The following projects can be done as individuals, with family members or classmates. They make great family activities to learn more about our drinking water.
Water Uses
Keep a record of all the activities you and your family do each day that use water. Think of ways you can change these activities to conserve water.
Using the Master Water Shut-Off Valve in your Home
With your parent’s help, find the master water shut-off valve in your home. In an emergency, this is where you would turn the water off to prevent water damage in your home.
Track Your Family’s Water Use
Understand your household’s water usage by reading your water meter.
If your water meter is inside your house, locate it and write the reading down on a daily basis for a week or more.
After several days of readings have been obtained, subtract the readings between days to determine the daily usage. Track this value for several days or weeks. Note, typically water meters can express the amount of water in gallons or in cubic feet of water. (If you want to change the water usage from cubic feet of water into gallon, multiply the cubic feet of water by 7.5 to convert the amount of water into gallons.)
Make a graph showing your family’s water usage. Was the use the same each day or did the usage vary?
Discuss with your family the amount of water used each day, the factors that might affect how much water is used, and ways your family can use water more wisely.
If your class is doing this project as well, compare your family’s water usage with the other students in your class. As a class, discuss why one family’s usage can be different from another’s.
Build Your Own Water Filter
Obtain an empty coffee can. With an adult’s help and permission, punch 5 to 10 small holes in the bottom. Caution must be used to prevent injury.
Put about 3 inches of sand in the bottom of the can.
Pour a pitcher of muddy water over the sand and collect the water that comes out of the filter in a clean container.
What can you observe about the water coming out of the filter compared to the water you put through the filter?
Games
