Lesson 11 of 84 · Weather and Climate
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock RealmEarthquakes: When the Ground Shakes
Weather and Climate.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Weather isn't random — it's just complicated.
Mind = Blown
🌊 The deepest part of the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you observe: what shape will it leave?
What You'll Learn
Earthquakes happen when stress builds up along faults in Earth's crust and suddenly releases. Seismic waves radiate from the focus, shaking the ground.
Key Words
- erosion
- sediment
- igneous
Materials Needed
- clear container
- rocks
- sand
- clay
- water
- plastic tray
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling materials.
- Be careful with scissors — ask an adult for help if needed.
Steps
Read about Weather and Climate and write down three key facts.
Test rock hardness using Mohs scale: try scratching rocks with your fingernail, a penny, and a nail. Rank them from softest to hardest.
Look for patterns in your observations.
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is an aquifer?
Where you see this in real life
This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.
For the dinner table
“What's the slowest change you can think of?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Checkout complete lesson on Weather and Climate for 3rd Grade
Get the full Weather and Climate track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.