Weathering or erosion lesson plan needed

[hweber]

Help! I will have my first observation of the year on the 5th of October. Last year, my new principal did not like either of the lessons that she observed:cry2:. So this year I want to razzle dazzle her. My first observation will be in science - 4th grade and we will be introducing weathering and erosion. Anyone have any good ideas? I also need differentiation ideas since I have 5 spec ed kids and 5 title 1 kids. One time I saw a lesson with Snickers bars - has anyone heard of that? Thanks for your help!

[herdgrad]

I don't know all the specifics, but a friend of mine (5th grade) teaches Science and she does erosion. I know she has a tray for each group and it has sand in it. Then the kids slowly pour a stream of water on it and it shows the erosion of the soil. If I can remember tomorrow I can see if I can get the lesson if you are interested.

[hweber]

Yep, I'm interested. Do you know how she introduces the topic?

[herdgrad]

nope, but will ask :)

[hweber]

Thanks herdgrad - I really appreciate it.

[Teach Compassion]

While this may be too late, I only recently discovered this post, and only today did I ask the science teacher of my school how he teaches his erosion lesson. He has been doing this lesson for several decades now. He begins by showing the class a good example of the erosion caused in the plastic boxes of sand/dirt. I would have thought to begin the lesson with sad descriptions of what California is going through right now, but he told me to always begin with the concrete for fourth graders, and progress towards the more distant examples after the activity.

So basically, after showing the little stream caused by slowly dripping the water, he introduces the procedure. The small teams are each given their plastic box with about two gallons of dirt/sand inside. The teams moisten the mixture, and then form a shelf of dirt/sand on one side of the box. Then the dripping begins. A slow steady stream is dripped on one end, right over the shelf of dirt/sand, and the water flows down, carving out a little stream, and then flows out of the box via a little plug and into a bucket on the floor.

Once the stream is complete, the groups must finish the activity by completing a specially-prepared form, with certain concrete questions and also a space to draw the finished steam.

Good luck. Sounds like a messy activity!

[hweber]

Teach - do you think that you could get me a copy of the questions? I am contemplating doing a lab like this, but yours sounds better.

[Teach Compassion]

sure, I can get those questions for you! But it will have to wait until monday, because tomorrow I am taking my class on a fieldtrip to the Edgar Allen Poe national historic landmark, downtown here in Philly.
Hoping monday will not be too late!

[hweber]

Monday is fine. I hope you have fun on your field trip (the Evil Genie made sure you did!)

[Teach Compassion]

he had this form they all have to fill out after the task. the questions were:
measure the length of the stream formed.
measure the width of the stream.
how else can you describe the stream?
and then there was a special box in which they drew the stream.

and that was it. sorry. I thought there would have been more.
good luck. hope this helps.

[hweber]

Thanks! It was a big help