What do young people know about WATER as a material? How can water management and technical water systems in houses be dealt with in STEM classes? Is it possible to use rain water in the house? Which STEM knowledge and technical skills are important for managing water supply in a house? Which kind of societal aspects are adressed by this topic, which attitudes exist in this context (such as water saving, water pollution or water desalination)?
The main idea of Module11 – developed by our partner CPU from Slovakia – “Providing Water for a House” is that students become aware of the complexity of the topic “water” (technical materials – discipline: technology) and to be able to understand the importance of dealing with a topic that is more or less taken for granted in real life in the EU: to have drinking water available, always.
Module 11 covers water not only as “materials and its properties” but considers ecological and societal contexts. the micro:bit Smart home Kit supports the involved experimental set-ups as it enables to merge several skills: technical parameters of materials, digital technologies and programing and practice technical skills in constructing the special model for water pumping and purification system.Framing discussions are supposed to allow students to develop attitudes with regards to water, e.g. when it comes to water pollution, water saving or desalination, also with regards to different situations across Europe, when it comes to drinking water availability.
The activities will support STEM learners to interdisciplinarily find solutions to tasks dealing with the importance of water management (technical aspects, environmental aspects, social aspects). The initial situation is formed as a challenge to be solved by STEM learners: How to manage the water system in a remote house with an own well for drinking and technical water?
The module has an emphasis on student-centred teaching methods, with various activities based on inquiry-based learning, and applying digital technologies and programming, as well as setting up a water system with practical skills.
Download the materials for module 11 here, available in English, Turkish & Slovenian . The materials include an outline, worksheets and a presentation.
