erosion experiments for 5th grade

7 Ideas to Teach Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition

Teaching about weathering, erosion, and deposition? This post is packed with ideas for teaching your students about slow changes to Earth’s surface.  Have fun learning how landforms can be created due to slow changes to Earth’s surface!

As we like to say while doing silly hand motions:

Weathering breaks it!

Erosion takes it!

Deposition lays it down!

What are weathering, erosion, and deposition?

Weathering is the process by which rocks and other materials on the Earth’s surface are broken down and changed over time. 

Erosion is the process by which weathering materials (sediments) are moved from one place to another. Erosion can be caused by wind, water, ice, or gravity.

Deposition is the process by which eroded materials are deposited or laid down in a new location. 

Weathering, erosion, and deposition are important processes that shape the Earth’s surface and create landforms , such as mountains, valleys, and cliffs.

Here are some of my favorite activities for slow changes to Earth’s surface .

1. 🌳 Go outside

Walk around the school as a class or ask students to look around at home or in their neighborhoods for signs of erosion.  Have sediments been dropped off in a new place due to heavy rainfall?  Do rocks appear broken down due to ice?  

An easy way to guide this exploration is with a printable Scavenger Hunt .

This was a HUGE success ! Through discussion we addressed misconceptions and practiced using academic vocabulary. We found REAL examples of Earth’s changes right at school. 

Free Download : The Science Penguin Free Resource Library

2. 💬 Start sorting

Sort, sort again, and then sort some more. We sort Earth’s changes in 2 different ways:

• If a change generally occurs due to wind, water, or ice
• Whether a change is considered weathering, erosion, or deposition

While teaching, I’ve mainly focused on the agent of change and THEN discuss whether it’s weathering, erosion, or deposition.

The first image shows 6 different change cards to categorize as occurring due to wind, water, or ice, then students completed their own student page.

The second image shows 27 sorting cards from my Science Sorting Relay product line. These are so fun and can be used in multiple ways to help students cement new learning.

Shop TpT : Wind, Water, or Ice Sort  

3. 🌄 Explore models in stations

Salt lick canyon.

This is a time-lapse video over a couple of hours of my salt lick and water drip setup.

You can set up a cool demo over a few hours using a salt lick and something that will allow water to drip. I used a water cooler that was just slightly open allowing a slow drip. I’ve heard of some teachers using an IV!

There are more directions and 5 more station activities in my Slow Changes Observation Stations product. Students, teachers, and observing administrators love it!

“What a great product. I teach the entire grade level and this resource worked well for ALL my learners . The observation stations are easy to set up & independent for the kiddos to perform by themselves.” – Christina S.

Shop TpT : Slow Changes to Earth’s Surface Observation Stations

4. 📓 Study weathering, erosion, deposition vocabulary

Study vocabulary with 9 different fold-ups offered in the All in One Science Notebook. Over 18,000 teachers are using this notebook to help guide their explicit instruction of new slow changes vocabulary. They ALL have photo examples to make prep easy for you! This is a great alternative to worksheets !

Fold-up Topics:

• Agents of Weathering
• Agents of Erosion
• Agents of Deposition
• WED Process
• Chemical & Mechanical Weathering
• Ice-Wedging
• Constructive and Destructive Forces

Shop TpT : Slow Changes Notebook

5. 🌎 Explore real examples

Watch video examples:

Slow Changes Due to Wind and Water Video : Shows The Wave, rock pillars, Grand Canyon, and sea stacks

How Do Glaciers Move? :A time-lapse camera shows the movement of a glacier and how it carves away rock.

Use Google Earth:

After learning about different types of landforms, have teams research and model the landforms of a particular location.  Experiencing Landforms  on TpT includes landforms posters, information for students, fold-ups, and a landforms model project using Google Earth.

6. ❓ Test prep with landforms task cards

Test prep. No one gets excited for it, but it CAN be manageable and enjoyable… especially with task cards.

This set of rigorous multiple-choice task cards will help prepare students for their state testing AND you can use them to play games. Here are 4 easy ideas:

• Use them for your favorite game app!
• Hang them up around the room for students to visit at their own pace with a partner.
• Divide your class into teams, project a question and let them discuss, then randomly call on one student from each team to give the answer and an explanation.
• Print off a copy of the task cards for each team so they can practice marking them up!
• Use the included digital version already set up in Google Forms.

Shop TpT : Landforms Task Cards

7. 💬 Review with erosion stations

Stations give students opportunities for exploration, analysis, and review. I use 9 station activities that students can complete at their own pace. Assign the same stations to all students, assign different stations for different groups, or allow students to choose!

On TpT : Erosion Stations

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Teaching Resources

Check out our top teaching resources on TPT .

Sign up for the Free Resource Library

This is an exclusive library of 40+ science printables, labs, activities, and games for grades 3-6. Sign up and check your email for immediate access.

• Read more about: 4th Grade , 5th Grade , Earth Science

You might also like...

The Science Penguin Mini PD

CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) in 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Science

5th Grade Science STAAR: 3 Tips to Master Short Constructed Response (SCR)

4 thoughts on “7 ideas to teach weathering, erosion, and deposition”.

This is great! Studying to become a teacher and trying to soak up ideas. Thank you!

You are amazing! Thank you so much for your post. My standards have changed and I am now teaching erosion and weathering. I have not taught these concepts in detail for 20 years. Thank you for your help.

Dear Ari I love your idea of setting learning stations. But my dear I have ELL students. They are non native speakers, where even families can’t help me. Please advise me, how I can use learning stations .

Hi! I’d love to hear more about your erosion experiment! (and also what fonts you use!) Thanks!

Comments are closed.

Hi, I'm Ari!

As a new teacher, I struggled to plan engaging, rigorous science lessons. Throughout my time teaching upper elementary and in my graduate studies, I discovered what worked well and developed science curriculum for busy teachers.  Now, teachers across the country use Science Penguin activities every single day in their classrooms!

Want access to The Science Penguin Free Resource Library?

This is an exclusive library of 40+ science printables, labs, activities, and games for grades 3-6! Enter your personal email so your resources don't get stuck in a district filter!

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching Expertise

• Classroom Ideas
• Teacher’s Life
• Deals & Shopping
• Privacy Policy

20 Weathering and Erosion Activities for Kids

February 10, 2023 //  by  Randi Smith

If you’re coming up to your next Earth Science unit and struggling to find resources, we’ve got a treat for you! Teaching concepts like weathering and erosion in the classroom can be challenging as geological processes are topics that cannot be understood simply by reading. Erosion and weathering are perfect topics for engaging your students in hands-on learning. To help you start your planning, we’ve gathered 20 of the best weathering and erosion activities you can try in your classroom!

1. Weathering and Erosion Vocabulary Cards

Beginning a new unit is the perfect time to pre-teach new vocabulary. Word walls are great tools for building vocabulary. A weathering and erosion word wall is a great way to encourage the use of academic vocabulary.

