Rainwater Blues

How clean is the air you breathe? The water you drink? Rain can help you find out. Try out this back-to-school activity.

What You'll Need:

  • Clean pan or jar
  • Coffee filter
  • Second jar or cup

If you've ever wondered what particles slip inside your body from the air you breathe or the water you drink, this is an interesting way to find out.

Step 1: Place a clean jar or pan in an open area just as it starts to rain.

Step 2: Collect as much rain as you can for the first hour of the storm.

Step 3: Now gather the rainwater and carefully pour it through a clean coffee filter, catching the water in a second jar or cup.

Step 4: Peel open the coffee filter and see what the rain washed out of your atmosphere.

You might look at breathing in a new way after checking out the next page.

For more fun back-to-school activities, check out: