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Build a Rain Barrel

Elementary

Description

How can you conserve water with an ordinary plastic garbage can?  The three sisters featured in this video have turned their vegetable garden into a summer science experiment where they catalogue plant growth and measure weekly precipitation.   When the plants begin to suffer during a dry spell and a municipal water shortage prohibits garden watering, the girls use ingenuity and some parental help to turn that garbage bin into a rain barrel that collects rainwater runoff from their roof.  As the family harvests nature's bounty, this short film teaches pupils that with some creativity and inventiveness we can all  help our planet while having fun growing and eating our own food!

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This video supports K-5 Science outcomes related to plant needs and characteristics, weather, the water cycle and human interactions with the environment.  Pupils also learn about science investigations while becoming more aware of the links between local food, healthy eating and food sustainability.  The rain barrel building activity demonstrates problem-solving, design and creativity skills in action. 

The film can be used as the basis of an environmental stewardship learning experience in which a class constructs, plants and cares for their own container vegetable garden.  Ideas such as using repurposed items for the containers, involving a local garden group to help with the project and building a rain barrel as a water source will involve pupils in a community-based food program, while strengthening Science process skills like critical thinking, innovation and collaboration.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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    • Kindergarten
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions
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        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
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        • Science 2: Water is essential to all living things and it cycles through the environment
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        • Science 3: Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems
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        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
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        • Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
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        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
  • Nova Scotia
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        • Air and Water in the Environment
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Plant Growth and Changes
    • Grade 5
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Weather
  • Yukon Territory
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    • Kindergarten
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      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science: Daily and seasonal changes affect all living things.
        • Science: Plants and animals have observable features
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 1: Living things have features and behaviours that help them survive in their environment
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 2: Water is essential to all living things and it cycles through the environment
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 3: Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Science
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (2)

  • Community-Building and Participation
  • Ecological Footprint

Food & Agriculture (1)

  • Local Food

Water (1)

  • Water Use

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