Purpose: |
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To provide an
attention-getting
introductory activity prior to discussing water quality education. |
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Background: |
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(This information was
taken from GROUNDWATER: A VITAL RESOURCE Student Activities by the
Cedar Creek
Learning Center in cooperation with the Tennessee Valley Authority. 1986.) |
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People prefer all types of
drinking water. Most people like the taste of hard water because of the minerals
in it. Softened water may taste salty depending on how hard the water was
before treatment. Distilled water tastes "bland" or "flat" to most people,
but some people prefer that taste.
Often people will be prejudiced about how water tastes based on its color
or smell. |
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Materials: |
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small cups, less than 4 oz (I use nut cups)
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4-5 1 gallon jugs
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tap water
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distilled water
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food coloring
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salt
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evaluation form (optional)
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Procedure: |
- Mark the small drinking cups with an
identifiable color or number and mark one jug with the same color or number.
- Make up enough of 3-5 different types of
water
so each student can taste each type. Suggestions: tap water from the school,
distilled water, softened water, colored tap water, salty water (similar to ocean water
or water from the Salton Sea), water containing iron or sulfides, etc.
- Pour water into cups and group like
water.
Have students take one of each type of water, taste it, and rate it.
- Discuss the different types and explain why
some water tastes differently from other water.
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Extensions: |
- Discover how little (or how much) salt (sugar)
needs to be added before students can taste it in the water.
- Have the students make bar charts of the
number of people who liked the various types of water and determine the percentage
of the class who liked the water.
- Make an observation table (see below) on
the blackboard (and/or individually) and have the students use their senses to
fill out the table based on their observations. Stress to the students to
use measurable observations (e.g., tastes salty not yucky). Introduce and use
concepts such as transparent, translucent, sediment, etc.
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This activity was adapted by Dr. Kitt Farrell-Poe from the Invitational Professional
Development Workshop: Water Activities Teaching Environmental Responsibility.
February 28-March 4, 1990. Camp Ocala, 4-H Center, Altoona, FL. |
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension
work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director,
Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture, The University of
Arizona. The University of Arizona
College of Agriculture is an Equal Opportunity employer, authorized
to provide research, educational information, and other services only
to individuals and institutions that function without regard to sex,
race, religion, color, national origin, age, Viet Nam Era Veteran's
status, or disability.
For problems or questions regarding this web contact Dr. Kitt Farrell-Poe.
This
document was last modified:
31-Aug-2005
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