Purifying Water

Purpose: To discover how water is purified

Materials

• gallon of water from a lake, pond, bay, or ocean
• purification tablets (from local sporting goods store)
• microscope
• slides and slide covers
• eye dropper
• 2 beakers or 2 small containers

Procedure

1. Gather a gallon of water from a lake, pond, bay, or ocean.
2. Pour a small amount of the water in one beaker for each group.
3. Have students observe the water and write their observations on the Water Identification Chart.
4. Have students use the eye dropper to place 2-3 drops of water on a slide and cover with cover slip. Teacher Note: These items can be prepared for younger children.
5. Students will place the slide on the microscope and observe. Record observations.
6. Discuss what could possibly be in the water. Inform students that not all water is pure and often when you travel, you get sick from drinking the water.
7. Drop purification tablets into the gallon of water per directions on label of tablets.
8. Pour a small amount of purified water into the second or empty beaker of each group.
9. Have students observe and record observations.
10. Have students make another slide for the purified water and observe under the microscope.
11. Record observations.
12. Discuss with the students why it is important to drink water only from sources that have been purified, such as a water treatment system.

Water Identification Chart

Dirty Water	Purified Water
Draw what you observe	Draw what you observe
Write a description	Write a description

Conclusion

1. What do you think is in the pond water?
2. What happened to the water once the tablets were added?
3. Why do you think it is unsafe to play in water that is found in ditches?
4. How does "dirty" water make you sick?