Building a Water Filter

Grade Level: 6-8

Time Required: 30 minute activity and reflection (not including an introduction to water quality before the activity)

In this activity, students exercise creativity, critical thinking, and engineering skills to develop a water filter using common household items. Students test their creations using a pre-made sample of dirty water, which you can also create using common, household items. The activity motivates students to solve problems independently and creatively, exposing them to opportunities in engineering and environmental careers.

The document below includes a lesson plan, introductions to water quality and water filters, and educational materials that could be used to introduce these concepts to students before the hands-on activity. Discussion questions are included to guide students in evaluating the effectiveness of their creation.