The Basketball Court Challenge

Overview

As students consider phenomena that play a role in sculpting the surface of the Earth, students become aware that Earth has changed over time and continues to change. Students investigate both short and long-term effects of erosion and weathering by wind and water and the rapid, dramatic changes caused by phenomena such as Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, tornadoes, or hurricanes.

Questions to Ponder

• Can you describe something near where you live that has been weathered? What kind of weathering has it been shaped by?
• Can you draw a rock cycle diagram that shows all of the steps?
• Why is it important to understand the processes that change rocks?

Weathering Experiments

To learn more about the forces that cause changes to the Earth's surface, we will conduct three experiments that simulate the different weathering processes.

#1 - Effects of Acid Rain (Vinegar) on Copper (Pennies)

Question: How does vinegar affect copper pennies?

Hypothesis:

Procedure:

1. Materials: 2 pennies, 2 clear plastic dishes, vinegar, water, beaker or measuring cup, clock or timer

2. Place a penny in each plastic dish.

3. Pour white vinegar over the penny in one dish and an equal amount of water in the other. Be sure to use the same amount of each.

4. Observe and record initial observations below.

5. Make and record further observations after 5 minutes.

Data/Results:

Type of Solvent

Initial Observations

After 5 Minutes

Vinegar

Water

Conclusion:

New Question

#2 - Effects of Sand on Sugar Cubes

Question: To what extent does sand affect the weathering of rocks?

Hypothesis:

Procedure:

1. Materials: 2 sugar cubes, sand, baby food jar with lid, clock or timer

2. Place 2 sugar cubes in jar.

3. Put 2-3 spoons of sand in jar.

4. Put lid on jar and shake for 2 minutes. Record observations below.

5. Shake jar for 2 more minutes and record observations.

6. Shake jar for an additional 2 minutes and record final observations.

Data/Results:

After 2 Minutes

After 4 Minutes

After 6 Minutes

Conclusion:

New Question:

Get a Stopwatch like this or make your own! At: Online Stopwatch

#3 - Effects of Water and Vinegar on Limestone

Question: To what extent does water and vinegar affect the weathering of limestone?

Hypothesis:

Procedure:

1. Materials: 2 chalk samples, 2 clear beakers, water, vinegar, beaker or measuring cup, clock or timer

2. Label one cup “water” and the other “vinegar”.

3. Pour 25 mL vinegar into one beaker and 25 mL water in the other beaker.

4. Place 1 piece of chalk in each cup.

5. Record your initial observations in the table below.

6. Let stand for 5 minutes and record final observations.

Data/Results:

Solution

Initial Observations

After 5 Minutes

Water

Vinegar

Conclusion:

New Question:

Get a Stopwatch like this or make your own! At: Online Stopwatch

Click on the following links for the experiments:

Weathering Experiment #3.doc

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Include the following terms in your Materials and Processes that Shape a Planet notes:

• weathering
• two kinds of weathering
• physical weathering
• chemical weathering
• erosion

Two Kinds of Weathering

How the Delmarva Peninsula was formed

Check this site out for some great information about how the Delmarva Peninsula and Chesapeake bay was formed.

The Rock Cycle

Discover rock secrets through these activities. Create a rock collection as you learn about the three main types of rock, find out how to tell the different rock types apart, and see how rocks change from one type into another!

The following website is a self-paced series of activities to learn about the rock cycle and the different ways rocks can be transformed.

During this self-paced series of lessons you will do the following:

1. read and take two column notes on each of the three lessons
2. complete the interactive
3. take the self test
4. complete the final test

Click here to begin!

Here is another Rock Cycle Animation to help you better understand the process of changing rocks.

Rock Cycle Active Art

Click here for a Rock Cycle Active Art Activity. Choose start, read all of the directions and complete the activity. When you are done, complete the self-test.

Rock Identification

In the following activity you will learn about the characteristics of the different types of rocks - igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. During the online portion be sure to make observations about the real rocks at your station and try to match them up with what you see on the computer.

Create a data table in your science notebook to collect data during your rock identification. Click here to see a sample:

Rock Identification Table.pdf

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When you are ready to start, click on the following link - Rock Identification

Include the following terms in your Materials and Processes that Shape a Planet notes:

• grains
• texture
• rock forming mineral

Choice Work

Choice work is when you get the opportunity to make decisions about how you are going to learn.

Here are the guidelines:

1. You may complete as many of the activities listed within the time period.

2. You may choose any combination of activities.

3. Your goal is 100 points.

4. You may be as creative as you like within the guidelines of the assignment.

5. Activities may be turned in at any time during the working time period.

Click here for the Rocks Choice Work Direction Sheet.

Choice Work Resources

Plain Grid1 Graph Paper-Plain.pdf

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Websites

Geology.com

Rocks For Kids

Rockhounds

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

Tips on How to Make a Crossword Puzzle

Puzzle Maker - Use this to make a Crossword Puzzle!

Rock Scavenger Hunt

As you can see, rocks are everywhere around us! In the Rock Scavenger Hunt you will look for different rocks outside and try to identify them using a dichotomous key. Scientists use dichotomous keys to easily identify things that they find in nature.

1. Start by downloading the worksheet that has the list of rocks you will find. - rocks worksheet

2. Research the rocks so you know what they look like. Use this site: Geology.com

3. Go out and find the rocks! Use the worksheet to draw pictures of what you find and to write a description for each rock that you find.

4. Use the Rock Key (a dichotomous key for identifying rocks) to see if you found what you were looking for.

Vietnam Cave Article

The Basketball Court Challenge

What is Weathering?

What is Erosion?

• the movement of soil or other materials from one place to another
• 
  

Erosion Walk

• With your group, walk around outside and identify at least four different examples of erosion. Describe the erosion and explain what you think might have caused the erosion

Erosion Case Studies

• You will read several Case Studies about Erosion. Use the Erosion Case Study sheet to record information about each of the case studies.

1. Read the case study (or case studies) your teacher assigns you.
2. For each case study you are assigned, identify what happened and why. Describe the case you are reading about well enough so others can learn from what you write.
3. Make a list of the causes of erosion that you have read about.
4. Identify an example of erosion you saw on your erosion walk that is similar to the erosion you read about. Use the case you read about to give you ideas about what caused the erosion you observed.

Investigating Factors that Affect Erosion

We will complete two investigations to find out more about erosion. You will need a place to record your data. Use the following links to see a sample of the data table.

• Investigation 1: What is the Relationship Between Particle Size and Erosion?
• Investigation 2: What is the Relationship Between the Slope of the Land and Erosion?

• After conducting the two experiments about erosion, click here to answer the experiment questions.