Lesson 15 of 84 · The Water Cycle
Experiment⭐ 30 XPSoil: What's Under Your Feet?
The Water Cycle.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Soil forms slowly from weathered rock mixed with decomposed organic matter. Different layers (horizons) form with topsoil on top, subsoil below, and bedrock at the bottom.
Key Words
- aquifer
- watershed
Materials Needed
- magnifying glass
- newspaper
- spray bottle
- cups
- thermometer
Safety First
- Wash hands after handling materials.
- Be careful with scissors — ask an adult for help if needed.
- Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.
Steps
Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.
Create a timeline of Earth's history on a 5-meter strip of paper. Place major events (first life, dinosaurs, ice ages, humans) at the correct scale.
Observe what happens and describe it in detail.
Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is a mineral?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
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 The Water Cycle for 5th Grade
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