Investigating Filters
Youth explore how different water filter materials reduce contaminants.
Guiding Question
How do filters help us solve our problem of being able to reuse water?
TimingSetup
The Educator Guide has a script, materials list, and prep directions. Be sure to have it open and ready to help guide you through every activity.
- Post EDP Poster.
- Make 8 filter bases, Educator Guide p. 37.
- Create Investigation Chart, Educator Guide p. 32.
- Set up Materials Table: filter materials and scissors.
- Create charcoal filter and yellow test water, Educator Guide p. 32.
Related Video
Engineering Everywhere Special Report: Water Reuse
Youth Will Know
- Engineers design filters to treat water.
- Different filter materials remove different types of contaminants from water.
- Engineers use the investigate step to learn more about ways they can solve their problem.
Youth Will Do
Investigate different materials to see how well they remove or reduce different water contaminants.
Did you know?
Flint, Michigan gives filters to residents to improve water quality. Lead in pipes dissolves into drinking water and is very harmful to humans. Lead can be removed by filters.
Quick Tips
- Results are subtle: try photos or side-by-side comparisons on a white background.
- Help youth discover on their own that slowing down the filter improves results.
- Sand or cotton balls packed tightly into the nozzle slow the filter rate.
- Help youth interpret test results/decide on fair test procedures like shaking samples.