Students Innovate Water Filters Inspired by “Saving Salila’s Turtle”

After reading “Saving Salila’s Turtle,” students embarked on designing water filters, experimenting with various commonly used filtering materials. They predicted which materials would be most effective and evaluated filters based on their ability to remove floating particles and color contamination, as well as water flow rate. They were also encouraged to devise their own evaluation criteria. Through testing, students discovered that filter materials’ efficacy varies depending on the type of contamination. They recognized that a material’s properties dictate its cleaning effectiveness for specific types of water. Ultimately, they concluded that each material has its pros and cons, informing future design improvements.