I know that I have posted other water filtration activities on here, but this one is specifically for the older branches: Pathfinders and Rangers. As someone who loves to rough it in backcountry, and teach our youth survival skills, I spend a lot of time thinking about water and how to clean it and make it safe. Of course, I always carry a water filter and a lifestraw, but survival skills are all about being prepared and knowing how to acquire the necessities of life starting basically from scratch–Water being one of the top two necessities.

What I like about this activity is that it takes a very scientific approach. So while it will boost the PF/R’s knowledge and skills surrounding safe water acquisition, it will also beef up their STEM skills and maybe pique their interest in how to apply biological skills to new-world problems, like space travel!

Students work in teams employing an iterative design process to design and build a water filtration device using commonly available materials.
— Read on www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/water-filtration-challenge/