In this lesson, students will be designing their own water filtration system that will help them understand how pollution moves through the soil and how it may be naturally filtered in our water. They will be asked to test their filter by running dirty water through and examining the result. Food colouring will be added to the dirty water to represent chemical pollution.
It is important to emphasis during the lesson how pollution is a threat to habitats, and that natural filtration is not enough to eliminate all toxins.
Teachers have the option to take the construction activity outside once introduction sheets are completed. Inform students to bring a change of clothes or wear clothes that can get dirty.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Good | This resource has students create multiple filtration systems, test them for contaminants and interpret the results to conclude what works best. Such an approach is objective and shows little or no bias. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | After water filtration systems are analysed students are directed to consider what they can do to eliminate the possibility of pollution in our water system. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Good | Students are given a worksheet to fill out as the test their creations and have been given the material necessary to create their own water filtration systems but are not told how to build them. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Poor/Not considered | Students are given the opportunity to determine what they can do in their every day lives to help with the problem. They discuss what they can do in their everyday lives to prevent pollution. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Satisfactory | |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Poor/Not considered | Teacher can take students outdoors to complete the activity. |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Good | Students discuss what they can do in their everyday lives to prevent pollution. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Satisfactory | |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Good | Findings will be compared to other sources of filtration systems in the classroom. Students are able to create their own filtration system. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Satisfactory | |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Very Good | Students are asked to explore a problem by building their own models to help come to a conclusion. They are given the material necessary to create their own water filtration systems but are not told how to build them. |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Good | Students will be able to relate to the a problem in their own communities. |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | Students will be asked to work in groups. |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Satisfactory | A worksheet is provided and could be used as an evaluation tool. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Poor/Not considered | |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Good | Students are responsible for determining and comparing different filtration systems. |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |