Earth's Water

Water Cycle - Desalination

Students have been reading about Earth's Water and it's scarcity and questioned the ability to use salt water.
Showed a clip

Students make prediction about their ability to make a water still


materials
measuring cup, plastic wrap, small glass, large glass bowl, salt, water

1. Measure 100 mL water into large glass bowl (we used a gold fish bowl)  Mix in 1 tablespoon salt. 2. Stir until dissolved.  

3. Place small glass into large bowl

4. Cover with plastic wrap

5. put marble on top, allowing wrap to lower into the jar slightly

6. Secure in place with rubber band around top of jar.

7. Place in sunny location for around 4 hours.

After 4 hours, we made observations...

          

The students noticed the condensation inside the jar, on the plastic wrap, and in the cup.  We made predictions if it would be salty water.

When we peeled back the plastic wrap, the students could feel warm air above the jar.

  

They tested the water in the cup and determined that it was fresh!

We are continuing our study by reading about desalination plants and the water shortage in California and properties of water, solutions, separating mixtures...

lesson plans

http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/upload/The-Water-Sourcebooks-Grade-Level-3-5.pdf

http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/sustainability/lessons/Water-A_Valuable,_Yet_Limited_Resource_Gr4-5.pdf

http://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/29818

http://www.seametrics.com/water-lesson-plans - lots of links

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/pdfs/activity_grades_k-3_activitybook.pdf

articles

http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/water-cycle/?ar_a=5

water cycle video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAnDlYRycqs 

http://www.drippytheraindrop.com/DrippysWorldTrialStories/ToMountainsAndBack/Page1.htm

Writing

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/hrlpwatercycle.pdf

http://thewaterproject.org/resources/the_water_cycle

Links

http://danadesign.org/

Earth's Water

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html
this is a great site to show the amount of water on Earth.



This activity was a great visual to represent the amount of water on Earth.  We began with 1L of water to represent all the water on Earth's surface.  Then, students measured out 28mL to represent fresh water.  Students were asked what type of water remained in the 1L bottle and determined that it was salt water.
From the 28mL, students divided into 3 smaller medicine type measuring cups.  The first represents frozen water.  This measures 22mL.  The next amount is fresh liquid water.  That measures 6mL.  The final amount, one drop of water, represents the water vapor.