Program Overview
The Program Overview is a guide or roadmap, showing you what to expect from, and how to work through, the education program's modules, learning elements, activities and resources.
Quick Links
Download the Program Overview(PDF, 2MB)
Download the complete Water Education Program(PDF, 20MB)
Summary
Use and Acknowledgement
We hope you enjoy our Early Learning Water Education Program. While this program has been designed to support Bathurst-based Early Learning educators, it is freely available to all educators outside our region. If you are based outside the Bathurst Region, please don't hesitate to email us, to ask how we can support you to deliver this innovative water education program.
Should you wish to use any of our materials or resources, please acknowledge Bathurst Regional Council as the owner and developer of this resource and any artists associated with the content or work you use. Should you wish to contact or engage any of the professional businesses and artists we have worked with, you will find a full list of names with links, at the base of this page.
Meet the Wade Family
Throughout the program you'll meet the Wade family; siblings Eddy and Brooke, parents Murray and Delta, grandparents Coral and Douglas, and their dog, Murphy. They will help us tell the story of water and explain how we can conserve this precious resource.
It's FREE
This Early Learning Water Education Program is a free online education resource that has been specifically developed for use by early childhood educators in the Bathurst region and is targeted towards children in the pre-kindy age group (ages 3.5 – 5years).
It ALIGNS
The Early Learning Water Education Program aligns closely with learning outcomes in the Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, and will also assist educators to meet or exceed sustainability accreditation requirements as laid out in the National Quality Standard Assessment and Rating Instrument document.
There's STRUCTURE
There are five key modules in the Early Learning Water Education program:
• Module 1: The Water Cycle
• Module 2: How do we use water?
• Module 3: Water in Bathurst where it comes from
• Module 4: Being conservative with water
• Module 5: Keeping our waterways clean and healthy
Each of these five modules includes at least three learning elements and the learning elements come with fun activities, guided group discussion points and support resources (don't miss the Wade family videos!).
At the start of each module there's an overview or snapshot of the learning element's topics and activities, a useful list of key terms and definitions, and detailed background and contextual information on the module focus area.
It's LOTS OF FUN
We've created a cast of fun family characters to help you take children on this learning journey. Meet the Wade family, siblings Eddy and Brooke, parents Delta and Murray, grandparents Coral and Douglas, and Murphy the dog.
You'll find activity sheets including a maze, matching cards, flashcards, dot-to-dot drawings, cloud templates and so much more.
We've made sure you have all the resources on hand, designing tools that have the Wade family popping up in activities and resources referenced throughout the program.
We have VIDEOS TOO!
Our friends at Eaton Gorge Theatre Company joined forces with Stefan Elbourne (illustrator) and Mike Foxall (animator) to create some fun educational videos that reinforce and enhance the learning program content.
Our THANKS
This focused, innovative education program has been made possible through the expertise and creativity of a number of professionals, many of whom are based in the Bathurst Region.
Major program investor, project director:
Bathurst Regional Council
Project contributors:
and our thanks to the staff at Bathurst Regional Council's Children's Services for their review and feedback throughout the program's development.
