions for facilitation in Teacher’s Guide) to discuss how can you relate the 7 Generations Teachings to the manner in which water flows through a watershed.