Learn More: Teach Starter

2. Physical Weathering Lab

This weathering station activity demonstrates physical weathering by having students observe how “rocks” (sugar cubes) become weathered by water and the shifting of other rocks (fish tank gravel). All you need is sugar cubes and a cup or bowl with rocks.

Learn More: The First Grade Roundup

3. Erosion in Action with Video Labs

Sometimes, materials and lab space are unavailable, so watching digital versions of demonstrations is a good option. This video shows how runoff and deposition change the area around water sources. It’s the perfect resource for demonstrating the effects of erosion.

Learn More: The Good and the Beautiful Homeschool Science

4. Draw a Diagram of an Erosion Mountain

This activity is a hit with students who are visual learners or budding artists. A great way for students to summarize their learning is to have them draw and label mountainous landforms, along with different examples of erosion. 

Learn More: Young Naturalist’s Club

5. Create an Agents of Erosion Comic Book

Engage your writers and artists with a fun combination of science, writing, and art. This fun storyboard comic strip was created using Storyboard That! We love the idea of turning geologic processes into stories.

Learn More: Storyboard That!

6. Cookie Rocks- A Yummy Earth Science Station

This tasty science activity helps students see the effects of different kinds of erosion. Students discover how wind erosion, water, ice, and other destructive forces change landforms using a cookie as a natural landform. This would be a sweet way for students to see how the rate.

Source: E is for Explore

7. How is Soil Made? 

Looking for lesson plans? Slide decks like these hold loads of information, digital science activities, and opportunities for discussion, so students learn how all of the soil on Earth is created from weathering!

8. Take a Crash Course on Erosion Vs Weathering

This fun Crash Course video teaches students the differences between erosion and weathering. This video compares erosion vs weathering and shows real-world examples of erosion by water and other elements.

Learn More: Crash Course Kids

9. Deposition for Kids Lesson Lab

This experiment of erosion and deposition activity has students use simple materials such as soil, paint trays, and water to identify how the slope of land affects the erosion rate. Students experimented and observed how erosion differed when they changed the angle of their trays. 

Learn More: Westdale Heights

10. Try a “Sweet” Rock Cycle Lab Activity

While going through weathering and erosion, your students have learned that all that weathered material moves into the rock cycle. This lab activity helps students understand the rock cycle by likening three sweet treats to rock types.

Learn More: Our Journey Westward

11. Starburst Rock Cycle Activity

Here’s another fun activity to help your students understand how erosion and weathering feed into the rock cycle. Students use starburst candy, heat, and pressure to form three rock types. Look at that example of sedimentary rock formation! Those are some fun rock layers.

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

12. Beach Erosion- Landform Model

A tray of sand, water, and some pebbles is all you need to build a working model of coastal erosion. With this experiment, students can see exactly how the smallest movements of water cause significant erosion.

13. Try a Chemical Weathering Experiment

This experiment has students discovering how chemical weathering can affect copper using pennies and vinegar. Like the Statue of Liberty, copper pennies turn green when exposed to harsh elements.

Learn More: STEAMsational

14. Virtual Field Trip 

Field trips are favorites for regular and homeschooled students. See the effects of erosion and weathering in the real world by taking a virtual field trip (or a real one) to a cave system. Students can see the true effects of erosion on the landscape by seeing the landforms carved by elements. 

Learn More: National Parks Service

15. Teach Students About Weathering with Salt Blocks

While this video demonstrates the effects of chemical weathering on a large scale, a similar experiment could easily be implemented in the classroom with a smaller salt block. Here, students observed how a water drip caused erosion in a salt block over a day. What a great simulation of weathering!

Learn More: Cobrrdrr

16. Glacial Erosion Classroom Presentation

A block of ice, a stack of books, and a tray of sand are all you need to build a glacial erosion model to observe changes to the landscape. This experiment is a three-in-one demonstration of erosion, runoff, and deposition. What a great way to capture all of those NGSS science standards.

Learn More: Michigan Science Center

17. Beach Erosion STEM 

This fun STEM activity was built for 4th-grade students. Over a day, students are required to plan, design, build, test, and retest their design for a tool or product that prevents erosion of a sand beach. 

Learn More: Anchoring Down in Second Grade

18. Blend 4th Grade Science and Cursive 

This is an easy way to blend science into other subject areas. Print a set of weathering, erosion, rock cycle, and deposition worksheets to review science concepts and practice cursive writing.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

19. Mechanical Weathering Experiment

Soil, seeds, plaster, and time are all you need to show your students the mechanical weathering process. Seeds are soaked in water, then partially embedded in a thin layer of plaster. Over time, the seeds will sprout, causing the plaster around them to crack. 

Learn More: Science Matters Blog

20. Explore Windbreaks to Combat Wind Erosion

This STEM activity aims to teach students about one way of preventing wind erosion–the windbreak. Using Lego bricks, students build a windbreak to help prevent their soil (tufts of yarn) from blowing away in the wind. 

Learn More: Andrea Knight

Choose an Account to Log In

Notifications

Science project, erosion experiment.

Huff, puff and blow as hard as you can—do you think you can blow down a sand castle with your mighty breath? Blowing air erodes —wears away—sand and dirt. In Three Little Pigs , houses of straw or twigs were no match for the Big Bad Wolf's strong lungs. Do you think a house made of sand or mud could hold up to wind or water? Let's find out in this erosion experiment.

In some parts of the world, houses are still made from mud and sand, which makes them easier to knock down than homes made of brick and stone. To understand how these materials can (and should) be used to make homes, you'll need to explore how they stand up to the elements.

How does erosion affect structures made of sand and soil?

• Garden hose
• Plastic cups
• Battery-operated portable fan
• Stopwatch (optional)
• Before you start your erosion experiment, take a look at your ingredients. How does the sand feel? How does the soil feel? Do sand and soil stick together easily, or fall apart? Record any observations —things you see—in your notebook.
• Look over your notes, and make a guess about what you think will happen to your soil structure, and what will happen to your sand structure, when you try to knock them down with wind or water. Which "castle" will last longer? Write your guess—called a hypothesis —in your notebook.
• Take your ingredients to a hard surface, like concrete or asphalt. These smooth surfaces will allow you to see exactly how the water and wind affect your structures.
• Create mud by mixing some soil with water. Dirt and soil may look the same, but technically they aren't. Soil consists of sand, silt, clay, minerals, water, air and organic material. And you thought it was just dirt, didn't you?
• Create wet sand by mixing sand with just enough water to make it stick together—like sand on the beach that you use to make sand castles.
• Use a plastic cup to make a structure out of the wet soil; maybe it'll be a castle, maybe just a lot of cups turned over in your own design. Be creative and make your structures just the way YOU like them.
• Repeat Step 6 with the wet sand.
• Next, make similar structures with dry soil and dry sand, for a total of four structures: one made from muddy soil, one dry soil, one wet sand, and one dry sand.
• Now that your creations exist, it's time to see which stand up to wind and water. Use your battery-operated fan to blow air on the four structures. Remember, do NOT use an electric fan—mixing water and electricity is dangerous, so make sure you have the right fan before starting.
• What happens to each of your structures? Draw a picture or write what happened in your notebook.
• Take a garden hose and drop it about two feet away from your structures. Turn on the water for about 30 seconds, and then turn it off. Draw a picture or write what happened in your notebook.

