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Role of Plants in Water Filtration ActivityRole of Plants in Water Filtration Activity
Publisher
US Environmental Protection Agency
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
4th - 7th
Subjects
Science
4 more...
Resource Type
Activities & Projects
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
45 mins
Instructional Strategies
Demonstration
4 more...
Activity

Role of Plants in Water Filtration

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet
This Role of Plants in Water Filtration activity also includes:
  • Lab & Experiment
  • Join to access all included materials

Investigate the amazing ability of plants to filter contaminants from water with this series of in-class demonstrations. After placing six small, potted plants in plastic cups, different solutions and mixtures are poured into them that represent common pollutants found in water. As the mixtures percolate through the soil and into the cups, pupils make comparisons with the original liquids to determine whether or not the contaminants were removed from the water. 

57 Views 49 Downloads

Concepts

water filtration, water, aquifers, contamination, groundwater, pollution

Additional Tags

pollution, contamination, water, water filtration, groundwater, aquifer, science

Classroom Considerations

  • This activity addresses a number of earth and life science topics, making it adaptable to units on plant life, ecosystems, and the hydrosphere
  • Demonstration assumes students understand the difference between mixtures and solutions, and have a general understanding of plant life

Pros

  • A series of step-by-step instructions are provided for demonstrating how plants filter water
  • Includes a series follow-up questions for guiding a class discussion

Cons

  • None

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