With a much-deserved two-weeks off, we were ready to get back to work and figure out just what happens with the water we consume and use in our homes! Before break, students convinced Mrs. Brinza to test some water at Lake Michigan. If we tested the water at the Lake (which is our source), and then test it again at our homes, it would hopefully tell us any differences between the water and ultimately what happens between them!
We first turned to Google Maps to see that there was indeed a structure down by the lake which confirmed that there's a place purifying the water. It's called the Jardine Purification Plant. Additionally, there was a little blurb of something out in the lake which we thought was a lighthouse, but with some research, we determined it was a crib, or like a giant straw to suck in water under the lake to the purification plant.
We first turned to Google Maps to see that there was indeed a structure down by the lake which confirmed that there's a place purifying the water. It's called the Jardine Purification Plant. Additionally, there was a little blurb of something out in the lake which we thought was a lighthouse, but with some research, we determined it was a crib, or like a giant straw to suck in water under the lake to the purification plant.
We then went to testing the water samples! We used the recorded videos of Mrs. Brinza at the lake and then she tested the water at her house (we're still learning remotely and agreed her house's tap was like what the tap at school would be). Check out all the videos here.
Then she went ahead and tested the water at her house! Check out the images she took for us below. |
Between the two classes, we got pretty similar data which is helping us see the consistency in our investigation. We then had a discussion around what the increase/decrease/constant values we saw and came to an agreement: that the purification plant must add stuff to the water and it must also remove stuff! Just like we thought!
As much as we wanted to go on a field trip, we realized the pandemic is setting some limitations on this, but thank goodness there's a good video for what goes on at Chicago's purification plant, the largest in the world!
After an in-depth discussion, we truly built understanding as a class about what goes on there:
1. Screens remove debris (just like at the WWTF)!
2. Chemicals are added to kill bacteria (chlorine), help with oral hygiene (fluoride) and to make dissolved particles still in the water sticky and sink (alum).
3. Sand and gravel...yes! Sand and gravel help filter out any remaining particles...JUST LIKE GROUNDWATER! This was so cool to see!
We wrapped up our "figuring out" by comparing how our purification process is similar to what happens naturally in the ground.
1. Screens remove debris (just like at the WWTF)!
2. Chemicals are added to kill bacteria (chlorine), help with oral hygiene (fluoride) and to make dissolved particles still in the water sticky and sink (alum).
3. Sand and gravel...yes! Sand and gravel help filter out any remaining particles...JUST LIKE GROUNDWATER! This was so cool to see!
We wrapped up our "figuring out" by comparing how our purification process is similar to what happens naturally in the ground.