The wind from the fan should have blown away the individual particles of your dry sand structure easily. While all of the structures probably ended up washed away by wind or water, the structures made with soil should have been stronger than the structures made with sand.

Dry sand is like dry sugar. It piles up, but wind and water wash it away quickly, because the individual grains of sand don't stick to each other. Wet sand sticks together when combined with just the right amount of water. Too much water washes it away, but it takes more effort than the dry sand because water fills in the space between the grains enough to make the grains stick to each other. You will find that it takes a fan on higher settings to erode, or gradually wear away the sand.

Dry soil holds together better than dry sand. When it's wet, the organic matter and minerals fill the gaps in the soil to hold it tightly together. It takes a strong force (push) of water and wind to knock down a soil castle. This is why ancient Egyptians added straw to their mud when they made bricks for their homes. They molded the mud and straw, allowing them to dry in the sun, becoming bricks. Bricks are hard. Structures, like homes built today with bricks, are harder to tumble. Remember what happened in the Three Little Pigs ?

Now that you've learned about sand and soil with this erosion experiment, keep the science going by testing more elements. Make this project more challenging by recording the time it takes for the structures to erode away with a stopwatch. What would happen if both wind and water hit the castles at the same time? What if you placed your hose at an angle or held it in the air and sprinkled in on your castles? Being a scientist is all about guessing and testing!

Related learning resources

Add to collection, create new collection, new collection, new collection>, sign up to start collecting.

Bookmark this to easily find it later. Then send your curated collection to your children, or put together your own custom lesson plan.

Soil Erosion Experiment - Teach Kids How Soil Erosion Occurs

Posted by Admin / in Physics Experiments

Erosion occurs when water washes away dirt, rock, or sand. Erosion happens everyday during man-made events, rainfall, and in the ocean. You have probably seen how people try to defend against erosion by placing large rocks near the edge of a river, lake, or the ocean to try to stop water from washing away the land. Erosion can also be a problem for farmers. When a farmer plows their field, there is almost no protection against erosion. Rainfall can easily wash away valuable topsoil which helps the farmer grow things. The soil that is washed away from the farmer's fields can also cause problems for others. The soil sediment can cause ditches, streams, and rivers to become filled. This can result in slower drainage and flooding people's land and buildings. So erosion can be a problem for us and for the fish and other creatures that live in the water, but let's see how it works.

Items Needed for Experiment

• Soil or sand
• Empty milk jug
• Small piece of clay

EXPERIMENT STEPS

Step 1: Place the board on the ground. This experiment is best performed outside because it will result in soil washing off the board.

Step 2: Place a thin layer of soil over the entire board. The soil should be about 1 inch deep for this experiment.

Step 3: Tilt up the board so it is not level. One end of the board should be 3 to 4 inches (75 to 100 mm) higher than the other end. Use some of the extra soil or some rocks under one end to prop it up.

Step 4: Cut a 1/2 inch (13 mm) diameter hole in the bottom of the milk jug using the scissors. The hole does not need to be perfectly round, but the size should be close to 1/2 inch (13 mm).

Step 5: Plug the hole in the milk jug using a small piece of clay so the jug holds water.

Step 6: Fill the milk jug with water.

Step 7: Place the milk jug filled with water on the high side of the board.

Step 8: Release the water by removing the piece of clay from the opening in the bottom of the jug.

Step 9: Observe what happens to the soil on the board.

SCIENCE LEARNED

Soil erosion has become a problem in most areas of the world where there is development. Soil washes into streams and rivers which then exits into lakes and oceans. Water quality is impacted by the amount of sediment washed into the water. Waterways with boat traffic also require dredging to remove the excess sediment in navigation channels in rivers and lakes to keep boats from hitting the bottom. Farm land is also impacted when valuable topsoil is lost to erosion.

There are many ways to slow down soil erosion including:

1. Using silt fences

2. Allowing trees and plants to grow also the side of rivers, streams, lakes, and seas

3. Control the path of water flow and slow down the velocity of the water by re-sloping the ground and ditches which allow runoff

4. Keeping plant growth on the ground also helps keep the soil in place because of the plant roots.

5. Where water travels too quickly, large stones are used to stop erosion.

• About the author
• Back to Experiment

Please select the social network you want to share this page with:

We like you too :)

Thanks for taking time to give us feedback!

• physics experiments
• science experiments for kids
• soil erosion experiment
• water quality experiment
• teach kids about soil erosion

Douglas Rogers - Douglas is a professional engineer and supports math and science education for kids.

• previous experiment
• next experiment

Compass Experiment

in Physics Experiments

Learn how to build a simple wet compass and dry compass, then compare the two types.

How to Calculate Buoyancy Force

Experiment to determine the buoyancy forces acting on a floating and submerged object.

How to Make a Balloon Rocket

Use a balloon to propel a rocket across the sky. Teaches kids simple physics concepts.

How to Make a Paper Airplane Glider

Learn how to build a simple paper airplane glider.

FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Glaciers, Water and Wind, Oh My!

Hands-on Activity Glaciers, Water and Wind, Oh My!

Grade Level: 5 (3-5)

(can be split into two 50-minute sessions)

Expendable Cost/Group: US $2.00

Group Size: 2

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Earth and Space

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Landscape Models & Roadways: Carve that Mountain
• Engineering for the Three Little Pigs

TE Newsletter

Engineering connection, learning objectives, materials list, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, vocabulary/definitions, activity extensions, activity scaling, user comments & tips.

Civil engineers carefully study the surrounding environment and soil types in order to safely build any sort of structure. Buildings, roads and bridges require solid foundations and, if possible, an area not prone to erosion (such as a flood plain). Engineers choose materials that resist the type of erosion that a particular area is exposed to, such as waterproof materials or materials not affected by acid rain. Environmental engineers plant trees and other vegetation in order to help prevent wind and water erosion; plants and their roots stabilize the soil and make it less exposed to erosion. Vegetation can also help to neutralize acid rain. Engineers also design roads, bridges and sidewalks in a way that permits them to expand and contract with temperature changes to minimize any cracking, for example, sidewalk grooves and bridge expansion joints.

After this activity, students should be able to:

• List several different types of erosion.
• Compare and contrast the effects of various types of erosion.
• Discuss how engineers work to prevent erosion.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science.

Common Core State Standards - Math

View aligned curriculum

Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology

State standards, colorado - math, colorado - science.

