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Brainwave Learning Program
Brainwave Learning Program
The SA Water Brainwave Learning Program is a series of free events and learning resources. It supports the Australian Curriculum in three main areas: geography, science, and sustainability.
Curriculum areas
Geography
This part of the program covers:
- the economic value of water
- the nature of water scarcity
- ways of overcoming water scarcity
- the way water connects and effects the environment
- the quantity Australia's water resources and how they vary
- comparison of water resources in Australia and on other continents.
Science
This part of the program covers:
- the importance of water as a resource
- how water cycles through the environment
- the renewable nature of natural resources
- the non-renewable nature of some natural resources
- how science and technology contribute to finding solutions to a range issues
- mixtures: Water and sewage contain substances that can be separated using a range of techniques.
Sustainability
This part of the program covers:
- how individual and community action contributes to the sustainability of systems. These include ecological, social and economic systems
- how sustainable futures are created by preserving and/or restoring environments.
Our Programs
Our workshops that focus on water treatment and wastewater treatment are primarily targeted at Years 5-7.
Our Sustainability Challenge is designed for students in Years 6-9.
Our tours of reservoirs, wastewater treatment plants, and the Adelaide Desalination Plant are run for students in Year 5-Univeristy. (The Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail is open to all ages)
Our Living Loans program discusses water conservation and the natural water cycle with students from Foundation-Year 4.
Our Slippery Stuff science show is great for Years 3-7.
SA Water offers reimbursement of bus hire up to 25% for regional and disadvantaged schools. This is subject to approval and is assessed on a case by case basis. For details, please contact us via brainwave@sawater.com.au
Find out more about these programs below.
Tour of Adelaide Desalination Plant
'Kauwi' in the local Indigenous Kaurna language means 'water'. The Kauwi Interpretive Centre is part of the Adelaide Desalination Plant and tells the story of water in South Australia from settlement to now. Discover the desalination story through displays, problem-solving activities and tours.
You will learn about:
- the importance of our desalination plant
- the process from ocean to tap
- the environmental and sustainability aspects of the plant
- local plants historically used by the Kaurna people (featured in the Bushtukka Garden next to the centre).
Each school session includes a short presentation, group activities and a tour of the desalination plant.
Where? 16 Chrysler Road, Lonsdale
How long? 1.5 hours.
Who? Years 5-University (activity sheets aimed at Years 5-7)
Adelaide Desalination Plant: Kauwi Interpretive Walking Trail
The Kauwi Interpretive Trail was developed in collaboration with the local Kaurna people and showcases their history and culture. Along the walking trail are wetlands, look-outs and impressive views of the southern coastline. This includes the Bushtukka Garden.
Where will the trail take me?The trail starts at the Kauwi Interpretive Centre on Chrysler Road at Lonsdale. The trail heads towards Gulf St Vincent and along the coast before turning back towards the Adelaide Desalination Plant.
How long is the trail? The total length of the trail is 2.3 km, or 1.15 km each way.
When can I visit? The trail is open at all times.
Water Treatment: Follow That Drop!
Join That Science Gang and SA Water for the story of a drop of water’s journey to your tap.
If you can, book in a workshop and a tour to perfectly compliment your student’s learning experience.
Options:
- Full day excursion (tour Happy Valley reservoir and treatment plant and participate in a workshop)
- Participate in a workshop
- Take a tour
Where? Tours are held at Happy Valley Reservoir and Treatment Plant while the workshops are held at SA Water House, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide.
How long? Tours are one hour and workshops are 1.5 hours. A full day excursion begins at 10 am, finishing at 2pm.
Who? Years 5-7 (Workshops and Full day excursions)
Years 5 – University(Tours)
Wastewater Treatment: Poo Do-Gurus
Did you know the average person visits the toilet 2500 times a year? Imagine what happens to all that waste! That Science Gang and SA Water will take you on an interactive, journey to explore how sewage is treated and recycled. At SA Water your 'business' is our business!
Options:
- Full day excursion (tour a wastewater treatment plant and participate in a workshop)
- Participate in a workshop
- Take a tour
Where? Tours are held at wastewater treatment plants dependent on school locatons, while the workshops are held at SA Water House, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide.
How long? Tours are one hour and workshops are 1.5 hours. A full day excursion begins at 10 am, finishing at 2pm.
Who? Years 5-7 (Workshops and Full day excursions)
Years 5 – University(Tours)
Sustainability Challenge
Challenge your students to explore urban water supply and sustainability issues. Students work in teams to design a sustainable town with a water supply that meets growing demands on the supply system.
This program introduces students to:
- water sources
- treatment processes
- the water cycle
- urban planning
- populations
- demographics.
Where? SA Water House, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide
How long? 2 hours
Who? Year 6-9
In 2020, The Sustainability Challenge is expanding! In addition to our 4 weeks offered in the SA Water building in the Adelaide CBD, there will be two separate weeks across the school year where the Sustainability Challenge is held at Adelaide Desalination Plant. Make the most of this opportunity to combine two incredible programs into one whole day excursion, with a tour of the Adelaide Desalination Plant in the morning and the Sustainability Challenge held in the afternoon.
2020 also provides the opportunity for schools within the Murray Bridge council area to register for the Sustainability Challenge when this program comes to visit for two days from 30th April – 1st May.
Living Loans
Borrow an SA Water staff member for your class and discover a wealth of knowledge about the natural water cycle and water conservation.
Where?We come to your school
How long? 45-60minutes
Who? Foundation to Year 4
What else? We can present up to approximately 60 students per session
-All we need is a large space for the students, and to be able to show a PowerPoint presentatio
Check out available dates and book in a Living Loans presentation here
| Water Cycle & Conservation | A discussion around where water is found in the world, why it is precious and ways to conserve it. Includes an interactive water cycle activity, power point, demonstration of how much fresh water is in the world and an optional reading of Captain Plop's Water-Saving Mission. |
|---|
Slippery Stuff
When pure, water is tasteless, odourless, and just a little bit blue. But, most commonly, it is found on planet Earth as a mixture. As you slip and slide through this slippery and spectacular show, you'll discover how SA Water scientists transform these mixtures to create drinking water and clean up our waste.
Where? We come to your school
How long? 1 hour
Who? Years 3-7 (up to 200 students)
2020 Dates: Metropolitan Adelaide: 30th March – 3rd April, 19th October– 23rd October, Port Lincoln/Eyre Peninsula: 31st August – 4th September
Please email an expression of interest to brainwave@sawater.com.au nominating your preferred date and we will be in touch to confirm once we have worked out a schedule.
Major faults
Lower North East Rd
Highbury
- 26/03/2020
Water Supply On
- 27/03/2020 01:07 AM - We are attending to an incident in Highbury with no interruption to the water supply. The safety of our crews and customers comes first, and we always aim to minimise inconvenience by restoring services as quickly as we can. Reference Number WO: 07373348.
- See all major faults
Scheduled works
Ashbrook Av
Payneham
- 03/04/2020
Temporary Supply Interruption
- Estimated start time and water supply off: 03/04/2020 09:00 AM
Estimated restore time and water supply back on: 03/04/2020 06:00 PM
We’re improving your services and undertaking maintenance work in Payneham. Sometimes our crews need to temporarily interrupt the water supply to our customers and/or manage traffic while they are working. Temporary traffic management may remain in place until reinstatement of the impacted road is complete. We always aim to minimise inconvenience by restoring services as safely and quickly as we can. - See all scheduled works
