The water of the Clyde - cholera

This lesson/project idea will develop a knowledge and understanding of the causes and consequences of water pollution using the historical context of 19th Century Glasgow and the condition of the River Clyde as a focus for enquiry. This can act as a microcosm which can be expanded into a more generalised study of the problems of water pollution and disease.

Technological solutions to the problems of polluted water supplies will be examined in the first lesson area. Enterprising responses can be developed by engaging learners in a model construction project based on the difficulties of piping water from Loch Katrine to Glasgow.

Broad Outcomes of learning

• Subject knowledge gained and enhanced through application
• Confident work independently from teacher-led lessons improved
• Ability to express knowledge in context of local situation – making learning relevant
• Established links in the community through study of topic
• Enhanced enterprising skills and attitudes developed (CfE) through working on problems in a team and evaluating individual and team work as they progress (additional self-development)
• Developed employability skills through applying learning to model making and replicating a real situation

Relevance to curriculum

• Relevance of water pollution, its causes and consequences and how technological solutions operate.
• Active learning using real world exemplars