Workshop 1
Competition | Whakataetae
Solve the Case. Save the Wai.
Students stand a chance to win a $100 Prezzy Card!
Purpose of the challenge
This final mission extends and reinforces the Water Workshop by helping students:
- Employ a detective-based analytical framework to assess responsibility for declining river health, fostering critical and systems thinking by examining the interconnected factors that contribute to ecological degradation.
- Students integrate workshop evidence, including eDNA data, water quality indicators, and land-use analysis, to support their conclusions, reflecting an evidence-based approach.
- Connect workshop learning to real-life wateruse problems at home, school, or in their community.
- Demonstrate social, environmental, and practical understanding in a fun, creative way.
Mission briefing for students
Students take on the role of Water Detectives. After participating in the “Who Dunnit?” workshop mystery, they now complete their final mission by creating a short video containing two parts:
THE CHALLENGE (Two-part video)
PART 1 — Who dunnit? (Workshop storyline)
Students explain:
WHO they think made the awa sick in the workshop mystery
Their reasoning uses:
- Means — How that character had the ability
- Motive — Why they might have done it
- Opportunity — When/where it could have happened
Note: This is fictional reasoning about the scenario, not real-world blame.
PART 2 — WHAT DID YOU DO? (Real Life Application)
Students identify one real wateruse problem in their home, school or community.
Then they design a water-saving solution and show what they created, changed, or tested.
- How it works
- Why anyone could try it
- What materials they used
Impact section
Students finish by explaining how their solution helps:
- their home or garden
- their community
- and the awa — because everything we do on land eventually travels downstream.
Themes
Their real-life solution must connect to ONE:
- Growing food / agriculture
- Soil & garden water use
- Community or neighbourhood action
Student deliverable
A 30–90 second video containing:
- Who they believe polluted the river in the workshop mystery (and why)
- Their real-life watersaving action
- Detective reasoning (Means / Motive / Opportunity)
- The impact of their solution (home → community → awa)
Examples for Part 2 (Real-life solutions)
These examples are intended as prompts. Students are encouraged to adapt, combine, or build on them rather than copy them directly.
Gardens & Food
- DIY drip irrigation
- Watersmart garden routine
- Simple runoff barrier
Soil & Garden Water Use
- Mulch test
- Soil waterretention comparison
- Rainwater collector
Community
- Tapoff reminder signs
- 'Spot the Water Waste' challenge
- Refill station
Challenge Criteria (20 points)
| Category | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Solution & creativity | 5 | Proposes a thoughtful and original solution |
| Detective Thinking | 5 | Uses logical reasoning to explore what happened, why it matters, and possible causes (means, opportunity, and motive). |
| Problem identification | 5 | Clearly explains what the issue is and why it matters |
| Impact | 5 | Explains how the solution helps people, the river, or the environment |
| Clarity of communication | 5 | Communicates ideas clearly and effectively |