Water Pollution Cleanup

Cleaning up water can be both fun and challenging! In this hands-on activity, participants will discover just how difficult it can be to clean polluted water. Using a variety of materials, they'll work together to create the cleanest water possible-without generating more dirty water in the process.

Grade Level: 3 - 12

Time: 30-45 minutes

Learning Standards: ESS2.C, ESS3.C, MP.4, SL1, W2

What we are Learning?

The sewage treatment plant must remove solid organic materials like the paper napkin and cereal (sludge) then they add alum to allow dissolved materials to become solid again (secondary sludge) Sludge is brought to the landfill, the sewage treatment plant cleans the water and the effluent or water that is cleaned is put into a river or stream. This helps to get rid of some of the chlorine used in cleaning.

Materials Needed

3 pint size mason jars per group - 3 groups 9 jars
Water - clean water for filling jars
Wash basins 1 per group/ one or two for washing up (4/5)
- have a way to distinguish the groups like different colored bins
One per group of the following
- funnel/make sure strainers fit
- coffee filters at least 3 per group
- aquarium filter fiber
- strainers 2 different size holes is best
- cup for trash
Dirty water/This can be put into jars in advance
- Leaves/sticks/plant debris
- Soil/stones
- Soap
- Vinegar
- Oil
- Napkin/can be in pieces
- Cereal
- Green food coloring
- Salt

How is it done?

After giving students 15 minutes to clean up their "dirty" water, ask how they began water treatment, and what successes and failures they had.
Remind students that much of the activity value lies in encouraging teamwork in dealing with the clean-up. In most cases, the most cooperative groups will also be the most organized and successful. Pollution is everyone's problem, and everyone must work together if we are to succeed in the fight for a cleaner, healthier environment.
Teams generally tend to use the clean water– that is the first part of the lesson. Dilution, is not the solution, to pollution. If you use the clean water at all you’ve created more dirty water.
Explain the items from nature were generally easier to remove because they are solids. The water treatment plant basically filters and then chlorinates water before it is consumed.
The sewage treatment plant must remove solid organic materials like the paper napkin and cereal (sludge) then they add alum to allow dissolved materials to become solid again (secondary sludge) Sludge is brought to the landfill, the sewage treatment plant cleans the water and the effluent or water that is cleaned is put into a river or stream. This helps to get rid of some of the chlorine used in cleaning.

What to Expect?

An engaging activity for students to carry out as a small group project
Place-based, localized information
Deep consideration of these complex issues and their wide-ranging impacts
An opportunity to problem-solve, think creatively, and feel empowered to be part of the solution!
Various opportunities for extensions and follow-up activities

Helpful Advice/Student Directions

Before attempting any cleanup, your group should take five minutes to plan a course of action.

You will have fifteen minutes to get the pollution out of your group's sample. Please keep the following rules in mind.

All pouring should be done over the wash basin to avoid messy accidents.
The only clean water available is the 300ml jar included with your cleanup equipment.
You cannot use clean water from a faucet or other source.
Think hard about how this limited amount of clean water should be used.
Waste removed from the sample should be collected in the appropriate container.
At the end of the activity, each group should have at least one half bottle full of "cleaned" sample to compare with the results obtained by other groups.

A final piece of advice: don't hurry. Take the time to think about each step, about the nature of the pollutant you're trying to remove, and about the tools available.

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