2.35 How Do Water and Soil Move
This is Lesson 35 (“How Do Water and Soil Move?”) from the National FFA Mentoring Program’s Grow Your PALS Program Guide, in the Environmental Science unit. In this small-group, hands-on lesson, students build a model watershed using paper cups, aluminum foil, and a pan to observe how water and soil (simulated with powdered drink mix) move, and then discuss erosion—its causes, three phases (detachment, transport, deposition), and ways to prevent it.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Build a model watershed, observing movement of water and sentiments.
- Discuss erosion and how to prevent it.
- Time required
- 25 minutes
- Materials
-
- large rectangular aluminum pan
- 5-6 paper cups
- scissors
- extra-wide, heavy aluminum foil
- plastic water jug or milk carton
- knife or hole punch
- powdered drink mix (grape or cherry show up best)
- Lesson Type
- Small Group
- Unit
- Environmental Science
- National Standards
- None
- Resources
- None
- Key Terms
- watershed, erosion
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
LifeKnowledge Precept – Continuous Improvement
- F3Use innovative problem solving strategies
Precepts
- FContinuous Improvement