Structured Inquiry Lesson: Erosion

Last week I ran a structured inquiry lesson dealing with the variables that affect erosion.  The students performed many different experiments to test the affects variables such as elevation, water volume and soil types play in the amount of erosion on landforms.  

Students setting up stream tables.

The students performed the experiments over a few days.  Each group would record their data on observation sheets and make drawings of the results from running water through the stream tables.  The students really loved the hands-on approach of the structured inquiry lesson.  With the focus of the students doing the work and being active learners, I felt they took away more out of this lesson than any lesson I have done so far this year.  There are usually some behavior problems but I saw all these bad behaviors disappear.  I think with the onus being on the students to learn, they focused more than they usually do and really enjoyed the lesson. 

(On Left)
Students running water through a soil and rock mixture to observe the affects of water erosion.

                                   (On Right)
      Students running water through a      sand mixture.






As they performed the multiple activities, the students would record their observations on graphic organizers.  I created the observation sheet below and the drawing organizer was from our FOSS science series.



 Here are a few drawings from the students of their observations.

Here are some of the observations made by a student.  As you can see from the notes that were recorded, this student was making connections and noticing differences between the different experiments that were performed.  They even learned some new vocabulary terms such as porous, depression, canyon and delta. 

 

Here is a student's essay summarizing his findings on the affects of the variables tested during experimenting.  This student did a great job identifying the variables tested and explaining the affects they had during the erosion process.  This was the original goal of the lesson, to identify the affects of different variables.  While all of my students were not able to articulate their thoughts as well as this one, they all were able to understand that different situations are going to have different outcomes and they were able to identify which situations would cause the most and least amounts of erosion.