Kristen Hannemann

Looking at Dirty Water

Science Micro Teaching
Grade Level: 5th
Needed: colanders, coffee filters, paper towels, plastic bags, wash clothes, cheese clothes,
mesh/screening, plastic water bottles with dirty water (must have both larger and smaller
particles in it), funnels, handouts

Pre-Teaching: The students are 5th graders; they are about 10-11 years old. They have not been
taught about particles yet and do not understand separation of particle and liquid.
Teaching: Your lesson should be at least 20 minutes of teaching.
Engage: Beginning the lesson is about catching the attention of the class. The students will begin
by examining bottles of dirty water and charting their data in Data set 1. In this data they are
asked 2 questions: 1: What do you see? 2: Do you think that this water is clean enough to drink?
Discuss: Lets first look at the water in the bottle. Could you guess what is making it dirty? Is it
pieces of something or just coloring? If its coloring what color is it? If its pieces of something,
how many are there? What sizes?
Explore: The students then will pour the dirty water through a funnel and then examine the water
again. They will fill out the data set 2 which will include 3 questions: 1: What do you see in
the newly filtered water? 2: What do you see in the filter? 3: Would you drink the water now?
Discuss: Why do you think there are things in the funnel? What are those?
Explain: Dirty water is made up of particles which are little pieces of things. In this case they are
visible, but they arent always. Many of the ones in the funnel are so small that you cant see
them. These tiny particles make the water change color. I am going to divide you up into groups
of 3 and 4 to examine the filtration systems that we have. Here are different materials. (T: places
coffee filters, colanders, paper towels, wash clothes, cheese cloth on the table, screening/mesh.)
This time instead of just using a funnel, Id like you each to work with your team to come up
with a way to filter the water so that it is cleaner than it was through just the funnel. Once you
have a better model, please document your group findings both in words and in pictures.
Elaborate: As the students finish collecting data, they are instructed to document their
observations in order and then discuss a conclusion of the best filtration system with their group.
They are instructed to have evidence from their data to prove why that particular system results
in the cleanest water.
Evaluate: My evaluation would be based upon their completed handouts. Since the students will
have written their observations sequentially and then concluded with why based on their
evidence, I will be able to evaluate their understanding through their words and pictures to see if
they have an idea of how filtration works. If their sequence and conclusion show evidence of
their understanding that water becomes cleaner through finer filtration and their conclusion

Kristen Hannemann

specifically states that they believe this and have chosen the filtration method that proves this
best, they will receive full credit.
Standards met:
NGSS: 5-PS1-1. Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be
seen.
ELA: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g.,
however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.C
Use a variety of transitional words, phrases, and clauses to manage the sequence of events.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.E
Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
Math: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.G.B.4
Classify two-dimensional figures in a hierarchy based on properties.