To share with the entire class:

Chemical Erosion Station

• glass tray or Petri dish
• rock samples that contain calcite mineral (calcium carbonate), such as limestone, marble, certain cements/mortars
• other rock samples, such as brick, granite, most gravels
• weak acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar
• magnifying glass
• paper towels

Water Erosion Station

• large container, such as a deep plastic bin at least 18 x 9 inches (46 x 23 cm)
• 12 coins or poker chips
• watering can that has several holes in the spout

Wind Erosion Station

• small-size motorized fan, handheld is preferred
• large bin or box with no top

Glacier Erosion Station

• ice cubes, enough for one per group
• modeling clay; NOT Play-Doh®

Temperature Erosion Station

• heat source, such as a burner or hot plate
• 3 glass beakers
• plastic tongs
• marbles, one per group

Each group needs:

• Erosion Worksheet , one per student
• Erosion Math Worksheet , one per student

The teacher needs:

• stopwatch, clock or wristwatch, to time 7-8 minute rotation intervals

What is erosion? Have you heard that word before? Erosion is the process of wearing away the surface of the Earth in different ways. Erosion can happen from wind, water, ice, temperature and even chemicals found in nature. Erosion is all around us. You have probably seen some type of erosion without even realizing it. Have you noticed bits of sand and dirt being carried away by water after a rainfall? How about the side of a building or a statue that has become smooth or worn down as it ages? How about a crack in the sidewalk or road that was not there before? Or a sidewalk crack that you noticed getting larger by the week? All of these changes can happen from erosion. Wind and water can carry away dirt, sand and soil from one area, rub it against an object (similar to the effects of sandpaper) that it moves over, and deposit it somewhere entirely different. Temperature changes can cause some materials to contract (shrink) and expand, which causes them to crack over time. Acid rain from pollution causes chemicals in the air to slowly break down buildings, trees and statues. Even ice in the form of huge glaciers can drag away piece of land as they move downhill with the force of gravity.

Erosion is constantly shaping the Earth's surface. Our Earth looks different than it did 100 years ago and will look even more different 100 years in the future. Erosion has built mountains and carved out deep valleys. All this erosion takes a toll on human-made structures as well. Significant landmarks, like the Sphinx in Egypt or pyramids in South America, can be destroyed if not protected from erosional forces. Damage caused by erosion can cost a lot of money to repair. Large-scale erosion is often dangerous to people when it results in landslides and flooding.

Engineers study erosion so that they can protect the environment, structures, landmarks and people's lives. Engineers design and build structures such as houses, buildings and roads for people to live and work in and, of course, on which to drive their vehicles. They intentionally develop designs that help to protect people from landslides and flooding, like levees and barriers. Engineers are also involved in protecting existing land formations and landmarks that people want to keep around, such as ancient pyramids and national monuments.

Today, we are going to look at five types of weathering. We are going to learn about the effects of each type on our surroundings on Earth. Then, we will be one step closer to working out problems like engineers, who need to know about erosion for so many things!

Before the Activity

• Gather materials and make copies of the Erosion Worksheet  and Erosion Math Worksheet .
• Since some of the stations can be messy, consider conducting the entire activity outside to make for easier cleanup.
• Set up five stations and disperse the materials to each.
• For the chemical erosion station, make sure to label the rock samples.
• For the water erosion station, make sure to place soil in the container.
• For the wind erosion station, make sure to set up a pile of sand in the large box, or outside, and place the fan far enough away from the sand so that it does not blow it all over the place. The purpose of the fan is to move a layer of sand from the center to the another side of the box, gradually moving the entire "sand dune."
• For the temperature station, decide if you want to conduct it as a demonstration or arrange for an adult helper.

With the Students

Station 1: Chemical Erosion Station

• Place one of the rocks in the glass tray.
• Use the eyedropper to slowly add drops of lemon juice/vinegar to the rock.
• Use the magnifying glass to observe the rock.
• Record your observations on the worksheet. Did the rock bubble when you placed the weak acid on it?
• Discuss with your partners why you think such a reaction occurred.
• Remove the rock, dry it off, and set it off to the side with the rest of the rocks.
• Pour into the sink any liquid in the glass tray.
• Repeat steps 1-7 with all the remaining rocks.

Station 2: Water Erosion Station

• In a large container, form a mountain of soil that is about 3 inches across (wide) at the top and about 5 or 6 inches tall.
• Press the coins/chips into the surface of the dirt/clay. Place them at different angles with an edge protruding out; leave about half the coin showing.
• Use the watering can to create a rainstorm by pouring water on the "mountain."
• Record your observations. Are the coins sticking out more or less? What does the bottom of the mountain look like?
• Remove the coins and place them onto a paper towel to dry.
• Drain the water into a sink.

Station 3: Wind Erosion Station

• Form a pile of sand in the center of the box that is approximately 5 or 6 inches tall.
• Turn on the fan so it blows air lightly over the sand from one end of the box to the other.
• Record your observations. Did the pile of sand move?

Station 4: Glacier Erosion Station

• Take some clay from the container—about a ball that is ~1-2 inches in diameter.
• Flatten the clay onto the surface on the tray.
• Press an ice cube against the flattened clay and move it back and forth several times.
• Record your observations. Does anything happen to the clay when you rub the ice cube on it?
• Place a small pile of sand on the clay and then place the ice cube on top of the sand for 1-2 minutes.
• Pick up the ice cube and observe the surface of the cube that was touching the sand and record your observations. What does the bottom of the ice cube look like?
• Place the same side of the ice cube on the sandy part of the clay and move it back and forth several times.
• Remove the ice cube and wipe away the sand from the surface of the clay.
• Record your observations. What does the texture of the surface of the clay feel like?
• Place the clay back where it came from and throw away the remaining ice and sand.

Station 5: Temperature Erosion Station (conduct as a demo or with an adult helper)

• PUT ON SAFETY GOGGLES!!
• Use the tongs to place a marble into a beaker.
• Turn the burner on about ¾ of the way.
• Leave the marble in the beaker for 5 minutes.
• While you are waiting, make sure you have enough water in one beaker and ice in the other beaker.
• After 5 minutes, turn off the burner.
• Use the tongs to place the marble briefly into the water and then into the beaker of ice.
• Look at the marble and record your observations.
• Take off your safety goggles.

acid rain: Rain containing acids that form in the atmosphere when industrial gas emissions (especially sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) combine with water.

deposition: The act or process by which an agent of erosion, such as wind or water, lays down matter (sediment).

erosion: The wearing away of the surface of the Earth by natural processes (weathering, dissolution, abrasion, corrosion, etc.).

geology: The scientific study of the origin, history and structure of the Earth.

glacier: A huge mass of ice slowly flowing over a land mass, formed from compacted snow in an area where snow accumulation exceeds melting.

limestone: A type of sedimentary rock consisting of the mineral calcium carbonate.

sediment: Material that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

weathering: Gradual physical and chemical wearing away of rocks.

Pre-Activity Assessment

Discussion Questions: Solicit, integrate and summarize student responses.

