Water Purification with Fish Tanks
Student demonstrate water purification process used in water and sewage departments through absorption and adsorption processes of fish tanks.
Overview
Students investigate water purification through absorption, adsorption, and desorption in coordinated science and math classes. The unit opens with a K-W-L chart, videos on water crises such as Flint, Jackson, and the Colorado River, and research on the local drinking water source. In math, students graph water-quality data such as pH, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia, fit regression equations, and use R2 to predict future values. In science, they study activated carbon adsorption, test water samples from around the school, set up a fish tank with daily testing, and compare runoff from impervious and permeable areas. They present findings in presentations and lab notebooks. The plan schedules engagement across Days 1-3 and exploration as 1 week.
Lesson Objectives
- Demonstrate water purification process by quantitative data from water sources through absorption and adsorption processes.
- Observe techniques used by water and sewage departments for water purification as well as have an understanding of the filtration process for fish tanks.
- Make predictions of water levels based on the line of best fit for a set of data.
Standards
NGSS · 1
- HS-PS1-4Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
CCSS Math · 3
- HSA-CED.A.2Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales.
- HSF-LE.A.1Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions and with exponential functions.
- HSS-ID.B.6.aFit a function to the data; use functions fitted to data to solve problems in the context of the data. Use given functions or choose a function suggested by the context. Emphasize linear, quadratic, and exponential models.
CCSS ELA · 1
- SL.11-12.1.aCome to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.