9th and 10th Graders Dive into Water Filtration
Over the course of an intensive, exciting three-day Project-Based Learning (PBL) initiative, our 9th and 10th-grade students stepped out of the traditional classroom setting and into the role of environmental scientists. Their mission? To design, build, and test their very own functional water filtration systems.
Day 1 & 2: The Science of Clean Water
The project kicked off with deep-dive discussions on global water quality, exploring the distinct chemical and biological characteristics of pure vs. impure water.
Once the theory was mastered, students rolled up their sleeves for the engineering phase. Using cylindrical pipes, they carefully layered natural materials to create a physical and chemical purification sequence. Their custom filtration pipes utilized:
Pebbles to catch large debris and sediment.
Sand to filter out finer particulate matter.
Activated Charcoal to chemically bind and remove microscopic impurities and odors.
Field Testing at Balboa Park
On the final day, students took their handmade filtration devices into the field at Balboa Park to put their hard work to the test using real-world water samples.
Our students thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on process of data collection and seeing their designs come to life.
