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Plants and Erosion
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Objective
| Time Required | Materials
| Advance Preparation
Introducing the Activity | Instructions | Discussion
| Glossary
| Printable Version
Students will learn what erosion is and how plants play an important role in
controlling erosion.
lop in their local area and will add features to their model that represent
these towns.
Approximately 25 minutes
· 2 aluminum bread pans.
· Soil (collected from outside works well)
· Grass seed.
· Small paper cups.
· 2 trays that will fit under the bread pans
· 2 small blocks for propping up the bread trays about one inch at one
side.
· Knife for cutting slits in the bottom of the bread pan.
1) Fill both bread pans with soil. Plant grass seed in one a couple weeks in
advance. (You could also pull up grass with roots and dirt attached and it will
work well with less growing time.)
2) Put bread pans in their trays and then cut a one inch slit at the bottom
of the end wall each one with a knife.
We are going to look at how plants affect erosion in an experiment.
What is erosion?
What causes erosion?
Where is a common place we may see examples of erosion?
Let the class brainstorm. Brainstorming is a shared process that
validates multiple ideas. There is no right or wrong answer here.
1) Have students pour water into the two bread pans at the tops of the slopes.
Pour in enough water until there is some coming out the hole in the bottom of
the bread pan. Be sure to pour the same amount of water into each pan.
2) Pick up the pans and look at the color difference in the water.
The one with the plants will be mostly clear and the one with just dirt will
come out brown.
Would all plants hold the soil like grass? (some have bigger roots than others)
How is this important for streams?
What if the bread pan were propped up to a act like a steeper slope?
For further exploration:
Students can try this experiment with different soils and different plants.
Ask students to change the variables and guess how it will affect the outcome.
Have students identify erosion control methods near their home or school.
Have students identify an erosion control project they can start on their own.
Erosion - a gradual wearing away caused by the action of
glaciers, running water, waves, or wind
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