Teacher Training: Teaching Water Science

Course summary

• For: elementary and middle-school teachers, and co-op leaders
• Prerequisites: none — no science degree assumed
• Length: six modules, about six hours in total
• Format: self-paced online with downloadable classroom-ready materials
• Access: 12 months from enrolment

What you will be able to do

• Identify the six misconceptions about water that most often survive a unit, and plan against them
• Run the core demonstrations reliably, including what to do when they fail
• Manage a hands-on water investigation with a full class and limited equipment
• Sequence a water unit so each lesson builds on evidence students gathered themselves
• Assess scientific reasoning rather than neat handwriting
• Adapt the same investigation for mixed attainment without writing two lessons

Curriculum

1. What students actually think water does — the misconception map
2. Demonstrations that work — and the three that usually do not
3. Running investigations with thirty students — setup, roles, timing, cleanup
4. Watersheds and place-based teaching
5. Assessing reasoning — rubrics and what to look for
6. Planning your own unit — a planning frame you leave with

What is included

• Six self-paced modules
• Downloadable planning frames, rubrics and demonstration guides
• A misconception diagnostic you can give students before and after
• Classroom-ready student pages
• Certificate of Completion

What you need

• A device with a current browser
• Optional: the materials for the demonstrations if you want to rehearse them

Access and refunds

• Access begins as soon as your payment is confirmed. You will receive an enrolment email with your login and a Start Here guide.
• You need an account so your progress is saved. You can create it during checkout.
• Works on a laptop, tablet or phone in any current browser. Nothing to install.
• Access runs for 12 months from enrolment, and you can revisit any lesson during that time.
• Refunds: you may request a refund within 7 days of enrolment if you have consumed less than 20% of the course — measured by lessons marked complete and files downloaded. After that, or once downloadable course files have been taken, the purchase is final. This does not affect rights you have under mandatory consumer law. See the Refund & Cancellation Policy and Course Access Policy.
• A “Certificate of Completion” is issued at the end. It is a record of finishing this course — it is not an accredited qualification.

About the certificate

You receive a Certificate of Completion recording the hours studied. Watershed Learning is not an accredited provider — check with your district or licensing body before assuming it counts towards formal professional-development requirements.

Common questions

Will this count for my PD hours?

We cannot promise that. The certificate records the hours you completed; whether your district accepts it is their decision, so check first.

Do I need a science background?

No. The course assumes you are a good teacher who has not taught much water science.