Samantha Wojcik

EDUC
Fall 2015
Title

The Earths Changing Surface: Weathering and

Erosion
Subject Area
Science
Grade Level
Grade Two
Summary of the
Students will be learning about and
Lesson
experimenting to see the differences between
weathering and erosion
Title of the Lesson
Weathering and Erosion: Breaking it Down and
Moving it Around
Academic Standards
4-ESS2-1. Make observations and/or
measurements to provide evidence of the effects
of weathering or the rate of erosion
by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
Objectives
The students will be able to tell the difference
between weathering and erosion.
Students will make observations while
experimenting with different types of
weathering and erosion.
Students will be able to hypothesize about
weathering and erosion in experiments
throughout the lesson.
Vocabulary: Three Tier weathering
erosion
mechanical weathering
chemical weathering
water erosion
wind erosion
glacial erosion
Estimated Time
45 Minutes
Materials Required
Sugar cubes, plates, water dropper, paper
towels, metal trays, sand, straws, ice, paper,

Procedure

pencils, water, plastic folders.

BEFORE:
ENGAGE/E-Learning
Teacher will begin the lesson by having students
read the statement of learning for the day. The
teacher will then ask the students if they have
ever heard of erosion or weathering. The teacher
will write down what the students say on the
board. The teacher will then show students the
weathering and erosion rap. The teacher will
then go over the definition of the words
weathering and erosion. EXPLORE: The teacher
will then ask the students to look at the plate
and the sugar cube on their tables. The teacher
will ask them to predict what will happen to the
sugar cube when water is dropped onto it. The
teacher will ask the students to record their
observations and state whether they think it is
weathering and erosion. The teacher will then
ask the students why they picked their choice
based on the video and vocabulary they went
over and will explain to the students why this is
a weathering experiment.
DURING:
EXPLORE: The teacher will show the students
real life pictures of weathering and erosion to
help them better understand them.
EXPLAIN: The teacher will then go over the
different types of weathering and erosion with
the students on the PowerPoint: mechanical
weathering, chemical weathering, frost
weathering, water erosion, wind erosion, glacial
erosion,
ELABORATE: The teacher will have 3 different

sets of tins with sand on each table. For each

table, the oldest student will do tin 1, the
youngest student will do tin 2, the student with
the closest birthday will do tin 3, and the
student with the farthest birthday will be the
recorder and group monitor. For the first tin,
students will push all the sand up to the side of
the tin and make a beach, and then will fill up
the side with no sand with water. The students
will then make waves using a plastic folder and
will observe and report what happened to the
sand when the waves hit it. They will also
indicate what type of erosion or weathering is
happening. For the second tin, students will
push all the sand up to the side of the tin and
will use a straw to blow the sand. The students
will then observe and report what happen to the
sand and will indicate what type of weathering
or erosion is taking place. For the third tin the
students will make a mound with their sand and
will put ice cubes on the top and will help them
slide down and will see what happens to the
sand as the ice cubs or mini glaciers slide down
them. The students will record their
observations and will indicate what type of
erosion is taking place. Throughout the
experiment, the teacher will be circulating
around the room making sure everyone is on
task.
AFTER:
EVALUATE: The teacher will go over questions
about what they observed that day and students
will respond with what they observed. The will
then have students discuss at their tables about
what they learned from each experiment. The

Formative Assessment

Student Resources

teacher will then ask the students to pass or play

and will go around the room asking students to
share what they learned.
I will assess students by circulating around the
room throughout the lesson. I will ask students
questions throughout the lesson to check for
understanding. I will ask students closure
questions and will ask them to tell me what they
learned that day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=d0jVywral14

Vocabulary:
weathering: Weathering is to the breaking down of rocks into smaller parts
erosion: Erosion is the process of transporting weathered material from one
location to another
mechanical weathering: Mechanical weathering is the physical breakdown
of rock by environmental factors.
chemical weathering: Chemical weathering is the breakdown of rocks and
minerals by changing their chemical composition by water, carbon dioxide,
oxygen and other compounds.
water erosion: Water erosion is the result of rain detaching and
transporting soil.
wind erosion: Wind erosion is the erosion and movement of topsoil by the
wind especially in dust storms.

glacial erosion: When glaciers move, they scour the land under their
tremendous weight, scooping out basins and leveling hills. As they melt,
huge deposits of soil and rocks are left at the sides and leading edge.

Name _________________________Date ____________

Earths Changing Surface: Weathering and Erosion
Weathering is the ___________________ ___________ of rocks
into smaller parts.

Erosion is the process of ______________________ or

__________________ weathered material from one location
to another.
Experiment #1

What happened to the sugar cube as you dropped water

onto it?

_____________________________________________.
Circle choice A or B.
This is an example of: A) Weathering

B) Erosion

I chose _______________ because:

_____________________________________________.
Mechanical weathering is the _________________
_________________ of rock by environmental factors.

Chemical weathering is the breakdown of rocks and

minerals by changing their ________________
_________________ by water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and
other compounds.

Water erosion is the result of rain _________________ and

__________________ soil.

Wind erosion is the erosion and movement of topsoil by

the ______________ especially in dust storms.

Glacial erosion is glaciers _____________ and ______________

against the land.

Experiment #2
Tin 1:
I observed the sand ______________________________,
when I ________________________________________.
This is an example of ________________ erosion.

Tin 2:
I observed the sand ______________________________,
when I ________________________________________.
This is an example of __________________ erosion.

Tin 3:
I observed the sand ______________________________,
when I ________________________________________.
This is an example of __________________ erosion.