• What is erosion?
• What is an example of erosion that you have seen in nature?

Activity Embedded Assessment

Worksheet:  As students work through the five stations, have them record their observations on the Erosion Worksheet . Review their answers to gauge their mastery of the subject.

Post-Activity Assessment

Math Word Problems : Hand out the Erosion Math Worksheet and direct students to calculate the effect of erosion in each of the five scenarios. Discuss how engineers might need to solve similar problems when working to protect the environment, structures, landmarks and people's lives.

Define It! Drawing : Have students draw pictures of each of the five types of erosion that were discussed and write their own definitions of erosion (and its effects) at the bottom of the page. Review their answers to gauge the depth of their comprehension of the topic.

Safety Issues

• Use eye protection (goggles or safety glasses) whle conducting the experiment at the Temperature Erosion Station.
• If students are not accustomed to using hot plates/burners, have an adult supervise the Temperature Erosion Station—or conduct this station as a class demonstration.

Consider conducting the Acid Rain Effects  activity to look at how chemical erosion can affect living and non-living things.

Have students become "erosion detectives" and develop a list of things in their area (school, home, park) that show evidence of erosion at work.

Have students design a way to show the effects of multiple types of erosion on one piece of land (or pile of soil). Does adding more types of erosion (wind AND water) to the land increase the landscape changes? Next, have the students imagine and then sketch designs for how they might protect their land (or pile of soil) from the various types of erosion, which is what engineers are asked to do.

For upper grades, have students complete the Erosion Math Worksheet when they finish the stations.

For lower grades, conduct all the stations as class demonstrations with student volunteers to help at each. Then discuss student observations as class.

Students are introduced to the primary types of erosion—chemical, water, wind, glacier and temperature. Students investigate examples of each erosion type and discuss how erosion changes the surface of the Earth.

Students learn about landslides, discovering that there are different types of landslides that occur at different speeds — from very slow to very quick. All landslides are the result of gravity, friction and the materials involved. Students learn what makes landslides dangerous and what engineers ar...

Students are introduced to natural disasters and learn the difference between natural hazards and natural disasters.

Students are introduced to three types of material stress related to rocks: compressional, torsional and shear. They learn about rock types (sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic), and about the occurrence of stresses and weathering in nature, including physical, chemical and biological weathering.

Cavers, Curtis. "Soil Management on Potato Land." March 2006. Crops, Food and Rural Initiatives, Manitoba Agriculture. Accessed November 9, 2020. https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-management/potatoes-soil-management-on-potato-land.html.

"Acid Rain." Unit 5: The Wonderful Solvent: Water, Articles, Science (S1-3), Science Education Section, Education and Manpower Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Accessed July 25, 2006. Originally found at http://resources.ed.gov.hk/~s1sci/R_S1Science /sp/en/syllabus/unit5/article-ar.htm

"Erosional Landforms." May 3, 2005. Natural Hazards, National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA Satellite and Information Services. Accessed August 1, 2006. Originally found at http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/slideset/24/24_slides.shtml

Erosion. Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 1, 2006. Originally found at http://www.mo.nrcs.usda.gov/news/MOphotogallery/erosion.html

Erosion. Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed August 1, 2006. Oringially found at http://www.ctenvirothon.org/studyguides/soil_docs/wind_water_erosion_pics.pdf

"USGS Landslide Hazards." November 28, 2005. Landslide Hazards Program, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://landslides.usgs.gov/

"Does This Material React with Acid?" July 3, 2001. Activity 9, Activities to Explore Acid Rain and Building Stones, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed August 1, 2006. Originally found at http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eastern/acid9.html

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: November 9, 2020

Teach Starter, part of Tes Teach Starter, part of Tes

Search  everything  in all resources

Weathering and Erosion Teaching Resources for 5th Grade

• Teaching Resource 19
• Worksheets 4
• Interactive Games 2
• Templates 2
• Word Walls 2
• Word Searches 1
• Sorting Activities 1
• Task Cards 1
• Dice Games 1
• Teaching Slides 1
• Cut and Paste Worksheets 1
• Matching Games 1
• Color By Code Worksheets 1
• Crossword Puzzles 1
• Classroom Posters 1
• Flipbooks 1
• Mini Book 1
• 4th Grade 19
• 5th Grade 19

availability

File formats.

• Google Slides 18
• Printable PDF 16
• Teach Starter Publishing 19

Weathering vs. Erosion vs. Deposition Vocabulary Game

Guide your students to review weathering, erosion and deposition vocabulary words with this free dice game.

Slow Changes to Earth's Surface Task Cards

Guide your students to answer vocabulary and situational questions about weathering, erosion and deposition with this set of 24 task cards.

Weathering and Erosion – RACES Writing Strategy Worksheets

Combine reading, writing and science with two worksheets about weathering and erosion using the RACES writing strategy for text evidence.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Vocabulary Posters

Display this set of science vocabulary posters in your classroom when teaching about weathering, erosion and deposition.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Color By Code Worksheet

Guide your students to differentiate between examples of weathering, erosion and deposition with this color-by-number science worksheet.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Matching Game

Challenge your students to identify different slow changes to Earth’s surface with this matching game designed for 4th and 5th-grade students.

Weathering, Erosion & Deposition Interactive Activity

Use this set of interactive activities to strengthen student understanding of weathering, erosion and deposition concepts.

Rock It Out With Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Interactive Task Cards

Dive into the fascinating world of Earth’s transformations! Download this set of interactive task cards to review weathering, erosion and deposition concepts with your students.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Doodle Notes

Engage your students with a set of science doodle notes when learning about erosion, weathering and deposition.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Mini-Book

Introduce your students to the different slow changes to Earth’s surface with a printable mini-book designed for 4th and 5th-grade students.

Weathering vs. Erosion Worksheet Pack

Support student understanding of weathering and erosion with this reading comprehension passage, worksheet and accompanying vocabulary activities.

Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Teaching Slides

Learn about the different types of weathering, effects of erosion, results of deposition and more with this set of teaching slides.

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition – Sorting Activity

Categorize examples of deposition, weathering, and erosion with this 24-card sorting activity.

Types of Weathering – Cut and Paste Worksheet

Use this cut-and-paste worksheet when classifying examples that show mechanical, chemical, or biological weathering.

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Flipbook

Learn about the causes and effects of weathering, erosion, and deposition with a printable flipbook.

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition – Word Search

Strengthen your students' understanding of weathering, erosion, and deposition terms with a vocabulary word search.

Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition – Crossword Puzzle

Review science vocabulary terms associated with weathering, erosion, and deposition with a crossword puzzle.

Weathering and Erosion Poster

Learn how weathering and erosion can cause slow changes to Earth’s surface with this printable poster.

Weathering and Erosion Word Wall Vocabulary

Expand your students' science vocabulary with a weathering and erosion word wall.

