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‘Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink’*

Investigating how to get clean water from dirty ‘pond’ water

About 72% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, At the end, the results are arranged in a row with
most of it in the oceans. However, only 1% is usable group labels. Award points for the cleanliness of the
by humans and land animals; obtaining clean water water.
to drink is a problem in many countries of the world.
Then ask the pupils to give their conclusions. Is the
Can your pupils clean up dirty ‘pond’ water enough to cleaned pond water suitable for drinking?
be able to drink it and survive?

Ask the pupils:

• to obtain the cleanest water they can from the dirty
‘pond’ water they are given;
Because of health and safety problems associated
with using pond water, it is best to make the dirty
water using broken tea bags, colourings, powdered
clay, grass and leaf debris etc. (If real pond water
is used, ensure that all pupils wear plastic gloves.)
• in small groups, to plan how they will clean the
dirty ‘pond’ water;
• plan the order they might need to do the various
stages of cleaning, and what equipment they might
need;
• provide the teacher with a list of requirements (they
cannot add to this once they have decided). Less
able pupils could be given some clues if they are
struggling to decide;
• to clean their water using only the equipment Cleaning ‘pond’ water. Photo: Peter Kennett
requested. They have 20 minutes to get the best
results they can.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The back up:

Title: ‘Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to • work out the necessary equipment to carry out
drink’* their investigation;
• clean dirty pond water by filtering through a filter
*‘Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink’ is a and/or sand;
quote from ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ by
• realise that cleaned pond water needs further
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1797-98
processing before it is suitable to drink;
• suggest the further treatment that might be
Subtitle: Investigating how to get clean water from
necessary.
dirty ‘pond’ water
Context:
Topic:
• Pupils usually decide to sieve the pond water first
This activity could be used in any lessons involving
using sieves or nets to remove floating material.
water supply. People have always needed to find
Ask them to keep a list of what is removed.
clean water to drink. It is a vital factor in where people
• They usually filter the pond water using filter paper
can live.
next.
• Some may then wish to filter the water through
Age range of pupils: 10 - 16 years
sand.
• In their conclusions, the pupils should say that the
Time needed to complete activity: 45 minutes
cleaned pond water is still NOT suitable for
drinking. It has not been tested for its contents and
Pupil learning outcomes: Pupils can:
would need to be cleaned more thoroughly to
• plan, carry out and evaluate a complete
remove soluble contaminants and bacteria.
investigation;

1
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At the end of the investigation, pupils should know • One-fifth of the world’s population does not have
that dirty pond water may contain: access to sufficient clean drinking water.
• suspended solids, like plant debris, rubbish and • Polluted drinking water is the chief cause of
mud; disease around the world.
• soluble contaminants (cannot be removed in the
classroom); Thinking skill development:
• invisibles, e.g. bacteria – point out that real pond • Carrying out the stages of the investigation
water would contain bacteria. involves identifying a pattern.
• Trial and error in cleaning the water creates
If it is suitable for your pupils, you might then discuss cognitive conflict.
how the bacteria might be removed. • Discussion about the investigation is metacognition
Possibilities include: • Applying the cleaning of the ‘pond’ water to
• distillation; commercial cleaning of water for people to drink is
• adding chemicals, such as water sterilisation bridging.
tablets or chlorine (as is done commercially);
• using ultra-violet light. Resource list:
For each group:
Explain that our drinking water is filtered carefully to • 2 x 1 litre containers – to hold the ‘before’ and
make it safe to drink. Water that filters down through ‘after’ ‘pond’ water for each group
rocks like sandstone, is often very good quality • 1 funnel (cut-off tops of bottles can be used)
drinking water. Water can also be cleaned by using • filter paper
charcoal and, in the past, straw. • muslin or fine-mesh cloth
• washed sand
Following up the activity: • absorbent cloths
• Try making and testing filters using charcoal and • sieve
straw, laid in layers in a flower pot; • pond-dipping net
• Visit a local water-cleaning facility; many have • a variety of other plastic containers.
Visitor Centres; One only:
• Look at the origins of bottled water on the labels on • bucket for dirty pond water
the bottles; • broken tea bags, colourings, grass and leaf debris
• The pupils could investigate further how their • powdered clay (made by letting clay dry and then
cleaned pond water could be turned into drinking crushing or filing it).
water;
• Investigate how sea water can be turned into fresh Useful links:
drinking water in desalination plants. Earthlearningidea - Water cycle ‘thought experiment’
‘Space survival: how we could survive a year in a
Underlying principles: dome’
• Water has to be filtered or treated to make it safe www.earthlearningidea.com/English/Earth_as_a_Syst
to drink. em.html
• Water that filters through rock is usually good www.primaryschool.com.au/environmentresults.php?
quality drinking water. strand=Water Quality and Management&grade=56
• Pond water (real or made up) contains suspended
solids, soluble contaminants and invisibles, e.g. Source:
bacteria. ESEU Primary Earth Science Workshops ‘How the
• Only 1% of Earth’s water is usable for humans and Earth Works in Your Classroom’, from a wide variety
land animals. of sources, collated by Niki Whitburn.
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