Create a Process
Youth apply what they learned in prior activities to design and test a water reuse process using filter materials and home piping reconfiguration.
Guiding Question
How can we design a water reuse process to solve the problem of water scarcity in an extreme environment?
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 more filter bases, Educator Guide p. 37.
- Post Investigation Chart, Educator Guide p. 32, and Quality Chart, Educator Guide p. 48.
- Create model water samples, replace “toilet” with “space toilet.”
- Set up Materials Table: spoons, filter materials, rinsed charcoal.
- Copy for each group: Water Reuse Plan, Educator Guide p. 53.
Related Video
Engineering Everywhere Special Report: Water Reuse
Youth Will Know
- Using the steps of the Engineering Design Process can help guide them to a successful solution.
- Engineers use what they learn in the identify and investigate steps to inform their design decisions.
- They can engineer a process to improve water quality so it can be reused for other purposes.
Youth Will Do
Use data from prior investigations to imagine, create, and test a water reuse process for an extreme environment where water is scarce.
Did you know?
Failure is a big part of the Engineering Design Process. Engineers sometimes make mistakes on purpose so they can learn how to avoid them later when it’s more crucial to get it right.
Quick Tips
- There are multiple correct answers.
- #1—Mars is a basic challenge.
- #3—ISS is more advanced.
- Criteria vary by Extreme Environment.
- Same constraints for all: 2 filter bases.
- Add materials constraint to conserve for Activity 5.