Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil semi-permanently. Wetlands can remove many of the contaminants that the water may contain such as sediments, excess nutrients, and various toxic chemicals. These can all be harmful not only to the aquatic life living there but also to the people who may get their drinking water from the nearby contaminated sources. Wetlands are essential for keeping groundwater and nearby rivers and streams, where many people get their drinking water from, clean and safe to use.
The student handout will be given to all students working on the design challenge. It gives a brief recap of the story, it helps the students identify what they are attempting to achieve, and it recaps the design process.
This Instructor’s Guide provides the instructor additional information on how to run the design challenge with alternatives for materials and test setups as well as information to help make the design challenge a good educational experience.
The Telling the Story Video conveys the societal impact of the student’s research that is the basis for the design challenge and will set the problem-solving context for students.
The Design Challenge Video leads students through the design process. It indicates materials available, states what the criteria are for success and any constraints. It also gives a second ‘level’ of the design challenge that allows ‘early completers’ to move on to a slightly more difficult challenge.