• Weathering and Erosion for 4th Grade

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet This Resource
• Pin This Resource

Fifth graders study what erosion is, what causes it, and ways to slow its progress. They complete an experiment that depicts soil moving down a slope as water is poured on it to show how moving water erodes land. Next, they observe examples of erosion in the school yard, and discuss how plants can slow the process.

Start Your Free Trial

Save time and discover engaging curriculum for your classroom. Reviewed and rated by trusted, credentialed teachers.

• Collection Types
• Activities & Projects
• Assessments
• Graphics & Images
• Handouts & References
• Interactives
• Lab Resources
• Learning Games
• Lesson Plans
• Presentations
• Primary Sources
• Printables & Templates
• Professional Documents
• Study Guides
• Instructional Videos
• Performance Tasks
• Graphic Organizers
• Writing Prompts
• Constructed Response Items
• AP Test Preps
• Lesson Planet Articles
• Online Courses
• Interactive Whiteboards
• Home Letters
• Unknown Types
• Stock Footages
• All Resource Types

See similar resources:

Role of plants in water filtration, the water cycle game, the water cycle, wet science lesson #11: how light affects water, water pollution, heat - energy on the move, earth's water sources, treatment plants, water: a neverending story, science buddies: suck it up: capillary action of water in plants.

Physical and Chemical Weathering Experiments

• Planning , Science

Team Weathering and Erosion are always working together when it comes to changing the Earth’s surface. Since recently I shared some hands-on erosion experiments, I thought why not share the other partner in crime — weathering! (Is it like the chicken and the egg — who came first? Erosion then weathering or weathering then erosion?) And since erosion received so much hands-on time, its partner needs an activity as well. Besides, this one involves sugar. Isn’t that exactly what your elementary classrooms need? Sugar?

When I teach my students about weathering, I teach about two types — physical and chemical. We discuss the basics of how each effect happens, and then I like to pull out the science materials to make it fun and more hands-on. After all, I’ve found that the best way to keep elementary students engaged in learning is by making it exciting!

To demonstrate physical weathering, I provide each student with a sugar cube. Then I tell them to use their book or body weight and physically apply a bit of pressure to break it down. The results are fun, as what kid doesn’t love to just crush things to pieces? We then discuss how it relates to the surface of the earth and how it becomes weathered physically. Of course, we discuss that the pressure and weathered effects are more from other sources.

Then we get to the chemical weathering. We talk about how acid rain likes to ruin statues and other structures — so they become chemically weathered — and how sinkholes are created. To demonstrate this, I provide each person with a plastic cup lined with sugar cubes along the bottom and a graham cracker on top (representing soil). Using vinegar and a dropper, we drop it on the “soil” until slowly over time the sugar is destroyed underneath. We then talk about how this is very similar to limestone being weathered and creating empty pockets.

Overall, this is a fun and inexpensive way to help students really visualize both physical and chemical weathering!

• Chemical Weathering , experiments , Physical Science , Physical Weathering , Weathering

FIND IT NOW!

Check me out on tpt.

CHECK THESE OUT

5th Grade Math Workshop Growing Bundle- 9 Units

Three Types of Rocks and Minerals with Rock Cycle Circle Book

Want to save time?

COPYRIGHT © 2016-2024. The Owl Teacher | Privacy page | Disclosure Page | Shipping | Returns/Refunds

BOGO on EVERYTHING!

Share a free trial

Thanks for sharing, how can we help you, science units, kindergarten, open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science., science curriculum for k—5 th grades..

• Hands-on — lead students in the doing of science and engineering.
• Standards-aligned science lessons — Cover core standards in 1-2 hours of science per week.
• Less prep, more learning — prep in minutes not hours. Captivate your students with short videos and discussion questions.

Sign up now to try Mystery Science for free .

Sign up now for a free trial through June 30, 2025. Get tons of lessons!

Science Units

• Animal Biodiversity
• Plant Adaptations
• Erosion & Earth’s Surface
• Material Properties

Mapping & Earth's Surface Features

2nd if you floated down a river, where would you end up.

Lesson + Activity

Standards Aligned

Rocks, Sand, & Erosion

2nd why is there sand at the beach, mapping & severe weather, 2nd where do flash floods happen, erosion, earth’s surface, & landforms, 2nd what’s strong enough to make a canyon, erosion & engineering, 2nd how can you stop a landslide, about this unit.

In this unit, students explore how water shapes the Earth's surface. Students construct and use models of mountains to demonstrate that water flows downhill, and in the process, transforms huge rocks into the tiny grains of sand we find at the beach. Students also construct and use model hills to determine the causes of erosion, and to design solutions to problems caused by erosion.

Unit Resources

Assessments.

This summative assessment is a combination of short response and fill-in-the-blank questions intended to be administered at the end of this unit. It should take about 25 minutes for a student to complete.

For your reference, these are all the assessments included at the end of each Mystery from this unit:

Lesson 1 : Mapping & Earth's Surface Features

Lesson 2 : rocks, sand, & erosion, lesson 3 : mapping & severe weather, lesson 4 : erosion, earth’s surface, & landforms, lesson 5 : erosion & engineering, standards alignment guide, pacing guide, pacing guides in google sheets.

Need Excel versions?

Pacing Guides in Excel

Note: We've optimized for Google Sheets as it's free for all users. Excel downloads may have formatting differences.

Need Google Drive versions?

Paper Mountains

In this lesson, students develop a model of the earth’s surface and use it to discover an important principle about how rivers work. In the activity, Paper Mountains, students take turns using a spray bottle to make rain fall on paper models of mountains to observe patterns of how water and rivers flow.

I have a Mystery Pack

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work alone.

Students will need to cover their workspaces with plastic trash bags or table covers. Alternatively, students can work outside when they are spraying their paper mountains with water.

If students want to keep their models, be sure to give the models time to dry.

Rocking the River

In this lesson, students investigate the effects of rocks tumbling in a river. Based on their observations, they construct an explanation for why there is sand at a beach. In the activity, Rocking the River, students pretend to be a river and tear up pieces of construction paper to model what happens to rocks as they travel along the river.

We suggest students work in groups of four. Homeschool students can work alone.

Prepare “Paper Boulders”

Cut or tear each sheet of construction paper into about 12 pieces. We used a paper cutter to cut many sheets at the same time, making irregularly shaped pieces, but tearing or cutting with scissors will also work.

Each group (or single homeschool student) should start with 3 sheets worth of boulders (about 36). We recommend providing plenty of boulders at the beginning so that the students will still have large boulders at the end of the activity. That way, students will be able to see how the sizes of the rocks change as they move downstream.

Find Flash Flood Alley

In this lesson, students explore the phenomenon of flash floods and create an explanation of why these severe weather events are more or less likely in different regions. They specifically attempt to locate and explain a unique region in Texas known as Flash Flood Alley. In the activity, Find Flash Flood Alley, students develop a map to document how land and water interact across the state. Students then use that map to explain how different shapes and kinds of land increase or decrease the chances of rainfall causing a flash flood.

