Fifth Graders Tackle Real-World Water Shortage with Engineering Design

Fifth-grade students took on the role of engineers to solve a real-world water shortage problem on Ferris Island. Although the island is surrounded by salt water, half of it lacks access to fresh water. To address this challenge, students investigated the water cycle—exploring key processes such as accumulation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and precipitation. Using their research and model analysis, students designed, built, and tested freshwater collection systems. Through four iterations of the engineering design process, they refined their solutions, documenting their progress in Seesaw. While every student showcased impressive creativity and problem-solving skills, a standout achievement came from Matty, Luca, Leanna and Harper, who successfully collected 6.5 mL of freshwater with their final design. Congratulations to all our future engineers and scientists for their innovation and dedication! Click the link to see their engineering design process in action.