Water Filtration System

How does a nature walk turn into a water filtration system?

        

It all started when we began to notice signs of Spring.

There were buds on trees, the grass was getting greener and the air warmer.

The melted snow and days of rain made for great puddles!

And the wind wrapped all around us.

We also noticed garbage. It was everywhere!

It was even floating in the puddles.

So, we cleaned our environment.

But...how do we clean our water? All living things need water.

We talked about puddle water and pond water and even 

drinking water from the Detroit River.

"No way!"

"But there is a way! 

The water comes from the lake to the river and all the way to our taps!"

 We began to investigate how water gets clean.

First of all, we don't throw our garbage in it!

 We can get clean water when we filter out the garbage and mud and dirt.

And so began the building of a water filtration system.

     

We discovered that the water gets filtered through three layers. 

A layer of rocks, a layer of stones and a layer of sand.

 We drilled holes in the bottom of some clear drawers and 

gathered the materials from our room. 

 Mesh placemats were set on the bottom of the drawers and coffee filters were 

also put in the drawer for the sand.

  

 "No way any dirt can get through that!"

 

 The drawers were filled. One with rocks, one with stones and one with sand.

     

 

  

 The drawers were set in place. Rocks on top, then stones and sand at the bottom.

 

 The water filter was set on top of the sensory bin.

Then it was time to see how it could work! 

That meant, not just a nature walk...but a mud walk!

     

 

  

One by one, the children lined up to pour their dirty water in the water filter system.

 

 

 

 

 

The big rocks helped to filter out garbage, leaves and sticks.

 

Water poured and dripped through the holes, through the stones and 

filled up in the layer of sand. 

It took longer for the water to filter through the sand.

   

The water that filtered into the bin was still dirty, but not as dirty.

Why was there still dirty water?

"Because that's the dirt that's smaller than sand!"

 

   

 The next day, the water was clear! A new layer had formed. 

It is called sediment. 

The dirt that was small enough to go through the sand settled to the bottom.

Children drew the water filter and labelled the layers.

Can we drink the water now?

"No way!"

"It might have germs."

"We have to use the fountain."

"That's good water for the plants and the animals!"