Grade level
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Cause and Effect
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth's Surface Processes
In this activity, students were introduced to the potential causes of flooding. Students first looked at pictures of different soil types and made predictions for how the structure of the soil might be connected to causes of flooding. Students then had the opportunity to observe first-hand the three different types of soli: sand, silt and clay. Students were able to touch and use a hand lens for the different soils and make observations in their data chart. The class then made predictions on whether soil type would affect how it interacted with rain.
Student groups were then given two cups of each soil type. They placed two pieces of ice in one cup of each soil type and filled the second of each type with water. Students then observed what happened right away and the next day.
At the beginning of the unit, students referred to all types of soil as dirt. This activity helped them explore subtle differences between three different types of soil. Sample A & D (‘describe how it feels’ column) shows that students describe the soils differently in terms of how rough or soft it is.
Overall, students noticed at the end of the investigation that any type of dirt is able to hold a finite amount of water before it becomes oversaturated, potentially leading to flooding. In Sample B, we see students observe that water interacts differently with different soils. The sandy soil creates “murky water”, the silt creates “light gray water,” and the clay creates muddy water with particles moving about. Sample C shows similar differences, but recognizes that the sand and silt are mixed in more with the water than the clay sample. They also acknowledge changes in physical properties, calling the layer of sand “soft” and the layer of clay “very soft”. Sample D shows that students saw a difference in how much water was left (the student spelled “left” as “lift” in each case) in the sand and silt versus no water being left in the cup with the clay as it was all absorbed, making the clay even softer.
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