5. Order Up! Investigating Reuse Process

Setup: Prep Time 60 min.

• Print and assemble handouts.
• Prepare Filter Bases for Activity 6, as noted in Materials & Preparation.

*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.

21st Century Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Collaboration

Habits of Mind

• Use systems thinking.

Learners Will Do

• Reconfigure the pipes in a model building.

Learners Will Know

• Engineers can design processes to solve problems.

Connecting Across Activities

• Activity 4: Investigating Filters: Last time, learners investigated the ability of various filter materials to remove contaminants from a water sample.
• Activity 5: Investigating Reuse Process: Today, learners apply what they learned about water quality to reconfigure a model building to reuse as much water as possible.
• Activity 6: Create a Process: Next time, learners will work in groups to plan, create, and test a water reuse process.

Water Reuse in Extreme Environments: Human Technology

Level Up! (Optional)

In the Educator Guide, you will see “Level Up!” Sections. These include great tips and activities that build and extend STEM and 21st Century skills, and create stronger connections between educators, youth, and families. They typically take a little extra time, so please plan accordingly.

• Learners may have questions about when “somewhat contaminated” water is used. Explain that its usage varies depending on region, local regulations, plant species, and personal preference. Encourage them to look up or ask other learners or educators in your program how such water is used locally. (25 min.)
• Have learners think about the types of contamination astronauts have to deal with on the International Space Station. Would types of contamination be different on the Moon? Or on Mars? (10 min.)
• Ask this story prompt question: Can you tell a story about a time when you’ve designed a process for other people to use, or followed a process someone else designed? (Possible responses include following a recipe, building something, or following directions.) Have learners share with a partner (note that the sharing can take forms other than speaking aloud). (20 min.)
• Tell learners, if anyone asks them what they did today, they can tell them “We explored how the order of pipes between locations can improve water quality.” (5 min.)
• Give each learner a copy of the Family Questions flier to share at home. (5 min.)
• Ask: Which steps of the Engineering Design Process did we use today? (We investigated why order is important; we planned how to order the flow of water; we created a process for reusing water in the home.) (5 min.)