Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 281 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs MEPrep Time: 30 minutes Teaching Time: 2 hours
science concept:Wind, water, and ice shape and reshape our earth by a process called erosion.
objectives:The student will:
• observe and record that wind, water, and ice can shape and reshape our earth in a process called erosion;
• classify erosion into categories of wind, water, or ice erosion; and • write descriptions in paragraphs.
GlEs addressed:Science[4] SD2.1 The student demonstrates an understanding of the forces that shape Earth by observing models
of how waves, wind, water, and ice shape and reshape Earth’s surface by eroding rock and soil.[4] SA1.1 The student demonstrates an understanding of the processes of science by asking questions,
predicting, observing, describing, measuring, classifying, making generalizations, inferring, and communicating.
Writing[4] W2.2.2 The student writes for a variety of purposes and audiences by writing in a variety of nonfiction
forms using appropriate information and structure (i.e., personal letters, recounts, descriptions or observations.)
Vocabulary:barrier – a fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or accessdeposition – the dropping of material which has been picked up and transported by wind, water, or iceerosion – the gradual wearing away of the surface of land by wind, water, and iceforce – the effect one object has on another, such as a pull or push, which causes or tends to cause a change
in motionglacier – a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on
mountains or near the polesice erosion – gradually wear away by force of icerills – a small stream; a shallow channel cut in the surface of soil or rocks by running watersand dunes – a mound or ridge of sand or other loose sediment formed by the wind, especially on the sea
coast or in a desertwater erosion – gradually wear away by force of waterwind erosion – gradually wear away by force of wind
Materials: • Shoebox • Sand • Measuring cup • Rocks, 2-3 inches in diameter (five to eight) • Straws (one per student, plus a few extra) • Shallow plastic tub
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 282 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs ME
• 20 ounce plastic cup • 12-inch plastic ruler • Sand • 8 ounce plastic cup • 8 ounce, or larger, plastic cup • Modeling clay • Ice Cubes • Tape measure, 36-48 inches (one per pair of students) • OVERHEAD: “Landforms” • STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET: “Station I: Wind Erosion” • STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET: “Station II: Water Erosion” • STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET: “Station III: Glacial Erosion” • STUDENT WORKSHEET: “How Does Erosion Affect My World?” • STUDENT WORKSHEET: “Erosion Lab” • STUDENT WORKSHEET: “Erosion on the Grounds”
activity Preparation:1. Make a notch in one short side of the shoebox. 2. Poke small holes in the bottom of the 8-ounce or larger plastic cup.3. Use the STUDENT INFORMATION SHEETS to set up the stations for the Explore section of the lesson.
Place the relevant copy of the STUDENT INFORMATION SHEET at each station for student use.
activity Procedure:Please refer to the assessment task and scoring rubric located at the end of these instructions. Discuss the assessment descriptors with the class before teaching this lesson.
Gear UpProcess Skills: questioning, observing, communicating
1. Display OVERHEAD: “Landforms.” Ask students to share their experiences with these types of landforms. Where have they seen them? Have they climbed in/on/over them?
2. Ask students to name the landforms and describe their characteristics. List student responses on the board.
3. Explain that physical or chemical processes of the earth created each of these landforms. One of these processes is called erosion.
4. Distribute the STUDENT WORKSHEET: “How Does Erosion Affect My World?” and direct students to find an area on school grounds to complete the form. Be sure to set boundaries.
ExploreProcess Skills: questioning, observing, communicating, describing
5. Explain that students will do investigations of different types of land erosion at stations. Divide students into pairs or small groups. Distribute the STUDENT WORKSHEET: “Erosion Lab” and instruct students to complete the worksheet in their groups; each student should complete a separate worksheet. Instruct students to move from station to station in their groups.
6. Be sure students understand that these are only a few examples of erosion processes.
GeneralizeProcess Skills: communicating, classifying, inferring, describing, and making generalizations
7. Discuss the following questions as a class. Introduce the vocabulary words to the students as the discussion proceeds.a. What did you observe when you blew into the shoebox with sand?
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 283 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs ME
b. Where did the sand go that moved off of the pile?c. How is this like things that you have seen in real life?d. What did you observe when the water poured over the sand castle?e. Where did the dirt/sand go when it was moved?f. How is this like things that you have seen in real life?g. What did you observe about the ice cube?h. What did you observe about the clay?i. How is this like things you have seen in real life?j. How are the three stations different from each other?k. How are the three stations the same as each other?
applyProcess Skills: observing, measuring, classifying, inferring, describing, and investigating
8. As a class, talk a walk around school grounds and point out evidence of erosion. Examples can often be found near drains and at the edges of blacktop.
answers:sTUdEnT WoRKshEET: “how does Erosion affect My World?”
Answers will vary.
sTUdEnT WoRKshEET: “Erosion lab”
Station I: Wind Erosion1. The drawing should show the sand in the box, undisturbed.2. The drawing should show the sand in the box, having formed sand dunes.3. Answers will vary, but should demonstrate that wind can erode the soil and the sand. This creates
new landforms, such as sand dunes.4. Answers will vary but should indicate that the rocks got in the way of the wind and slowed it down
or blocked the sand and soil from traveling any farther.
Station II: Water Erosion1. The drawing should depict the sand mountain and ruler.2. The drawing should depict the sand mountain, but partially destroyed.3. Answers will vary.4. Answers will vary.
Station III: Glacial Erosion Answers will vary.
sTUdEnT WoRKshEET: “Erosion on the Grounds” Answers will vary.
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 284 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
Rill
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.
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 285 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ hoW doEs ERosion affEcT My WoRld?
