Water and sanitation
Here are some exciting activities for the class to try!
1. Use a large yoghurt pot or plastic bottle. Punch about 8 holes in the bottom.
2. Place a layer of pebbles in the bottom (about 3 inches) of the can and cover the pebbles with about 8cm of sand.
3. Collect some muddy water from a puddle or a pond. Hold the yoghurt pot/ plastic bottle over a bowl and pour the muddy water into the can.
4. Look at the water that comes out of the bottom of the can into the bowl. It is much cleaner than the water you poured in!
The water may look good enough to drink but you should not drink it because you have a cleaner and safer alternative – tap water! Even when water looks clean, it can still contain germs. However, this is a great way for people in developing countries to make their water somewhat cleaner.
Using the table below, write down nine ways you use water. Think about
whether each activity is a ‘want’ or a ‘need’ or perhaps there are ways
in which it could be both a need and a want.. One example has been done
for you.
If you decide to make posters, why not make them like cartoons for people who don't speak English to also understand? You can put them in the kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else where hygiene rules should be followed. Here are some ideas:
- Wash dishes in clean water and drain on a clean surface or wipe with a clean cloth.
- Wash your hands after going to the toilet.
- Keep food and drink covered from flies.
- Don’t play in puddles because they carry disease.
What you need:
Two tablespoons
A bucket full of water
Two empty cups, one for each team, placed next to each team.
What you do:
Divide the class into two teams and designate a team captain for each. Have each team captain stand behind the “starting line” with the rest of the team behind him or her in single file. Place a bucket filled with water between the team and give each team captain (at the front of the line) a tablespoon which they should fill with water.
Mark a point of 5 metres up to which one member from each team has to run (and back) with the tablespoon of water. Once they have made it back to their team, they have to pour the water left in the tablespoon into their team’s cup. Then the next member in line in the team should fill their tablespoon up with water from the bucket and repeat the race.
The aim is to be the first team to complete this task – and most importantly, the team who has the most water in their cup!
Give the students some background knowledge before they start:
Salima has to walk for 4km to fetch water for her family from a handpump, so she walks a total of 8km a day just for this one task. She is able to fill her pot with about 6 litres of water. That works out as Salima getting 0.75ml of water for every metre she walked.
For every 10m, Salima had 7.5ml of water. One tablespoon is 15ml of water so for every 10m walked, Salima managed to get half a tablespoon of water.
In comparison, the students ran 10m back and forth with their tablespoons. So how much water did they manage to get in their team cup? Ask students to think about the difficulties of fetching water.
(If you want to vary this task, ask teams to run with buckets filled with water!)
- Where the water comes from
- How the pipes operate
- Where the water is stored
- How the water is treated
And anything else they want to talk about!
Design your own water filter to make water safer
Water filters can be used to get rid of dirt found in water. Try making your own water filter using sand and gravel, it’s simple!1. Use a large yoghurt pot or plastic bottle. Punch about 8 holes in the bottom.
2. Place a layer of pebbles in the bottom (about 3 inches) of the can and cover the pebbles with about 8cm of sand.
3. Collect some muddy water from a puddle or a pond. Hold the yoghurt pot/ plastic bottle over a bowl and pour the muddy water into the can.
4. Look at the water that comes out of the bottom of the can into the bowl. It is much cleaner than the water you poured in!
The water may look good enough to drink but you should not drink it because you have a cleaner and safer alternative – tap water! Even when water looks clean, it can still contain germs. However, this is a great way for people in developing countries to make their water somewhat cleaner.
Are you wasting water?
Using the table below, write down nine ways you use water. Think about
whether each activity is a ‘want’ or a ‘need’ or perhaps there are ways
in which it could be both a need and a want.. One example has been done
for you. | Use | Need | Want |
| Taking a bath | Yes, keeping clean is necessary in order to be hygienic. | Yes, as I could take a shower instead which uses less water. |
Class project
In groups of five make an inventive presentation for another class about the importance of hygiene, such as washing their hands. You can make posters and draw pictures, perform your presentation in a play – it’s up to you! The presentation should be about 10 minutes long.If you decide to make posters, why not make them like cartoons for people who don't speak English to also understand? You can put them in the kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else where hygiene rules should be followed. Here are some ideas:
- Wash dishes in clean water and drain on a clean surface or wipe with a clean cloth.
- Wash your hands after going to the toilet.
- Keep food and drink covered from flies.
- Don’t play in puddles because they carry disease.
Race with water
What you need:Two tablespoons
A bucket full of water
Two empty cups, one for each team, placed next to each team.
What you do:
Divide the class into two teams and designate a team captain for each. Have each team captain stand behind the “starting line” with the rest of the team behind him or her in single file. Place a bucket filled with water between the team and give each team captain (at the front of the line) a tablespoon which they should fill with water.
Mark a point of 5 metres up to which one member from each team has to run (and back) with the tablespoon of water. Once they have made it back to their team, they have to pour the water left in the tablespoon into their team’s cup. Then the next member in line in the team should fill their tablespoon up with water from the bucket and repeat the race.
The aim is to be the first team to complete this task – and most importantly, the team who has the most water in their cup!
Give the students some background knowledge before they start:
Salima has to walk for 4km to fetch water for her family from a handpump, so she walks a total of 8km a day just for this one task. She is able to fill her pot with about 6 litres of water. That works out as Salima getting 0.75ml of water for every metre she walked.
For every 10m, Salima had 7.5ml of water. One tablespoon is 15ml of water so for every 10m walked, Salima managed to get half a tablespoon of water.
In comparison, the students ran 10m back and forth with their tablespoons. So how much water did they manage to get in their team cup? Ask students to think about the difficulties of fetching water.
(If you want to vary this task, ask teams to run with buckets filled with water!)
Ask a visitor to give a talk
Get a person from the local regional council to come and give a talk to the class about wastewater and water supply. They can explain how the water system operates to the children:- Where the water comes from
- How the pipes operate
- Where the water is stored
- How the water is treated
And anything else they want to talk about!
