New
New
Year 3

Water flow around buildings

I can describe how buildings collect rainwater and I can explain how water enters and leaves buildings and is used in many different ways.

New
New
Year 3

Water flow around buildings

I can describe how buildings collect rainwater and I can explain how water enters and leaves buildings and is used in many different ways.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Rainwater is collected by sloping roofs and gutters, and flows into drainpipes, waterbutts and drains.
  2. Water enters buildings at the stopcock and travels through pipes to be used for drinking, heating, toilets, etc.
  3. Wastewater from sinks, baths, washing machines and toilets goes into the drain and then to the main sewer.

Keywords

  • Precipitation - Precipitation is water that falls from the sky as rain, snow, hail or sleet.

  • Purified - If something has been purified it has had any bad substances removed to make it pure again.

  • Interconnected - When two or more things are connected to each other they are interconnected.

Common misconception

That water enters a building in multiple places, or that whenever there is a tap water enters at that point.

All buildings have at least one stopcock. This is the only point of entry for water into a building. In the event of a flood or burst pipe, the stopcock can be turned off to stop any more water entering the building.

Ask pupils to talk to an adult at home about water in the building where they live and if possible for them to show them where the stopcock is and what it looks like. Take photos at home of places where they access water and investigate how water goes to and from them.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of these is a type of precipitation?
wind
sunshine
Correct answer: rain
thunder
Q2.
Which of these are processes in the water cycle?
Correct answer: evaporation
multiplication
Correct answer: condensation
Correct answer: collection
inspiration
Q3.
Which process is when water becomes water vapour?
Correct answer: evaporation
condensation
collection
precipitation
Q4.
The process that describes how water is stored on Earth is called ...
Correct Answer: collection
Q5.
Which of these are natural ways that water is collected and stored?
Correct answer: vegetation
Correct answer: lakes and seas
swimming pools
Correct answer: soil
water bottles
Q6.
True or false? The water cycle creates new water that we can use for everyday tasks.
True
Correct answer: False

6 Questions

Q1.
When rainwater falls on the roof of a building, what does it flow into?
a waterbutt
Correct answer: a gutter
a drainpipe
a drain
Q2.
Which type of water is safe for humans to drink?
rainwater
Correct answer: mains water
river water
Q3.
Why are waterbutts useful?
they look pretty in the garden
they attach to drainpipes
Correct answer: they store rainwater for future use
they store mains water for future use
Q4.
Match the words to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:stopcock,a tap that lets mains water enter a building

a tap that lets mains water enter a building

Correct Answer:wastewater,water that has been used

water that has been used

Correct Answer:sewer,an underground pipe for wastewater

an underground pipe for wastewater

Correct Answer:drains,pipes that lead to the sewer

pipes that lead to the sewer

Correct Answer:gutter,an open pipe running along a roof

an open pipe running along a roof

Q5.
Can you put this sequence into the correct order?
1 - Rainwater falls on a roof.
2 - Rainwater collects in the gutter.
3 - Rainwater falls down a drainpipe.
4 - Rainwater enters the drain or is stored in a waterbutt.
Q6.
Can you put these steps into the correct order?
1 - Mains water enters a building through the stopcock.
2 - Water is transported around a building in pipes.
3 - Water is used for daily tasks.
4 - Wastewater is sent to the drains.
5 - Wastewater travels through the drain to the sewer.