Unplugged STEM Stations Pack 2: Water Filtration & Environmental Engineering

Bring hands-on environmental engineering, real-world math, technical cross-section drawing, water treatment plant logic, and critical STEM reading comprehension into your classroom with STEM Station Pack 2: Water Filtration! This 9-page printable resource is completely unplugged (no computers needed for students) and designed to run smoothly as a 60- to 75-minute rotation lab or whole-class activity using simple, low-cost materials. 📦 WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS 9-PAGE PACK? Page 1: Teacher Setup & Master Guide Includes a detailed master supply checklist, a classroom table setup diagram, pre-class prep steps, and rotation timing tips. Page 2: Student Answer Sheet (1-Page Master Handout) A single, organized sheet for students to clip to a clipboard and carry from Station 1 to Station 5. Keeps every student accountable! Page 3: Station 1 Sign — The Filter Build Lab Students build multi-stage water filters using plastic cups, coffee filters, sand, and gravel. They execute a 100mL flow test and record volume output, time, and clarity. Page 4: Station 2 Sign — Budgeting & Flow Rate Students calculate their construction cost based on a standardized price list for materials and calculate their custom flow rate and Performance Score. Page 5: Station 3 Sign — Technical Cross-Section Students sketch a neat, labeled cross-section blueprint of their filter assembly, including metric layer measurements. Page 6: Station 4 Sign — Water Treatment Algorithm Students analyze an automated water treatment flowchart (If/Then logic) and determine safe emergency actions based on turbidity and contaminant sensors. Page 7: Station 5 Sign — Real-World Case Study Students read a short passage on The Flint Water Crisis, learning about acidic water, orthophosphate, and lead pipe corrosion. Page 8: Detailed Teacher Answer Key Includes fully worked math examples for cost and flow rate, structural analysis, logic responses, and reading answer guidance. Page 9: 10-Point Master Grading Rubric A clean, criteria-specific rubric assessing every station on a 0-to-2 point scale for easy and consistent grading. 🎯 LEARNING OBJECTIVES & ALIGNMENT NGSS MS-ETS1-1, MS-ETS1-2: Engineering Design & Failure Analysis NGSS MS-ESS3-3: Human Impact on Environmental Systems CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 & MP4: Real-World Math & Flow Rate Modeling Unplugged CS Concepts: Conditional Logic, Automated Systems, and Treatment Algorithms 🛠️ MATERIALS NEEDED Standard clear plastic cups (perforated), coffee filters, cotton balls, sand, small gravel, dirty water mixture (dirt, coffee grounds), stopwatches, and measuring cups. No expensive kits required!