Enjoy a hands-on lesson that will certainly hold water with your classes. Young scientists design an experiment to determine the materials that absorb water the best. They test both man-made and nature-made materials and conduct quantitative tests to support their conclusions.

Concepts

wetland ecosystems, plants, decay

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Instructional Ideas

• Have some groups use weight and others use volume of water as their measurable variable and then compare overall results
• Use soil from different local areas to compare

Classroom Considerations

• Collect and prepare materials prior to the activity

Pros

• Uses materials and equipment that are easy to obtain
• Encourages higher order thinking

Cons

• None