Water: Investigation 4.1: Water in Earth Materials
Focus Question: What happens when water falls on different earth materials?
1. Procedure:
a. Write the focus question in your notebook.
b. Get two plastic cups with holes. Line each with a filter paper.
c. Use the scale to measure 75 g of soil.
Transfer it to one of the filter cups.
d. Measure 75 g of gravel and transfer it to
the second filter cup.
e. Put the two filter cups into the two large
cups.
f. Use the syringe to carefully squirt 75 mL
of water into the cup with soil and 75 mL
of water into the cup with the gravel.
g. After the water has stopped draining (3–4 minutes), use the graduated cylinder to
measure the water in the large cups.
2. Use a table to record your data in your notebook.
Material
Mass (g)
Water added
Water drained
(mL)
(mL)
h. Part 1: Water in Earth Materials
3. Discuss with your partner:
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Which material soaked up more water?
Why do you think one material retains more water than the other?
Why would you want to know the water retention of a material?
4. Findings: Answer the focus question in your notebook.
(Vocabulary development and scaffolds for ELL’s on the back of this page.)
Velez & Vargas LHS 2011
Water held mL
Language Objective:
Students will measure and record on a data table the
amount of water that drains through different earth
materials, compare the resulting masses to determine
relative water retention, and explain why knowing the
water retention of earth materials is important.
Vocabulary:
Gravel
Soil
Humus
Water retention
Retain
English Language Development:
Review the vocabulary words; explain other meanings of the word “retain.” Model
ways to turn the focus question into a topic sentence. Have students write
summary statements to develop the topic sentence based on their data and a
concluding statement. Students who need scaffolds can use the sentence frames:
When water falls on soil ___________. When water falls on gravel ______.
Our investigation showed that ____________.
It is important to know ______________, because __________________.
Essential Question: What are water’s unique physical and chemical properties?
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Application at Grade Levels: 3rd, 4th and 5th
How does the movement of water affect earth materials?
How does water shape our environment?
Investigation
Materials:
1 Container, 1/2 L
2 Large plastic cups
2 Filter cups with holes
4 Small plastic cups
2 Filter papers
1 Syringe, 50 mL
1 Graduated cylinder, 50 mL
2 Hand lenses
• Gravel
• Potting soil
2 Pitchers
• Water *
• Paper towels *
Velez & Vargas LHS 2011
TEKS for Earth Science:
 5th: recognize how landforms such as deltas, canyons, and
sand dunes are the result of changes to Earth’s surface by wind,
water, and ice
 4th: observe and identify slow changes to the Earth’s
surface caused by weathering, erosion and deposition from water,
wind, and ice
 3rd: identify and compare different landforms including
mountains, hills, valleys, and plains
TEK for ELA 5th:
 record data in order to see the relationships between ideas, and
convert graphic/visual data (e.g., charts, diagrams, timelines) into written
notes
 develop a topic sentence, summarizes findings, and uses evidence
to support conclusions
 present the findings in a consistent format.