Salvation or Salinity Unit Overview

Stage 1 – Desired Results

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Assessment Rubric

Self Assessment of Assessment Task

Student Evaluation

Stage 3 – The Learning Plan

Salinity Video Part 1

Salinity Video Part 2

Lower Lakes and Coorong Photo

Stage 4 – Lesson Plans

About the Author

Inquiry Overview

This inquiry unit of work is designed to expose student to the contemporary social, cultural, environmental and political issues surrounding the Lower Lakes and Coorong.  The unit will critically analyse and focus on the issue of salinity levels in the Lower Lakes and Coorong, allowing students to consider and understand what effects the increasing level of salinity has on the environment, local economy and industries which use the waterway as a resource.  Additional focus will be placed on how students use the Murray River as a natural resource in their homes, understanding their use of water and where the water comes from.

Students will develop problematic knowledge skills by analysing points of view and investigating why and how the issue affects diverse groups of the community by posing questions such as who is advantaged and disadvantaged.  From the problematic knowledge students will be able to critically analyse, critique, evaluate, criticise and justify facts, opinions and local opinions.  Student will have the opportunity to use Blooms Taxonomy to critically analyse why the Lower Lakes and Coorong are becoming salty by posing significant understandings with links to conceptualizing ideas remembering, facts, evaluating information for its biases and academic integrity and developing personal understandings and ideas. 

It has been reported that the Lower Lakes and Coorong are being exposed to an increase of salinity and lack of water flow from the Murray River (Government of South Australia 2009).  This increase of salinity has a major affect on the native flora and fauna, bird life and marine life which resides near the Lower Lakes and Coorong.  Furthermore, the local economy and industries which use the Lower Lakes and Coorong for tourism and fishing are suffering due to the increase of salinity levels (Government of South Australia 2009). 

There are a number of influencing factors which have been considered for the increase of salinity including the construction of dams, locks and weirs restricting the water flow down the lower parts of the Murray River contributing to a political stand off between local, state and federal governments as to who has the right to water allocations (Government of South Australia 2009).

Where does this leave the local industries in South Australia that rely on the Lower Lakes and Coorong for their survival, can the issue be resolved and what will it take?  These are just some of the issues which will be covered in this unit of work. 

 Useful Resources and References

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