Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn how to make a mini well, just like the one Squeaks and I built. A well is a tool that helps us get water from deep underground. The Fort already has a big well, but we wanted to make a smaller version to see how it works using science. You can make one too, and we’ll show you how!
To make your mini well, you’ll need:
We decided to use Sky Blue for our water. What color will you choose?
First, fill your cup or jar halfway with rocks. Then, fill it halfway with water. Add a few drops of food coloring if you want to see the water better. This setup represents the earth, with water hidden deep underground between rocks and dirt.
Next, wash all the soap off your pump and place it in the jar so that the pipe part touches the water. Now, it’s time to prime the pump. This means pumping it a few times until there’s enough water in the top part, called the storage chamber, for it to work.
To avoid making a mess, put a cup under your pump. When you push down on the pump, it forces air out. Then, when you let go, it pulls water up through the pipe and into the storage chamber. It’s like sucking on a straw, but with a pump instead of your mouth.
As you keep pumping, more water goes up the pipe. When the storage chamber is full, the pump is primed. Now, when you push down on the pump, water comes out instead of air. You’ve created your very own well!
Squeaks noticed that we don’t need to pump the Fort’s well by hand to get water from the sink. That’s because many wells use an electric pump to do the job automatically. The machine pumps water up through the pipes and into the storage chamber. As long as the chamber stays full, water will come out whenever you turn on a faucet connected to it.
Now that you know how to make a mini well, you can try experimenting with different liquids. What happens if you use juice or milk? Will it work with something thick like syrup? If you try this out, let us know what you learn from your experiments!
Ask a grown-up to help you leave a comment below or send us an email at [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear about your discoveries. See you next time at the Fort!
Water Detective: Go on a water detective mission around your home! With a grown-up, find different places where water comes from, like the kitchen sink, bathroom faucet, or garden hose. Discuss how the water gets there. Is there a pump involved, like in your mini well? Draw a picture of your favorite water source and share what you learned with your family.
Mini Well Challenge: Try using different materials instead of rocks in your mini well. What happens if you use sand, gravel, or marbles? Does the water move differently? Write down your observations or draw what you see. Discuss with a grown-up why you think the water behaves differently with each material.
Pump Power: Create a simple pump using a straw and a cup of water. With a grown-up’s help, cut a straw in half and use it to suck water up from the cup. How does this compare to the pump in your mini well? Try using different lengths of straws or different sized cups. What changes do you notice? Talk about how pumps help us get water in real life.