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Cornmeal Canyons

In this lesson, students make hypotheses and investigate the causes of canyons. In the activity, Cornmeal Canyons, students create a model landform using cornmeal. Then they drip water over this “land” to observe how water can change its shape and to understand how, over long periods of time, canyons can be formed through a similar process.

You will need access to water for this activity.

Students will need to cover their workspaces with a table covering (e.g., trash bag) in case of spills.

We suggest students work in pairs and share materials with another pair of students at the same table cluster. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare the Cornmeal “Land" and "Drip Sticks" Before Class

For each group of four students, you’ll need to prepare a container of cornmeal “land." For each pair of students, you'll need to prepare a "drip stick." This will take about 15 minutes. You need a pushpin, a permanent marker, a mixing bowl, and a measuring cup. Here are instructions.

Fill Solo Cups with Water

Two Solo cups will be used to support each pair's "drip stick" apparatus. For each pair of students, fill another Solo cup about halfway with water.

Organize Materials for Distribution

Save Materials for the Next Lesson

If you plan to teach the next lesson in this unit:

• Save your cornmeal "land." Pour it back into the food storage containers and keep them covered until you teach the next lesson.
• Save your "drip sticks."
• Save the plastic plates and all the Solo cups.

Erosion Engineering

In this lesson, students compare multiple solutions for preventing erosion. In the activity, Erosion Engineering, they design and test ways to keep water from washing away a hill modeled out of cornmeal.

We suggest students work in pairs and share materials with another pair of students at the same table. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare the Cornmeal “Land” and “Drip Sticks” Before Class

For each group of four students, you’ll need a container of the cornmeal “land” that you made for Lesson 4. Each pair of students will also need a “drip stick" that you made for Lesson 4. (If you have not taught Lesson 4, you will need to make cornmeal “land” and "drip sticks." Here’s how .)

Prepare Aluminum Foil and Paper Towel Strips

Each pair of students will need two small squares of aluminum foil (about 1½” squares), and four paper towel strips (each strip should be about 1” x 5”).

We suggest that you create supply distribution stations for students. In the first part of the activity, each student will need the following supplies:

In the second part of the activity, students will work in pairs to protect their cornmeal hill from erosion. To create their erosion protectors, each pair of students will need the following additional materials:

In the third part of the activity, students use "drip sticks" to create rainstorms over their cornmeal hills. Each pair of students will need the following additional materials:

This episode is locked

This lesson is not included in your limited access.

Invite 5 or more friends and we'll unlock all previous episodes as a thank you!

Why is the sky blue?

Why do we call them doughnuts?

Could a turtle live outside its shell?

No-spam Policy

Any emails you provide are only used to enable you to send an email to your friends. You will see a preview of the email and can edit it before sending. These people won’t be added to any lists, and at most they will receive one follow up email from our founder, Doug. They will never be spammed. For more information, check out our privacy policy .

Your membership is expired. The archive of past Mini Lessons is not included in your limited access.

• Chrome (recommended)
• Microsoft Edge

Home » Fun in the Garden » Activities for the kids » Soil Erosion Experiment

Soil Erosion Experiment

This might look like such a simple experiment but it will definitely show the importance of having vegetation covering the soil to your kids they will love this hands on experiment, what you’ll need:.

• 6 empty coke bottles
• 1 x piece of ply wood (30cm x 30cm x 2cm thick)
• Scissors and Stanley knife
• Soil from the garden and compost
• 4 Seedlings
• Mulch (bark chips, dead leaves and sticks)

Prepare three of the coke bottles by cutting a rectangular hole roughly 7cm x 25cm along the side of the bottle.

(You can use a permanent marker to mark out the piece you want to cut out.)

Stick the bottles to the wood with the wood glue making sure that the necks of the three bottles protrude a little over the edge of the board.

Fill the first bottle with plain garden soil and the other two with a soil and compost mixture. Press down firmly to compact it.

Leave the first bottle as is.

Cover the top of the soil in the second bottle with your mulch (bark chips, dead leaves and sticks etc).

Plant your seedlings in the third bottle. Make sure you plant them tightly together and press down firmly to compact the soil.

Cut the other three bottles in half, horizontally and keep the bottom halves.

Make two small holes opposite each other, nearest the cut side of the bottle.

Cut three pieces of string, roughly 25cm long and insert each end into the holes. Tie a knot on the ends to secure them. This will form a “bucket” to collect the water.

Hang them over the necks of each of the three bottles on the board.

Slowly pour equal amounts of water into each of the bottles. Pour the water in at the end furthest from the neck of the bottle.

Take note of the colour of the water collecting in the cups! The water in the first cut is really dirty, the water from the second and third cups are much cleaner which shows that both mulch as well as the root structure of plants assist in preventing soil erosion.

Let the kids do this every day for a week or two and they will soon see how the soil erodes away in the first container while the plants hold the soil in the last one. It’s natures glue, so let’s look after our plants and while we’re about it … plant some more.

Share This:

Other articles you may enjoy.

The Underground Internet

4 Season Gardening Goals

The beauty of bee keeping

Ask an expert.

We don’t supply anything ourselves, but our gardening gurus can assist with any other gardening related enquiries you may have!

Latest Poster

Diamond Sponsors 2024

@lifeisagardensa.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Life is a Garden is the marketing division of The South African Nursery Association (SANA). SANA is a member-driven, non-profit organisation, which strives to promote gardening as a hobby in South Africa for ALL South Africans.

Please feel free to contact us about anything related to gardening or our website. You can contact us on:

Gerdie Olivier – [email protected]

• sprouted by Brand Candy

Easy Erosion Experiment for Kids

Welcome to Sugar, Spice & Glitter! Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see our Full Disclosure .

Welcome back to Sugar, Spice & Glitter! Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, see our Full Disclosure .

Hands-on science experiments are one of our favourite rainy day activities. This week Marie set up an easy erosion experiment for kids that had the double bonus of using up some leftover candy we had kicking around the kitchen!

My parents are the worst for sneaking candies and lollipops into my daughter’s coat pockets whenever they take her out for lunch or we have a family get-together. By encouraging Ella to use her candy in creative ways – like candy science experiments – I avoid the drama of throwing out her candy AND the drama of a sugar-high 4 year old!

I love this easy science experiment for kids that Marie is here to share with us today and I hope you like it, too!

Holidays always bring in a little more candy than we like to our home. If your child has grandparents I’m sure you have the same dilema. So here is a fun candy erosion experiment for those extra sweet treats.

This experiment is based on the idea that moving water erodes rocks faster than water that is sitting still. The jar that we shake represents a fast moving river, where the control jar represents a pond or lake that does not have moving water.

Within in just a couple minutes kids can easily see the results of erosion! We focused on the scientific method for this experiment. We have a really great printable resource you can use to guide your experiment here .

The setup for this experiment is VERY easy. Just a couple jars, water, and your leftover candy!

