Ms. Bramlett's Third Grade Science Class
AMSTI Earth and Rocks
Ms. Kim Bramlett's 3rd grade class is continuing their study of rocks and soil.
They are learning how to tell one kind of rock from another, how rocks are formed, what soil is made of and why soil is important.
As an extension of AMSTI, they performed several activities in groups. Each group performed a different activity.
The 1st group explored what they could learn from rock layers. Wind, water, and ice can carry away sand and other materials. Often these materials are dropped in places in layers. Over time, the materials can join together to form rock. This is one reason rocks are often found in layers. In this activity, the layers of rock are shown by the sand, salt, coffee, sugar, and clay soil.
They made a model of rock layers by filling a small cup with sand. They added layers of other materials to the cup. They placed a "fossil animal" in 2 of the layers. This fossil animal was represented by a rubber band, or piece of a crayon. They also learned that a model of something is different from the real thing but can be used to learn something about the real thing. After completing the activity, they explained their results. Which layer was added 1st? Which layer is the model is the "oldest"? They were able to infer that they would expect to find an older fossil in a lower layer.
Group 2 investigated how much water soil can hold. Group 2 used a small measuring cup, other clear plastic and foam cups, sandy, clay, and loam soils, hand lens, pencil, paper towel, scissors, spoon, masking tape, a graduated cylinder and water.
Observing 3 types of soils, they described their properties such as color and texture. They punched holes in the bottom of each foam cup. They set each cup on the paper towel and traced around the bottom. They cut out the 3 circles and put each one inside each cup, over the holes. They put each of their soil samples into a different foam cup and packed it down. The students put each foam cup inside a clear plastic cup and poured 50mL of water into each soil sample. They waited 10 minutes. Using the graduated cylinder, they measured the amount of water in the clear plastic cups and recorded their data.
By measuring carefully, they found out which type of soil held the most water.
Group 3 explored how some mountains form.
Using clay and waxed paper, they made a model of one way mountains can form. First, they made flat layers of clay. Then, they stacked the layers on waxed paper. Next, they pushed on the ends of the clay. They recorded what happened to their model. They sketched the results.
They learned that in real life, this change would be too slow to see.
They compared and contrasted their model and a real mountain. They know that scientists use models to help learn about a real thing.
Group 4 experimented with what settles first.
As a river flows to an ocean, it can carry particles of soil. The soil particles may be small, large, or in between. Some of them may settle out of the water quickly and are not carried far. Some may settle out of the water very slowly. These may be carried a long distance.
The used 3 small measuring cups, small gravel, sand and clay soil, hand lens, plastic bottles with caps, a funnel and water. They measured equal amounts of gravel, sand and clay soil. They observed the particles using a hand lens. They recorded the size, shape, and color of the particles. Putting each kind of particle into a different bottle, they added water to the bottles. After screwing the tops on tight and began to shake their bottles. After shaking the bottles, they observed what happened and recorded the order in which the contents settled.
Students learned that experiments can have a variable you can change, a variable you can observe, and variables you can control. In this experiment, the variable you change is the size of the particles. The variable you observe is how fast the particles settle. Every other part of the experiment must be controlled, or kept the same.
Click here to see the photos of the groups:
http://www.westhillselementaryschool.com/?PageName='TeacherPage'&Page='PhotoAlbum'&StaffID='11128'