Directions: Find a location at your school that appears to be affected by erosion and answer the
following questions.
1. What are your first impressions about this area or situation? What makes you think erosion has taken place?
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2. What questions do you have regarding this area or situation?
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Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 286 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ ERosion on ThE GRoUnds
Directions: Find a location where erosion has occurred. Use observation skills to record at least one
example of what you see. Remember to include the surrounding area in your observations.
1. Draw your observations.
2. Describe your observations by listing at least one example from each of the following categories: wind erosion, water erosion, ice erosion. You may make inferences about the possible cause of the erosion.
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Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 287 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ ERosion on ThE GRoUnds
3. Explain what you learned about erosion. Use three or more of the following terms in your response: water erosion, wind erosion, glacial erosion, rill, deposition, sand dune, barrier, and/or force. Please write at least one paragraph that is clear and complete.
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Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs ME
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 288 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
sTaTion i: Wind ERosion”
You are going to be doing a scientific investigation into the effects of wind erosion by creating a miniature environment and then blowing wind into the environment.
Materials
• Shoebox, with notch in one short side • Sand • Measuring cup • Rocks • Straws
Procedure
STEP 1. Pour one cup of sand into the center of the box. STEP 2. Scatter rocks on top of the sand. STEP 3. Draw a picture on your worksheet of what the materials look like in the box.STEP 4. Place a straw in the notch at the end of the box and blow once, creating a
“windstorm.” Each student should take a turn, choosing a new straw each time.STEP 5. After the “windstorm” has finished, record the results on your lab sheet.STEP 6. Remove rocks from box and pour sand back into container. Throw away used
straws.STEP 7. Answer the questions on the worksheet for this station.
Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs ME
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 289 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
sTaTion ii: WaTER ERosion
You are going to be doing a scientific investigation into the effects of water erosion by creating a land mass (sand castle) and sprinkling water (rain) onto the top of the mass.
Materials
• Shallow plastic tub • 20 ounce plastic cup • 12 inch plastic ruler • Sand • Water • 8 ounce plastic cup • 8 ounce, or larger, plastic cup
with small holes in the bottom • Bucket, for mixing • Bucket, for used sand
Procedure
STEP 1. Mix sand and water to create a damp soil.STEP 2. Pack wet sand into the large cup, leveling off the top.STEP 3. Turn the cup upside down into the large tub.STEP 4. Remove the cup from sand to create
a sand castle.STEP 5. Carefully hold the sides of the castle
while another person gently pushes a ruler into the top of the castle.
STEP 6. Draw a picture of the structure on your lab sheet. Be sure to include ruler measurements.
STEP 7. Fill the 8-ounce cup with water.STEP 8. Hold the cup with holes in the bottom directly over the sand castle at the top of the
ruler.STEP 9. Pour the water into the cup with the holes.STEP 10. Observe the results and record them on your worksheet.STEP 11. Remove the ruler and empty sand into used sand bucket.
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5
6
7
8
9
1
0
1
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Rills and ThRills: ERosion affEcTs ME
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 290 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
sTaTion iii: Glacial ERosion
You are going to be doing a scientific investigation into the effects of glacial erosion by creating a land mass (clay) and rubbing ice over the top of the mass.
Materials
• Modeling clay • Ice cubes • Dish • Sand
Procedure
STEP 1. Create a 1-2 inch diameter ball of clay.STEP 2. Flatten the ball of clay.STEP 3. Rub an ice cube on the clay.STEP 4. Draw a picture of your
observations of the ice and the clay on your worksheet.
STEP 5. Pour some sand into the dish.STEP 6. Set the ice cube in tray of sand for a few
seconds.
STEP 7. Rub the ice cube on the clay again.
STEP 8. Draw a picture of your observations of the ice and the clay on your worksheet.
STEP 9. Discard the ice and return the clay to its container.
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 291 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ ERosion lab
sTaTion i: Wind ERosion
1. Draw a picture of the materials in the box before the “windstorm.”
2. Draw a picture of the materials in the box after the “windstorm.”
3. What were the effects of the air movement from the straws?
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4. What effect did the rocks have on this process?
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Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 292 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ ERosion lab
sTaTion ii: WaTER ERosion
1. Draw a picture of the materials in the tub before the “rain.”
2. Draw a picture of the materials in the tub after the “rain.”
3. What did you observe about the sand castle while the water poured over it?
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4. What do you think might happen if you raised the cup of rain?
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Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 293 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
naME: __________________________ ERosion lab
sTaTion iii: Glacial ERosion
1. Draw a picture of the clay after the plain ice cube was rubbed on it.
2. Draw a picture of the clay after the sandy ice cube was rubbed on it.
3. What did you observe about the difference in rubbing the sandy ice vs. rubbing the plain ice?
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4. How do you think this might be similar to a glacier?
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Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 294 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Mountains
photo by R.J. Wilk, U
S Fish & W
ildlife Service
photo by Dirk Beyer
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 295 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Canyons
photo by Tobias Alt
photo by Jason J. Corneveaux
photo by Meckim
ac/wikim
edia.com
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 296 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Glaciers
photo by Tobias Alt
photo by Andreas Tille
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 297 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Valleys
photo by Thomas M
uesphoto by Kogo / w
ikimedia.com
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 298 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Deltas
photo by NA
SA/exploitcorporations
photo by Justin Hall
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 299 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Rivers
photo by U.S. Fish and W
ildlife Servicephoto by Reinhard Kuknat
Science Teacher Education Program ©2006-2009 Geophysical Institute, UAF 300 Rills and Thrills: Erosion Affects Me
landfoRMs
Sand Dunes
photo by Roy Kiki / wikim
edia.comphoto by W
ing-Chi Poon