PlaN:• What do you know about the water cycle?

• Where do you want to build your solar still?

• How do you want to build your solar still? Will it be portable or dug into the ground?

• What will you use to build your solar still?

• What will you use to collect the clean water?

• How will you test the quality of your distilled water?

• How will you form your groups?

Do:• Thinking about everything you know about the water cycle, draw up a design

for your still.

• Collect all of the materials you will need.

• Build your solar still.

• How can you increase the temperature inside the still?

Review:• What do you know now that you did not know before?

• How could you increase the rate at which the water evaporates?

• How would a solar still help someone without access to running water?

• Is the still portable to take on a backpacking trip? If not, what might you do to make it so?

• How does this adventure help you work towards your ScoutCraft OAS?

• What elements of STEM did you use in this adventure? Science? Technology?Engineering? Mathematics?

• What did you like about this adventure? What did you not like? How wouldyou do this adventure differently?

MACKENZIE RIVEREnvironment & Outdoors

Canadianpath.ca

The AdveNture:Build a solar water still to clean dirty water and make it safe to drink. A “still” is used to “distill” the water by separating out dirt and some bacteria. Water evaporates onto a piece of glass or plastic – leaving dirt and bacteria in the bottom. Then, clean water is collected for drinking or cooking.

Solar Water Still

ONliNe Resources: • Jamie’s Solar Still• How to make a solar still

Safety Tip:• Never drink water that has not been distilled or filtered in some way. • Always test that water from an unknown source is safe to drink before ingesting.

If you are unsure, boil water for five minutes.