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Weathering and Erosion

Readiness

Weathering and Erosion

TEKS Objective

Recognize how landforms such as deltas, canyons, and sand dunes are the result of changes to Earth’s surface by wind, water and ice.


Essential Understanding

The student knows Earth's surface is constantly changing and consists of useful resources.

Science Background

Weathering and Erosion: Mr. SciGuy (website) - Great photos and illustrations summarize different processes of weathering and erosion.

Weathering and Erosion
Mr. SciGuy, www.mrsciguy.com

Erosion: Geography4Kids (website) - Basic overview of erosion processes. Click on the righthand tabs to learn about deep erosion and weathering.

Erosion
Geography4Kids

Signature Lesson

Weathering and Erosion: Illinois State Museum Geology Online (PDF) - Students complete stations around the classroom to learn about different types of weathering and erosion. (Use Part I, “Weathering Stations.”)

Weathering and Erosion
Illinois State Museum Geology Online, www.geologyonline.museum.state.il.us

Supporting Lessons

Weathering and Erosion: Utah Education Network (website) - Students learn about the process of weathering by examining sediment from rocks. 

Weathering and Erosion
Utah Education Network, www.uen.org

Do Rocks Last Forever? Kids GeoZone (website) - This lesson, from the California Geological Survey, outlines four experiments that illustrate the effects of mechanical and chemical weathering.

Do Rocks Last Forever?
Kids GeoZone, State of California Department of Conservation, www.consrv.ca.gov

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Showing the Difference Between Erosion and Weathering: Alabama Learning Exchange (website) - Students investigate weathering and erosion, see examples of each process, and learn the difference between them.

Showing the Difference Between Erosion and Weathering
Alabama Learning Exchange, www.alex.state.al.us

Assessment Ideas

1.    Have students locate, observe and report on examples of weathering around their neighborhoods. Their reports should describe the weathering they observed, and should answer the questions, “What agent is causing the weathering?” and “What can be done to reduce weathering?”

2.    Fold a sheet of paper horizontally (hot dog fold) and cut down the middle of one section. Label the front of one section “weathering” and the other “erosion.” Underneath the appropriate flap, have students write or draw an example of the each process.

Literature Connections

Weathering and Erosion: Wearing Down Rocks. Hoffman, Steven M. (ISBN-10: 1448827116)

Learning about Rocks, Weathering, and Erosion with Graphic Organizers. Estigarribia, Diana (ISBN-10: 1404250425)

The Disappearing Mountain and Other Earth Mysteries: Erosion and Weathering. Spilsbury, Richard and Lingard, Darren (ISBN-10: 1410919552)

Weathering and Erosion (Looking at Landscapes). Gifford, Clive (ISBN-10: 1583407316)

Related Science TEKS

(5.7A) Formation of Rocks and Fossil Fuels
The student is expected to explore the processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels.

(5.7D) Fossils
The student is expected to identify fossils as evidence of past living organisms and the nature of the environment at the time using models.

Related Math TEKS

5.12B   The student is expected to use experimental results to make predictions.

Additional Resources

Introduction to Erosion: KidsGeo.com (website) - Searchable site covering a wide variety of geological topics, including the many types of weathering.

An Introduction to Erosion
Kidsgeo.com

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