Lesson 54 of 84 · Weathering and Erosion
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock RealmGroundwater and Aquifers (Part 2)
Weathering and Erosion.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
The slowest changes are the biggest ones.
Mind = Blown
🪨 Every grain of sand on every beach used to be a mountain.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: which will erode faster?
What You'll Learn
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions like temperature, precipitation, and wind. Climate describes the average weather patterns in a region over a long period.
Key Words
- fossil
- mineral
- climate
Materials Needed
- rain gauge
- cotton balls
- food coloring
- clear container
- rocks
- sand
Safety First
- Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.
Steps
Review the background information on Weathering and Erosion before starting.
Test rock hardness using Mohs scale: try scratching rocks with your fingernail, a penny, and a nail. Rank them from softest to hardest.
Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.
Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What type of rock forms from cooled magma?
Where you see this in real life
Today's weather, tomorrow's beach, next century's coastline — all this.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Look at the sky for 5 minutes and try to predict tomorrow's weather.
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 Weathering and Erosion for 4th Grade
Get the full Weathering and Erosion track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.