How to Do an Easy Erosion Experiment

Gather Materials – this is enough for one erosion experiment

• 2 jars with tight fitting lids
• 2 small bowls
• 2 pieces of M&Ms
• 2 pieces of soft candy <– we used butter mints
• 2 pieces of hard candy
• 2 cups of cold water

I highly recommend grabbing a couple of these sturdy plastic lunch trays (we have one in the pictures in this post). I use these for almost all of our craft or kitchen activities, as well as in our Montessori practical life activities. Ours have lasted for over 6 years and are still going strong, plus they are so great for containing messes and allowing the kids to set a project to the side while it dries (or if you have to clear off the table for supper).

The Question

Does moving water erode rock faster than water that is standing still?

The Research

We have studied water before and how waves work . Building on that knowledge we tapped into many great books, educational online articles, and prior knowledge to research erosion.

The Hypothesis

Based on our research, we created a hypothesis: Rocks erode faster in moving water.

The Experiment

Now for the fun part! We put our hypothesis to work by creating a control and a test experiment. In pairs, students can each create a jar with water and candy.

Pour one cup of cold water into one of the jars.

Add in one piece each of M&Ms, soft candy, and hard candy. The candy represents sedimentary (soft candy), igneous (M&M), and metemorphic (hard candy) rocks.

Add the lid and be sure it is REALLY tight. You may want to give it a little check before the kids start shaking the jar.

Shake only ONE jar. The second jar is the control. Kids can take turns shaking the jar. As they do you can talk a little about how rivers have fast moving water. We shook our jars until the kids were tired, but a couple minutes should be plenty

The Conclusion

After all the shaking is done with the test jar, pull the candy out of both jars. Notice how the candy in the control jar did not change much, but the candt in the test jar was much smaller. You can also discuss how different type rocks erode faster.

This is an easy erosion experiment you can set up in no time and use a little of that extra holiday candy!

Also check out our Water Xylophone Science Experiment and our Wave In A Bottle Science Experiment . Both are perfect to accompany this candy science experiment and explore the other properties of water.

Check out these other fun science experiments for kids:

Check out these other awesome Science Experiments for Elementary-aged kids:

•   Child-led STEAM Density Investigation at Life Over C’s
• Snack Time Engineering Easy STEAM Project for Kids at Handmade Kids Art
• STEM Books for Teaching/Homeschooling Kids at The Jenny Evolution
• STEM Activities for Kids in the Kitchen at iGame Mom
• PEEPS STEAM Activities at Schooling a Monkey
• How to Make a Compass at Parenting Chaos
• STEM Challenge: Edible Sedimentary Rocks Model at Preschool Powol Packets
• Math Magic: Finding Center of a Circle at Planet Smarty Pants
• Tinker Toys STEM Pulley at Sugar Aunts
• Hot Chocolate Science at Creative Family Fun

Similar Posts

Fizzy, Erupting Snowy Day Sensory Bin

W is for wave.

Lavender Rice Sensory Bin

Apple Number Cards

Give a Montessori Lesson

Montessori Snack Time

Hello! Do you still have that printable resource available for the candy erosion experiment?

Please send me the printable version. Thank you!!

I would love the printable version of this!! Thank you

I would appreciate a printable version of the Candy Erosion Experiment. It will be fun to do with Halloween candy. Thank you

Water Erosion Science Experiment: Save the Lighthouse!

This water erosion experiment for kids is a fun science activity that is easy to do in any classroom. Ideal for teaching second grade students about slow earth changes, all of the materials you will need are from Walmart and the dollar store. The PowerPoint lessons and student lab sheet I use are part of this landforms & earth changes science unit .

By doing this experiment students gain:

• lab experience creating a simulation
• recording observations
• collecting data
• carrying out an investigation to answer a scientific question

What is Erosion?

Erosion is the process of wearing away rocks and soil by water, wind, ice, and gravity. The erosion process is part of the rock cycle and forms some pretty interesting landforms like mountain peaks, valleys, and coastlines.

I use this erosion science experiment, that is really more of a simulation, for students to answer the question, “How do ocean waves affect a coastline?”.

Base the Lab on Natural Phenomena

Whenever possible I like to center science lessons around natural events. Give students background for saving their lighthouses by showing this video of a 120 year old lighthouse endangered by erosion. The 1 minute video shows how the lighthouse was moved to a safer location.

Introduce the lab by posing the question: “How does erosion endanger a lighthouse?”

PowerPoint lesson & lab

Water Erosion Science Experiment

• paper lighthouse template
• plastic paint pan liner or shallow plastic bin
• student lab sheet
• blue food coloring (optional)

Place students in small groups or partners with the above materials needed to carry out their experiment. Guide students through the following procedure.

1. Fill the top two-thirds of a paint pan liner with sand. The sand we used is for hermit crabs from the pet department at Walmart, however regular sand is ideal.

2. Press the sand to form a “shoreline”. The sand should be about 2 or 3 inches deep.

3. Gently pour water into the pan filling the bottom half.

Students draw a diagram of  their model on the lab sheet telling what each material used represents.  Observe the sand as the water is poured. Ask students, “What change do you see as water is poured into the pan?”. (The sand is absorbing the water).

4. Using a plastic spoon, gently move the spoon up and down in the water to create small waves.

5. Have students pause after a few minutes to draw the changes on their lab sheet.

Erosion lab sheet

Ask students to note what happens when the waves wash up against the sand. (The “shoreline” changes because water washes back into the pan, carrying sand with it, and depositing it in a new location.)

6. Continue making waves until the shoreline is eroded up to the lighthouse.

7. Lastly, students discuss ways they can help prevent or slow down the erosion of their coastline. (A possible solution is to add rocks to the edge of the shoreline.)

More Erosion Experiments and Lesson Plans

This simple erosion experiment is a fun way for students to see the causes and effects of coastal erosion when learning about slow earth changes. It is part of  a complete NGSS Landforms & Earth Changes unit for 2nd grade that is also available in a similar digital version .

Click here to see the yearlong 2nd grade science series.

Be sure to pin this lab for later so you have it when you plan!

Visit this post for more landforms and earth changes science activities and experiments.

10 Hands-On Activities for Teaching Earth Changes & Landforms

Share this:

Back to School

Free Grammar Review Activities!

Start the year in grammar off right! Grab a full week of lesson plans, teaching slides, and printables to review and practice parts of speech!

You May Also Enjoy These Posts

Reader Interactions

March 20 at 7:48 pm

Hi Linda! This lesson is amazing. Is it possible to just purchase the lighthouse lesson? It’s perfect for my homeschool curriculum but I don’t need the whole bundle. Thank you!

March 28 at 8:05 am

Hi Micaela! I’m so glad you like the lesson! Unfortunately I don’t have the labs available separately.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of new posts by email.

Hello Friends

I’m Linda Kamp, a 20 year primary grade teacher with a passion for creating educational materials that excite students and make learning fun! I'm so glad you're here!