Think Outside the Bottle Challenge

Team Name:  __________________________                        Team Number:

Team Members:    ____________________________        Job:

                                ____________________________ 

                                ____________________________                                                                                         

Team Jobs

        Challenge Captain

• Keep the team on task
• Make sure everyone’s ideas are heard
• Get everyone to come to a decision Record ALL information on the data sheet for the team
• See the teacher or contact other teams, if needed
• Get involved!  Talk, do AND listen!

Materials Master

• Gather materials for the team – purchase supplies from head contractor
• Make sure supplies and resources are kept tidy and are put away
• Make sure project and supplies are stored properly at the end of each class so that they are safe
• Get involved!  Talk, do AND listen!

Testing Coordinator

• Coordinate tests needed to check success for the team
• Decide when tests of ideas are needed during the challenge
• Run the tests on Test Day
• Make sure Challenge Captain knows what data to record during Test Day
• Get involved!  Talk, do AND listen!

Chief Architect

• Coordinates building for the team
• Decides which ideas to build during the challenge
• Suggest to the Testing Coordinator when a test might be needed during a challenge
• Make sure the team is building safely at all times and according to the design plans.
• Get involved!  Talk, do AND listen!

Rapid Reporter / Time Keeper

•  Share the ideas used by team when presenting to the entire group
• Explain the solution the team used to solve the challenge
• Explain challenges faced by the team during the challenge
• Answer any questions from teacher/classmates about the challenge
• Follow the time constraints provided in the challenge
• Make sure team is using time wisely
• Get involved! Talk, do AND listen!

EVERYONE

• Should help with cleaning up your workspace
• Is a Trouble Shooter

• Read Instructions
• Suggest ways of solving problems
• Think of resources the team could use to solve problems.

Think Outside the Bottle Challenge

Requirements, Limits, and Constraints

• Design and build a Water Filtration System that will yield the purest water out of only the supplies available.

• You have a budget of 150 Credits.  If you go over your budget, your Water Filtration System will be disqualified.

• Your filter will be tested according to the waste-water’s resulting pH (acidity of the water), and efficiency (how much of your original water remains).

• A layered design model of your filter must be drawn and approved by the engineering specialists (AKA: teachers) before any supplies are purchased.                

• Bonus points can be earned at the conclusion of the challenge for each person in your group (up to 4 people) who drinks the cleaned water.

A Note about Filter Options

• Activated charcoal is used in the removal of organic contaminants in water. Organic contaminants are usually responsible for taste, odor, color, and turbidity (clarity) problems. Activated charcoal will remove chlorine and reduce particulates in the water.

• Sand and gravel are natural filter materials. Our own groundwater filters through layers of dirt, stone, gravel, and sand. These materials act as a strainer and trap particulates. This is known as mechanical, or physical, filtration.

• The uncooked macaroni, cotton balls, and coffee filters all serve to trap particulates and they absorb water. Since there is salt in the simulated wastewater, as the filter layers absorb water, ions of sodium are also absorbed. The salt is what makes the wastewater conductive. Thus, the absorption of sodium and chlorine ions could lower the conductivity of the wastewater.

• As water is absorbed, the food coloring in the simulated wastewater is also absorbed. Therefore, the uncooked macaroni, cotton balls, and coffee filters absorb food coloring and help to change the color/clarity of the filtered wastewater.

Think Outside the Bottle Challenge

Record Sheet

Think Outside the Bottle Budget is 150 Credits

Think Outside the Bottle Challenge

Scoring Sheet

Testing Goals

Test                Starting pH                                Results                                                       Points        

pH                                                         for every 0.1 change closer to 7,  Add 10 points

Efficiency                200 mL                                200 mL                                        200

                                                                             199-175 mL                                 100

                                                                             174-150 mL                                  75

                                                                             149-100 mL                                  50

                                                                                99-50 mL                                   25

                                                                                <50 mL                                      0

Layered view of Filter:  Be sure to LABEL all materials used.  

Teacher Sign-Off__________________

Reminder:  You may not buy supplies until a teacher has approved your design

Description of Filter:  Be sure to identify amounts of all materials used.