Resource 1: Surviving in the desert

Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

Even if you are stranded in the desert with no water, you can collect water from the soil to drink if you have a clear piece of plastic sheeting and an empty jar or container. The diagram shows how you can do this:

Can you explain how this works?

  • The heat from the sun causes water in the soil to evaporate.
  • The water vapour rises in the air.
  • When it meets the cooler sheet it condenses and turns back to water.
  • The water runs down the inside of the sheeting and collects in the jar.

Could you try this with your pupils?

3. Solving problems through experiments

Resource 2: Sample mind map