A combination of curious minds and hands-on discovery has left students from Stirling East Primary School asking why the water in the Murray Darling Basin is in such poor health, and winning the Murray Darling Foundation’s 2019/2020 Travel Bursary Award for their enquiries.
Guided by teacher Ms Annette Davis, the year 6/7 class has spent six months studying where the water has gone. Students have looked at water management, salinity levels and the impact of blue-green algae on river health.
This also led to a better understanding of important social issues like the sustainability of regional communities and the role of water in keeping them alive.
The students have combined field research with technology and taken to web and social media to inform the public and lobby our political leaders over a problem they say affects everyone's future. You can read their blog to see their work.
Ms Davis said that as their research progressed, the students became increasingly concerned about the health of the Basin and called for adults to become better at sharing for a sustainable future. Many of the students have asked that their work be continued in class in 2020.
Several students from Stirling East Primary School will attend the Murray Darling Association’s 75th National Conference later this month to present their class’ studies and receive their award.
It is exciting to have young people so actively dedicated to looking after the health of our rivers and The Science Collective congratulate these students on their achievement. It is fantastic to see how science and technology has facilitated this learning opportunity.
Related articles:
Students say adults have not learnt childhood lessons in sharing Murray-Darling water, ABC News, 28 September, 2019
Stirling East Primary School students to address national event, Murray Darling Association, 14 October, 2019