Best resources for science lessons on "EROSION"

[redsnapper]

Hey, all,

 

I'm piecing together my science stuff for the year and I've gotten to "Erosion". My kids are in 6th and 4th.

 

Any suggestions on the best resources? I don't want an entire text book, but perhaps small units, ebooks, lapbooks, etc.?

 

I would also love to do a comparison on the erosion topic between the evolution vs. divine design view points, to see both sides. Any one have info on that?

 

Thanks!

Melissa

[serendipitous journey]

Shining Dawn books has Everchanging Erosion; they are young earth but I think their materials don't teach that explicitly, and they will use resources that assume an old earth. You could maybe contact them about good young earth sources.

 

GEMS from the Lawrence Hall of Science has a guide, Rivercutters, that does deal with erosion. GEMS is put out by scientists and will assume an old earth.

[Carol in Cal.]

I was going to suggest the GEMS curriculum as well. I did not use it, but have studied it thoroughly and was very impressed. (You can't fit in absolutely everything that you want to sometimes...)

[Susie in MS]

Not specifically on erosion but The Case of the Missing Mountain (Mt. St. Helen) shows how quickly something like the Grand Canyon can erode and form giving the right circumstances. Lots of puzzles and hands on.

 

Here is an experiment specifically to do with erosion.

[Lori D.]

Websites with Experiments

- Riordan family website: erosion experiment = http://www.bright.net/~double/erode.htm

- ThinkQuest website: erosion experiments and discussion questions = http://library.thinkquest.org/3646/earth/activities/erosion/erosion.html

- GALE Cengage Learning: erosion experiment = http://www.galeschools.com/environment/experiment/erosion_soil.htm

- Utah Education Network: Erosion By Wind = http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=2184

- Soil and Water Erosion = http://www.soilerosion.net/doc/background_menu.html

 

Websites with Lesson Plans

- Lots of Lessons: Weathering and Erosion = http://science.lotsoflessons.com/erosion.html

- Lesson Pathways = http://www.lessonpathways.com/Pathways/Detail?path=%2F02_Science%2FYear_3_-_Exploring_Our_World_-_Science_For_Early_Elementary%2F18Weathering_and_Erosion

- University of Missouri: eThemes: Science -- Weathering & Erosion = http://ethemes.missouri.edu/themes/1318

- Geology.com; list of erosion classroom activities and lesson plans = http://geology.com/teacher/erosion.shtml

- Squidoo: Erosion lesson plan = http://www.squidoo.com/earth-science-unit-study-on-erosion-for-homeschool

 

Websites with Information

- National Geographic: Erosion and Weathering = http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/earth/the-dynamic-earth/weathering-erosion-article/

- Geography 4 Kids: Erosion = http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_erosion.html

- Kids Geo: Erosion (covers all the types of erosion) = http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/0059-introduction-to-erosion.php

- GeoResources: Landforms, Erosion, and Longshore Drift = http://www.georesources.co.uk/leld.htm

 

Videos

- Discovery Channel: Weathering and Erosion interactive video = http://www.unitedstreaming.com/videos/dsc/externalApplications/interactiveVideos/index.html?vid=32

- Deposition and Erosion =

- PBS: Nature: Violent Hawaii = http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/?p=1702&preview=true

- Planet Earth, Discovery Channel: Limestone Cave Erosion = http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/planet-earth/videos/caves-limestone-erosion.htm

- High Speed photography of water erosion of single drops = http://www.public.asu.edu/%7Emschmeec/rainsplash.html

- Computer Simulation of Glacial Erosion =

- Watch Know Learn website: erosion = http://www.watchknowlearn.org/Video.aspx?VideoID=13256

- Erosion =

- PBS Kids Go!: Dragonfly TV: Sand Dunes/Erosion = http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/show/sand_dunes.html

 

Online Activity

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Scavenger Hunt: http://www.nisd.net/wanke/weathering/index.html

 

Erosion Books

- Reader's Digest: How Earth Works -- has a 30+ page section on erosion (weathering, shifting/changing slopes, water erosion, ice and wind erosion) with info, lots of photos, and experiments

- "Janice VanCleave's Rocks and Minerals: Mind Boggling Experiments You Can Turn into Science Fair Projects" (erosion text and experiments)

- check out your local library for books on erosion in the childrens/teens non-fiction sections

 

 

 

 

I would also love to do a comparison on the erosion topic between the evolution vs. divine design view points, to see both sides. Any one have info on that?

 

Don't have any resources for this specific comparison on the topic of erosion, but most of the material out there is all about the erosion we do see daily -- the short-term erosion of wind, water, ice, and shifting soil/rock. I think the evolution/design aspect only really comes into play with the topic of erosion rather obliquely -- with the 19th century geologist Charles Lyell suggesting the theory of uniformitarianism (Earth old, shaped gradually, assumes no catastrophic events that suddenly/radically change Earth's face).

 

 

BEST of luck as you put together your own study on erosion! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited August 13, 2012 by Lori D.

[HejKatt]

I searched for "erosion" on the USGS education website:

http://education.usgs.gov/

 

They had an example of erosion over a 100 year period:

http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/pubinfo/jump.html

 

And a nice lesson plan "Rock Stories", with pictures of rocks and leading children to deduce its history from its shape, location.

http://education.usgs.gov/lessons/schoolyard/RockStories_TeacherGuide.pdf