HOW CAN WE How can we clean

our dirty water?

CLEAN OUR We all know how important our
clean, fresh water is and how we

WATER?
must use it wisely... But how can we
clean dirty water? How can we
make water filters to clean dirty
water?

Your task: Where to start?

For the next 5 weeks, you will work in
collaborative teams of 3 to find out
how you can filter dirty water to make
it clean. You will be given a variety of
different materials to make water
filters and your challenge is to
determine how you will filter the water
successfully.
You will need to construct a series of
designs on how you will make your water
filter and how you will conduct your
experiment. You can research ways to make
your filter and materials that are effective.
Think about:
What materials will be the most
effective;
How you will make the filter; and
How you will conduct your experiment.

Materials for Steps in the design process:

each team:
Step 1 (weeks 1-2): Construct your series of draft designs and good
Plastic bottle copy designs on how you will construct your water filter and what
Tall drinking glass materials you will use. Include designs on how you will conduct the
Gravel or small experiment.
stones Step 2 (week 2): Make a prediction about the effect of each of the
clean sand filters you have designed.
activated charcoal Step 3 (week 3): Construct your water filter using your designs and
cotton balls, small chosen materials. You can create more than one water filter to test
cloth or coffee filter which materials best clean the dirty water.
gardening dirt Step 4 (week 4): Test your water filters, document your findings and
water decide on which materials made the most effective water filters.
scissors

Evaluation Criteria Presentation:

Did my water filter successfully filter
the dirty water and make it clean?
Were my predictions correct?
What materials made the most
effective water filters?
Was the water ever fully clean?
Why/why not?
How could the water filters be
improved?
What went well in my designs?
In week 5 you will have the opportunity to present
your design to the class. Your collaborative team will
present the most effective water filter to the class
and explain:
how you constructed your water filter;
how you tested it;
what materials you used; and
why it was the most effective.
You will also explain which water filter and materials
were the least effective and why.