A-maze-ing Water
SOL:
6.5 The student will investigate and understand the unique properties and characteristics of water
and its roles in the natural and human-made environment. Key concepts include
g) The importance of protecting and maintaining water resources.
Background:
Traditionally, water that traveled through storm water systems was not treated before
flowing into a stream or body of water. Environmental agencies found that water draining off of
lawns, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, and streets carried significant amounts of pollutants.
These pollutants included fertilizers, motor oil, litter, pesticides, animal waste, and other
contaminants. Receiving waters, such as streams, were degraded, and aquatic plants and animals
were affected. The importance of treating water is crucial to not only human life, but also plant
and animal life.
Lesson Plan Format:
Engage:
1. Show students the “bottle of chemicals” and tell them that you need to dispose of the
chemicals. Say that you plan on dumping it outside in the grass in front of the school.
Ask if they think this is a good idea and what they think will happen to the waste
material.
2. Then choose two students to read the background information to the class.
Explore:
Procedure:
1. Tilt the maze so that the drop of water flows slowly toward one of the two exits. You
may choose either exit to move towards.
2. As the drop flows through the paths of the maze, it will pick up particles/dyes. This
represents water moving through a city drainage pipe system and picking up
pollutants.
3. Once your drop has made it to an exit, answer question one on the A-maze-ing
Water Activity Sheet on how your drop of water looks (did it pick up any particles
in the maze? If so, describe).
4. All of the students in each group should take turns manipulating the water drop
towards the untreated exit. Once the water drop makes it to the exit, have the teacher
come over and collect the water drop. After the untreated water drop has been
collected, every student should manipulate a new water drop towards the treated
water exit. Once it is at the treated water exit, ask the teacher to come over and
collect the water drop.
Explain:
After everyone has added their drops to the correct beaker, we will then discuss the water
results as a class. This will lead into a discussion on the importance of water treatment
and how pollutants can adversely affect humans as well as plants and animals. We will
also talk about ways humans can limit different pollutants entering water runoff. After
the class discussion, answer questions 2-3 on the A-maze-ing Water Activity Sheet.
For class discussion after the maze experiment:
Give students time to discuss each question within their groups before discussing it as a class.
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What are some materials that people add to gutters and storm drains?
o Engine oil
o car grit
o sediments
o paints
o pet waste
o trash
o chemicals
o sewage
o litter
What are three ways that untreated water flowing into a stream would cause harm to
plants, animals or humans?
o Oil in the water can affect birds and animals by clumping in their fur and feathers.
o Fertilizers help plants grow on a farm, so when they accumulate in a body of
water there is excessive plant growth which clogs the waterways – these plants
also suck up all the sunlight and block it from creatures under the water’s surface.
o Sediment and grit from construction sites can be washed into bodies of water and
pollute them.
o When material such as leaves, grass clippings, and waste from farm animals
enters the water, it rots and breaks down and uses up the oxygen in the water.
Many types of fish and other aquatic animals cannot survive. Organisms such as
bacteria and viruses enter waterways through untreated sewage in storm-water
drains, run-off from septic tanks, and from boats whose owners dump sewage into
the water. These microscopic pollutants cause sickness in people and in animals
that drink or live in the water.
o Chemical pollution entering rivers and streams causes great destruction – making
plants, people and animals sick or worse dead. The chemicals can come from
factories, construction sites, mining operations, and from homes when people
pour chemicals down the sink or down the toilet.
o Floating plastic is ugly, and harmful to the environment. Plastic rubbish is not
biodegradable (it doesn't rot away after we have used it) It can choke animals that
try to eat it, and drown those that get tangled in it.

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o When people drop litter such as plastic and cans, food wrappers and cigarette
butts, they can be washed by the rain into rivers and other waterways through
stormwater drains in the streets. At the beach, it is important that people take
home their litter or put it into garbage bins at the beach so that it doesn't get into
the sea.
What are three ways we can limit the different kinds of pollutants entering water run-off?
o Properly disposing of pet waste and litter
o Discard chemicals/oils according to the manufacturer’s instructions
o Fix oil leaks in vehicles as soon as possible
o Follow the instructions when applying pesticides/fertilizers
o Use biodegradable products whenever possible
o Put garbage in the trash can, recycle when you can
Ask students again now what they think about how to dispose of the “bottle of
chemicals” from the beginning of the lesson.
Background:
Traditionally, water that traveled through storm water systems was not treated before
flowing into a stream or body of water. Environmental agencies found that water draining off of
lawns, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, and streets carried significant amounts of pollutants.
These pollutants included fertilizers, motor oil, litter, pesticides, animal waste, and other
contaminants. Receiving waters, such as streams, were degraded, and aquatic plants and animals
were affected. The importance of treating water is crucial to not only human life, but also plant
and animal life.
Procedure:
1. Tilt the maze so that the drop of water flows slowly toward one of the two exits. You
may choose either exit to move towards.
2. As the drop flows through the paths of the maze, it will pick up particles/dyes. This
represents water moving through a city drainage pipe system and picking up pollutants.
3. Once your drop has made it to an exit, answer question 1 on the A-maze-ing Water
Activity Sheet on how your drop of water looks (did it pick up any particles in the maze?
If so, describe).
4. All of the students in each group should take turns manipulating the water drop towards
the untreated exit. Once the water drop makes it to the exit, have the teacher come over
and collect the water drop. After the untreated water drop has been collected, every
student should manipulate a new water drop towards the treated water exit. Once it is at
the treated water exit, ask the teacher to come over and collect the water drop.
5. After everyone has added their drops to the correct beaker, we will then discuss the water
results as a class. After the class discussion, answer questions 2-4 on the A-maze-ing
Water Activity Sheet.
A-maze-ing Water Activity Sheet:
Name: ____________________ Period: ____________________ Date: ____________________
1. Describe how your drop of water looks by the end of the maze (did it pick up any
particles in the maze? If so, state which ones).
2. Name three pollutants that could end up in water drainage systems.
3. Name three ways that untreated water flowing into a stream would cause harm to plants,
animals or humans.
4. Name three ways we can limit the different kinds of pollutants entering water run-off.