Activity #1: Weathering and Erosion
Materials: Water, cooking trays, plastic cups, popsicle sticks, plastic forks, soil/sand, watering can,, ice cubes, misc. small rocks.
STEP 1: Before we begin our next unit on water, take a few minutes to watch the videos below on weathering and erosion. This will help you make a connection between what you learned about climate and how water continues to shape our planet over time. Watch the video below and complete the summaries in your workbook.
STEP 2: Now that you’ve watched two videos on weathering and erosion—one explaining how it works and one showing different ways to test it—it’s time to design your own experiment. Using the materials provided, your goal is to explore how water causes weathering or erosion in a hands-on way. Think about what you saw in the video: pouring water over sand, using ice to model glaciers, testing rainfall with a watering can, or any other ideas that stood out to you Choose one of the questions below (or create your own) to guide your experiment. Then, follow the steps in your workbook to carry it out.
- How does the slope of land affect erosion from water?
- Does adding plants or sticks change how much soil gets washed away?
- What causes more erosion: pouring water slowly or quickly?
- How does ice (like a glacier) move soil or rocks compared to water?
- Take your time, work carefully, and observe closely—you’re doing real scientific thinking!