Print off one of four Wing Thing bird booklets packed with facts and activities for upper primary students;

Shorebirds       Woodland Birds       Beach Nesting Birds      Threatened Mallee Birds

• Estuaries, Fauna (animals), Guide/Activity booklet, Lower Secondary, Teacher, Upper Primary,

This picture story book by Narelle Oliver is perfect for understanding how animals, in this case birds, have evolved over time to possess bodies that are just right for finding and eating their favourite foods.  The birds in this watery environment all compete for the title of the ‘best beak’ but discover that they all have the best beak for their own needs.

Use this book as a springboard to studying the adaptions of animals to survive – the ‘feathery friends’ activity is a small way to start with younger students.

• Activity Sheet, Estuaries, Fauna (animals), Lower Primary, Story Book/Photo, Teacher, Upper Primary, Video/Audio,
• All Regions,

Louie and Snippy: Save Our Seas by Collette Dinnigan is a story of a little boy whose love of the ocean takes him, and the reader, on an incredible underwater journey.

Louie and his trusty companion, Snippy the dog, dive into the ocean and are surrounded by brilliant coral reefs. But they soon discover that human rubbish – bottles, plastic straws and plastic bags – have trapped fish and other creatures. What will Louie be inspired to do?  What will you be inspired to do ?

A great book for younger readers to highlight the problem facing our oceans and to explore the links between our waterways and where our rubbish travels.

Grab a copy of the book or enjoy this online reading.

• Estuaries, Lower Primary, Story Book/Photo, Teacher, Upper Primary, Urban Water,
• All Regions,

ABC’s ‘This Place’ project invites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to create a short video about a place name, and the story behind it.

Bryon Powell takes us on a journey across Wadawurrung country, sharing some of the stories behind its place names. His country stretches from the mountains to the sea. It includes hills, rivers and grassy plains, creeks and coasts and includes modern towns such as Werribee, Geelong and Ballarat in Victoria.

Search for other videos of cultural stories about waterways across regional Australia at the ABC TV Education website, on ABC iview or at the ABC Indigenous youtube channel.

• Aboriginal Cultures, All, Catchments, Estuaries, Lower Primary, Lower Secondary, Teacher, Upper Primary, Upper Secondary, Video/Audio, Waterways, Website,
• Corangamite CMA,

Regardless of where you are in the state, it is very important for your students to understand how the rubbish they drop could potentially end up in the ocean.

The linked title will take you to a short video about the Pacific Ocean garbage dump.  Alternatively you can view a 24 minute documentary, “A Plastic Wave” or a movie length documentary on Netflix, “A Plastic Ocean”.

Please be aware that ocean pollution and its impact on sea creatures can introduce disturbing images and information to students – please choose appropriately for different age groups and implement with care.

• All, Estuaries, Lower Primary, Lower Secondary, Teacher, Upper Primary, Upper Secondary, Urban Water, Video/Audio,
• All Regions,

This short video helps students understand how microplastic pollution is generated, how it ends up in oceans and the way it can travel through the food chain to us.  It also provides positive ways we can all help to reduce microplastic pollution.  Please be aware that content about the potential impact of microplastics on humans may cause anxiety for some students.

• Estuaries, Lower Secondary, Teacher, Upper Primary, Upper Secondary, Urban Water, Video/Audio,
• All Regions,

Wilam: A Birrarung Story is written by Aunty Joy Murphy and Andrew Kelly and illustrated by Lisa Kennedy.  It tells the Indigenous and geographical story of Melbourne’s Yarra River, from its source to its mouth, from its pre-history to the present day and includes words from the Woiwurrung language.

There are no online versions of this book but a hard copy can be ordered at your favourite book store.

Comprehensive cross-curricular teacher’s notes are a wonderful guide to implementing this beautiful book in the classroom.

• Aboriginal Cultures, All, Estuaries, Fauna (animals), Guide/Activity booklet, Lower Primary, Lower Secondary, Story Book/Photo, Teacher, Upper Primary, Upper Secondary, Water cycles, Waterways,
• All Regions,

Rivertime by Trace Balla follows the adventures of Clancy who goes on a paddling adventure down the Glenelg River in the Wimmera CMA region with his bird-watching uncle.  It is a story about slowing down (‘rivertime’), growing up and connecting with the land and its creatures.  It’s also a fantastic launching pad for doing some birdwatching at your waterwatch site.

There are no online versions of this book but a hard copy can be ordered at your favourite book store.  The story can be read as a class but is best enjoyed by individuals to read and reflect at their own pace, pore over the detailed illustrations and enjoy every comic-style speech bubble.

Teacher Notes provide suggested activities for middle/upper primary students or use this Rivertime-inspired pocket birdwatching guide by Trace Balla to inspire your students to make a guide for your area !

• Estuaries, Fauna (animals), Guide/Activity booklet, Lower Primary, Story Book/Photo, Teacher, Upper Primary, Waterways,
• All Regions,

The resource contains six engaging activities for primary students to develop awareness around wetlands, wetland habitats and the importance of wetlands in our world.

• Estuaries, Fauna (animals), Guide/Activity booklet, Lower Primary, Teacher, Upper Primary, Waterways,
• All Regions,

This guide provides educators with a number of lesson plans linked to the Australian Curriculum. It supports estuary-related resources designed to enhance student understanding of this important water system..

• All, Estuaries, Guide/Activity booklet,
• Corangamite CMA, Melbourne Water,