Rainwater harvesting activities – Secondary
Project Cascade
Background information for teachers
We use water in many different ways. Where we live, we are lucky that safe, clean,
water is readily available in our homes by turning a tap. Millions of people across the
world do not have easy access to safe water in their homes or close to their homes and
have to make long, difficult journeys several times a day to collect water from unsafe
water sources. This task is generally carried out by women and children and leads to
many problems including children missing school, women being unable to work and
illnesses associated with using unsafe water.
This set of activities explores how we use water where we live and where our water
comes from. Comparisons are drawn between our water and water in poor communities
in Nepal. Pupils are encouraged to think creatively about how they might go about
collecting rainwater and learn about rainwater harvesting in Nepal.
Curriculum links
These activities are particularly relevant for Geography, Citizenship and Design and
Technology.
Aims
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To explore different uses of water.
To discuss where our water comes from and how the way in which we obtain
water is different to the way in which other people in other places obtain water.
To examine the differences between water usage where we live and water usage
in a poor community in Nepal.
To plan, design and make a rainwater collection device.
To understand what is meant by rainwater harvesting and explain how it works.
Keywords
Rainwater harvesting
Key Question / Idea
Activity
What do we use water
for?
In small groups students should think of
as many different uses as they can for
water. For example, drinking, cooking,
swimming etc. They can draw, list or
discuss their ideas.
Resources
Each group shares some of their ideas
with the rest of the class. Create a mind
map to collate their ideas. Further
information could be added to the mind
map such as where the water is used for
each idea suggested. For example, at
home, at school, swimming pool etc.
There could be multiple locations for the
different uses.
Ask the class how they get water at
home. For example when they are
thirsty, when they need a bath (taps).
Ask for ideas of where they might get
water if there were no taps in their
home?
View the PowerPoint slideshow about
the Adhikari family.
After watching the slideshow, discuss all
or some of the points below:

Where does the Adhikari family
collect water from?

How long does it take for them to
collect the water?
The Adhikari
family
slideshow
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What does the water look like?

Would you drink the water that
the family collects? Give reasons.

What happens to the family when
they drink and use the water?
Why might this happen to them?

What might the impact be on the
family be of having to collect
water every day and carry it
home.

Other than collecting water from a
spring, lake or river, where else
might we be able to collect water
from? If not suggested, tell the
students that rain could be
collected and used.
The rainwater collection invention
challenge
In small groups, ask students to think of
ways in which rainwater can be easily
collected. They should consider:

What can be used to collect
rainwater

How the water will be collected

The best place to put their
rainwater collection invention

How will they ensure that the
water collected does not get
contaminated / dirty

What could the water that has
The rainwater
collection
invention
challenge
pupil sheet
been collected be used for.
Each group should draw and label their
invention. They will need to consider
materials that can be used and are
easily available to them.
Once the designs have been drawn,
working models of the rainwater
collection devices should be made and if
possible tested outside to see if they are
effective. Any water collected could be
used to water plants in school.
Rainwater harvesting
Ask students what the word ‘harvest’
means. When a definition is agreed, ask
what rainwater harvesting is likely to
refer to.
Display the rainwater harvesting jar
illustration. Pupils should draw out the
diagram or be given a copy each. Ask
pupils to work out what they think each
part does and how it works. They should
label their illustration to show their ideas.
Refer to the rainwater harvesting jar
sheet for information about how it works.
Rainwater
harvesting jar
illustration
pupil sheet
Rainwater
harvesting jar
information
sheet (for
teacher
guidance)
Rainwater harvesting in Nepal
View the Mahendra school slideshow.
Ask the pupils how life for children at
this school is different to the Adhikari
family’s life. How might a rainwater
Mahendra
School
slideshow
harvesting tank help them?
Ask the pupils if they have seen
rainwater being collected in their local
area. In the UK people are being
encouraged to use ‘water butts’ to collect
rainwater for watering gardens. This
means that less tap water needs to be
used, so less water needs to be taken
from rivers which is better for our
environment. Pupils could find out if the
school has a water butt and think of
other ways that water can be saved in
school.
What can we do to help
other children in Rwanda
get safe water?
Explain that a charity called WaterAid
provided some of the money to build the
rainwater harvesting tank at Mahendra
School and that WaterAid will also be
helping to bring safe water to the
Adhikari family’s village. The money
came from ordinary people who raised it
in all sorts of ways – sponsored walks,
cake sales, sponsored silences; all sorts
of things! Read the WaterAid poem and
ask the students what they think they
would like to do (or let them know what
your school is doing) to raise money for
WaterAid.
WaterAid
poem
The rainwater collection invention challenge
Think of ways in which rainwater can be easily collected. In your
discussions, think about:
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What could be used to collect rainwater? For example, buckets, pots, pans etc…
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How the water will be collected into the device?
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What will it be made of and why? For example, plastics, metal etc.
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Where is the best place to put your rainwater collection invention?
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How will you ensure that the water collected does not get contaminated / dirty?
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What could the water that has been collected be used for?

Draw and label your invention. You will be making working models of
the rainwater collection devices which, if possible, will be tested outside to see if
they are effective.
Consider suitable materials that can be used and are easily available to you.
Rainwater harvesting jar – how does it work?
Pupil sheet
Wateraid poem
By David Padfield
When the sun's shining, d'you know what I like?
I put on my shorts and go out on my ....BIKE
I pedal away - not a worry or care
Enjoying myself out in the fresh...AIR
It makes me so thirsty, so what do you think?
I stop by the roadside and have a good... DRINK
It's really refreshing, you know what I mean?
'Cos the taste of the water is so fresh and...CLEAN
And, as I drink, it comes to my mind
In far-distant places water's diff'cult to...FIND
The water is dirty and sometimes, perhaps
Some far-away houses don't even have...TAPS
People walk miles to find a good source
Then have to trek back where they started, of...COURSE
Most of these countries are so very dry
People look wistfully up to the.... SKY
Hoping that water will fall from above
Then that would really be something they'd..... LOVE
It might be possible, now and again,
To rush out with buckets and catch all the....RAIN
But buckets are small, they don't hold a lot
They really need something that's like a huge ...POT
So here's an idea which is better by far
The wonderful Rainwater Harvesting....JAR
Families should have them, I think they ought-er
They're really quite big and can hold lots of .....WATER
They'd make such a difference - water for all
A gift from above when the rain starts to...FALL
So let's pull together - let's make a plan
To help these poor people as much as we...CAN
Don't say "I might", don't say "I may"
Be firm, say "I will" and start from TODAY!