Awa Video — Week 2: pH and Water Chemistry
Te Waikawa me te Wai Ārai · Understanding pH and Its Effects on Aquatic Life · Years 7–9
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Understand the pH scale and what acid, neutral, and alkaline mean in the context of freshwater
- Explain how pH levels affect the organisms that live in freshwater systems
- Interpret our own awa pH data using the pH scale as a reference
- Connect macroinvertebrate presence or absence to pH levels as evidence of water health
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can explain what acid, neutral, and alkaline mean using the pH scale
- I can place awa organisms at the pH range where they survive best, and explain what actually drives algae blooms
- I can locate our awa's pH reading on the scale and predict what organisms might survive there
- I can use pH data as one piece of evidence about the health of our awa
Kupu Tīmatanga · Pre-Viewing Vocabulary
Before watching, match each term to its meaning. You may not know all of these yet — make your best guess, then correct after watching.
| Term | My best guess (before) | Corrected meaning (after) |
|---|---|---|
| Acid | ||
| Alkaline | ||
| Neutral | ||
| pH scale | ||
| Indicator species |
Te Ine pH · pH Scale Diagram
Label the scale below: write "ACID" at the left end and "ALKALINE" at the right end. Write "NEUTRAL" above box 7. Then place these two organisms at the correct approximate pH level where they survive best: kōura (freshwater crayfish) ≈ pH 6.5–8, kākahi (freshwater mussel) ≈ pH 7–8. Note: periphyton (algae) blooms are driven mainly by excess nutrients, warm water and low flows — not by pH — so algae does not get a fixed spot on this scale.
Label the ends (acid/neutral/alkaline) and write the three organism names at appropriate positions on the scale.
Our awa's pH reading was: — mark this on the scale with an arrow (↑)
I te Mātakitaki · Viewing Activity
While watching, record your observations in this grid.
| What causes pH change in freshwater? | How does low / high pH affect organisms? | What does healthy pH look like (value + organism)? |
|---|---|---|
Tātaritanga · Post-Viewing Analysis
Our awa's pH was [___]. Based on the scale, what organisms should be present if the water is healthy?
Did we observe those organisms during our visit? What does the difference (or similarity) tell us?
pH is one indicator. What other indicators would help us confirm whether the awa's mauri is healthy?
Should pH data feature in our advocacy poster? How would you present it to be convincing?
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Curriculum alignment for this handout has not yet been verified against the live curriculum statements. A generated placeholder that stood here was removed on 2026-08-29 because it matched no real statement.
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
The health of an awa has always been read through its inhabitants. The presence of kōura, kākahi, and a diverse range of ngārara wai (macroinvertebrates) are tohu — signs — of a healthy, balanced wai. In mātauranga Māori, these organisms are not merely "indicator species" as science terminology would have it — they are taonga, living beings with their own mana and mauri that contribute to the mana and mauri of the whole waterway. A pH reading is one number; the kōura is a relationship. This activity connects both — the scientific measurement and the living reality it represents.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Support Materials
Resources already provided:
- Awa Data Table (awa-data-table.html) — where pH readings from the site visit were recorded
- Awa Observation Sheet (awa-observation-sheet.html) — includes pH measurement line from fieldwork
- Awa Video W1 Pollution (awa-video-w1-pollution.html) — Week 1 context for understanding why pH changes
- Awa Vocab Bilingual (awa-vocab-bilingual.html) — includes pH-related kupu (waikawa, pāmahana, ngārara wai)
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will explore awa (river/water) as taonga, developing understanding of kaitiakitanga through water guardianship — connecting indigenous environmental knowledge with scientific and civic action.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Students can explain the significance of awa in te ao Māori and their local community.
- ✅ Students can identify actions that reflect kaitiaki responsibilities for local waterways.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters and graphic organisers for inquiry tasks. Offer entry-level observation activities and extension challenges involving community advocacy or environmental data analysis.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key te reo Māori terms (awa, kaitiaki, wāhi tapu, tūrangawaewae). Allow visual and diagrammatic responses. Bilingual glossaries strongly recommended.
Inclusion: Connect to students' own waterways and places of belonging. Neurodiverse learners benefit from structured field investigation templates and clear step-by-step inquiry protocols.