The Meaning of Water Conservation

Ethnea Porter
With the help of Librarian Mrs. Meyer, the students set up the experiment in the Makerspace section of the library. Using an IV drip system with a clamp that calibrated the flow of water, we simulated a leaky faucet. The water dripped slowly into a collection bucket, and students were sent to the library every other day over a 5-day period to measure the amount of water that accumulated. Since liquid measurement isn’t part of the second grade math curriculum, the students used rulers to measure the height of the water in the bucket in centimeters. With each observation, they noticed that the water level rose considerably. They recorded their findings and results, which tied in with our Writing Workshop unit on Lab Reports. At the end of the 5-day period, students found that the water in the bucket measured 15 centimeters high.
 
In math, the students took this information and calculated how much water would accumulate over the course of 10 days, 20 days, 30 days, 180 days, and finally over the span of an entire year. Math Specialist Miss Zucker gave them the freedom to use whichever strategy they preferred to reach their answer. They practiced estimating, doubling, quadrupling, addition with regrouping, multiplication, and division. When all was said and done, they found that in a year’s time, the amount of water collected would reach a height of 1,095 centimeters. That’s a lot of wasted water!

Mrs. Meyer shared some of her observations of the students as they came to the library to record their findings. She noticed that they enjoyed having the independence to come down and measure on their own without much teacher supervision. She found it interesting to watch them problem solve and collaborate. Some were more comfortable measuring, and others recording observations. She also noted that the students felt like their learning was meaningful because the experiment allowed them to actually see how much water accumulated over the course of several days.

The students were really excited about the unit as well. When asked about the impact of the experiment, Kyle S. had some sound advice: “A little drip can waste a lot of water. Check that your faucets have no drips, and make sure to turn the faucet off all the way when you’re done using it.”
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Harbor Day School

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Harbor Day School is a co-educational private independent K-8 school established in 1952.

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