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Earth and Space Science

Weathering and Erosion Activities

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Sharon Low Sharon Low 696 Points

Hi! My name is Sharon and I am a preservice teacher at UMBC. For my elementary school science methods class, I am completing a block plan about weathering and erosion and their impact on agriculture. What kinds of activities are helpful for teaching about weathering and erosion?

James Johnson James Johnson 95308 Points

Hi Sharon!  The Learning Center has a great SciPack called Earth's Changing Surfaces that has two lessons on weathering and erosion that are really great.  Project Learning Tree has some great resources https://www.plt.org/curriculum-offerings/  as well as 4H materials.  I'm not sure where you are located, but a great resource is your county conservation district which can provide materials as well as a guest presenter. If you're near a college, the geology department or school of agriculture is a great resource and they often have students eager to help, as well.  The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (the old SCS) will help, as well.  If you have a farm nearby, check with the farmers.  As busy as they are, they are always willing to help out kids with erosion and sedimentation and its effect on agriculture.

One activity I have done in Earth Science is setting up waterproof trays with different types of soil as well as sod and having the students water the different displays with a watering can and catching the water as it flows out to see how clean or dirty it might be.  We always elevated the trays at various angles to see the effect of accelerated erosion based on terrain.  The kids liked it.  Another simple experiment is just to dig a small hole near the class (ask permission first!) and check on the hole on a daily basis.  The kids can journal and discuss what they observe as the hole fills up with water, or drains, or the sides fall in and plug their observations into the Scientific Method.  

jj

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