Water Filter (English)
30-60 min
Ages 11+
What Will You Make?
We will create a water filter to remove impurities in the water, to experiment with the scientific method, experimenting with the order and size of our layers.
As well as reflecting on incorrect agricultural practices, industrial activities or inappropriate management of solid waste, which contaminate bodies of water.
What Will You Learn?
We will experiment with a method to detect, separate or eliminate polluting substances in various bodies of water, to use the scientific method in the creation.
Grab your materials...let's start making!
Step 1
Clean and rinse each of the materials for the filter layers, the gravel, the carbon along with the stones, to remove all the organic matter, since it can generate microorganisms or bacteria.
A piece of advice: The cleaner we have our raw material for our filter, the better.
Step 2
Cut the top of the bottle, then take it and with the help of the thumbtack make many holes scattered on the surface.
Start building your filter
Step 3
Take the cap off the bottle, start layering the filter as follows, first layer: cotton, second layer: small stones, then medium gravel, then charcoal, then last layer fine gravel and sand.
A tip: You can place the levels in different orders to know which combination performs a better filtering, as well as exchanging them for other materials or adding more layers, making the water cleaner as it is filtered.
Step 4
Now place the bottom part of the bottle that we cut off earlier, it will help us retain a lot of the larger particles.
Step 5
Take your container and place your filter on top, this will store the water after filtering.
Test your filter!
Step 6
Fill your jar with water and add as much soil as you like and stir it up, watch as some bits will dissolve. Then add the leaves and grass. Water contains particles of different sizes and various dissolved substances.
Step 7
Slowly pour some dirty water into the top of your filter. Hold the filter firmly to make sure it doesn’t fall out. See how the water flows through the layers and emerges much cleaner at the bottom.
Remember that your filtered water is not safe to drink even if it appears clean.
Finished sample projects
What Is Happening Here?
When is it safe to drink water?
Are we running out of clean water?
What Is Next?
It’s time to use the scientific method, ask yourself what would you change? How would you organize the materials? What materials would you add to your filter? Create a hypothesis and start experimenting.
This project also raises awareness about pollution and water quality. If we take action, and suggest different ways we can make a change.
About MoonMakers
MoonMakers — led by Camila and Diego Luna — are a community of creators passionate about knowledge. A Makerspace, an open space with different digital manufacturing machines. And a YouTube channel where we promote science, technology and the maker movement.
MoonMakers have collaborated with companies such as: Sesame Street, Make Community and in Mexico with Educational Television and Fundación Televisa, creating educational content.
We have given workshops throughout the Mexican Republic with: Talent Land, Secretary of Education in Jalisco, Conacyt, Centro Cultural España.
Materials:
- 1 plastic bottle
- Scissors or cutter
- Cotton
- Fine gravel or sand
- medium gravel
- Small rocks
- Activated charcoal or for grilling
- Tack
- 1 container
- tree leaves and grass
- 1 jar
