Education activities
Waterwatch is now available to provide field based education sessions with schools and youth groups. We have the personnel and equipment to provide hands-on, locally-based waterway education. We have nets, trays, buckets, and water quality kits, pamphlets and storybooks designed to cover various freshwater topics.
Classes can range from simply fishing for water bugs with the junior kids, through to older grades conducting water quality and habitat assessments that help to make linkages between our behaviours and river health. Classes are free, but limited, so book early to avoid missing out.
If a coordinator is not able to join the class in person, some extra standalone education materials are available on the Waterwatch website. There is also water quality and waterbug kits to loan out.
If you are interested, please get in touch on 62783309 or waterwatch@ginninderralandcare.org.au
Watch Before Your Waterwatch Visit
To help your class get the most out of their upcoming Waterwatch incursion or excursion, we ask that students watch this short waterbug video guide beforehand.
This video introduces the key ideas and techniques we’ll be using when we meet you in the field, including:
- how to collect waterbugs safely and gently
- how to use nets and trays correctly
- what to look for when identifying different waterbug groups
- how waterbugs help us understand the health of our rivers and creeks
- why this data is important for caring for our local environment
By watching the video in advance, students arrive with a strong foundation, ready to apply these skills hands-on during the activity. It helps us spend more time exploring, discovering and practising – and less time explaining the basics.
This resource has been created by the Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch team to support teachers, students and learning programs across the ACT and region. We’re excited to share the wonderful world of waterbugs with your class!