This inclusive environmental ILS was designed implementing the scientific impact approach. Prompted by the existence of too many swimming pools in the Mediterranean countries, students are asked whether the water in a pool can get lost. To answer this question, they explore the factors that affect the evaporation rate of water. Therefore, at the end of the lesson they will able to relate the evaporation rate of the water in a pool with its surface area and the climate conditions in the region, meaning high temperatures, wind and humidity.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Understand that evaporation occurs when a liquid is changed into a gas
• Plan investigations and conduct fair experiments to investigate the factors that affect the rate of evaporation
• Provide evidence on how surface area, temperature, wind and humidity affect the evaporation rate
• Argue how the phenomenon of evaporation relates to water consumption and swimming pools.

This ILS may be used as a standalone inquiry activity. At the same time, if a teacher would like to design a holistic engaging student’s enterprise “Water Consumption” (for primary school) a set of three ILSs could be used as a starting point.

The students can launch with understanding the concept of evaporation and use it to explain why the water in swimming pools can get lost (this ILS). Then they may analyse the socio-economic aspects of the increased number of swimming pools in relation to the municipalities, the tourism industry and the local residents (Water Consumption: Swimming pools and the tourism industry). Finally, they can explore innovative ideas to transform an empty (non-used) swimming pool into an alternative use, more sustainable in terms of water management (Water Consumption: Fill a pool without water).

The ILS design is following the principles of the universal design for learning (UDL) for inclusive learning.

Reviewers: Eleftheria Tsourlidaki, Olga Dziabenko, Maria Luísa Almeida

This activity was developed in the framework of the InSTEAM project.