River Stream Activity
Page 1 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Student Activity
Question:
How does water flow and slope angle change the surface of the Earth?
Hypothesis:
1.) If the flow of water is:________________ (increased, decreased) then more sediment will be eroded because________________________________.
2.) If the angle of flow is ________________ (increased, decreased) then more sediment will be eroded because ________________________________.
Job:
Your group should rotate through the following jobs. Keep track of yours here:
_____ WATER POURER
_____ SAND SCULPTOR
_____ DATA RECORDER
_____ MATERIALS MANAGER
_____ COMMUNICATOR
_____ ANGLE ADJUSTOR
3) Begin Angle of Flow Experiment and write down observations on the next page.
Page 2 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Draw the before and after picture of your stream table in the two boxes below.
Low Height/Angle
Before After
What is the pattern of erosion that your group observed?
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Where is most of the sediment load deposited?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Extension: Write down observations using the vocabulary from the word bank below.
Vocabulary word bank: saturation, dynamic, erosion, deposition, sediment, load, meander, runoff, and mass movement, alluvial fan, rill, and gully.
Page 3 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Higher Height/Angle
Before After
What is the pattern of erosion that your group observed?
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Where is most of the sediment load deposited?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Extension: Write down observations using the vocabulary from the word bank below.
Vocabulary word bank: saturation, dynamic, erosion, deposition, sediment, load, meander, runoff, and mass movement, alluvial fan, rill, and gully.
Page 4 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Flood Cup
Before
After
What is the pattern of erosion that your group observed?
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
______________
Where is most of the sediment load deposited?
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Extension: What is the angle of elevation?
____________________________
____________________________
Vocabulary word bank: saturation, dynamic, erosion, deposition, sediment, load, meander, runoff, and mass movement, alluvial fan, rill, and gully.
Page 5 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Experimental Design:
Design an inquiry with the following materials. Write down the question you would like to investigate and collect evidence (experimental observations and measurements) to support your claim. Then, use your science textbook and lectures to use scientific reasoning to conclude.
Materials
□ Stream Table
□ 1 Dumping Bucket
□ 1 Ruler
□ 1 Hand Washing Bucket
□ 3 lbs. of Sand
□ 100 g of Clay
□ 2 Wooden Angles
□ Tape
□ Food Coloring
Question:
Claim:
Before After
Vocabulary word bank: saturation, dynamic, erosion, deposition, sediment, load, meander, runoff, and mass movement, alluvial fan, rill, and gully.
Does the channel always stay in the same place as the water is flowing? What happens to the channel over time?
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
Describe the flow of the water and how the sediment load is carried.
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_____________________
Page 6 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Critical Thinking Questions
Directions: Answer using complete sentences Use your vocabulary word banks to write your answers.
Where is the sediment being deposited in your tray?
Explain how adding angles to your stream table affected the results?
How would you change the conditions to better show the relationship between rivers and erosion (for example, “add more water”)? Come up with 3 revisions, and explain why.
1.
2.
3.
What are limitations of your stream table? Come up with 3 limitations.
1.
2.
3.
Was your first hypothesis supported by your observations?
Was your second hypothesis supported by your observations?
Page 7 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (C-E-R) – Day 2
Teacher introduces class to C-E-R framework and gives a examples through a YouTube commercial on “My Dad is an Alien” Then, students discuss the question, claim, evidence and reasoning that they experienced with all of the activities in that they have participated in to come up with a scientific explanation. Audi Commercial: My Dad’s an Alien http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQTsue0lKBk
Claim:
A statement or conclusion that answers the question asked or the problem posed
Evidence: Scientific data that supports the claim. The data needs to be appropriate and sufficient to support the claim.
Reasoning: A justification that connects the evidence to the claim. It shows why data counts as evidence by using appropriate and sufficient scientific principles.
Page 8 of 8
Lesson 4 Stream Table Lab
Name ____________________________________________ Date ______________ Period ____________
River Erosion C-E-R
Question: How does the angle of flow affect river erosion?
(Considered the angle on the stream table)
In order to answer this question, select the ONE claim that you feel best answers the question.
Claim: (circle 1)
A.
The increased speed of water created by a higher angle causes more erosion.
B.
The increased speed of water created by a higher angle causes less erosion.
C.
The increased speed of water means there will be fewer fish to hit the sides of the river, thus less erosion.
Now that you have a claim, read the evidence and reasoning choices below and select TWO evidence statements and one reasoning statement that support your claim.
Evidence: (Circle 2)
A.
Steeper angles carry more sediment.
B.
Steeper angles add more energy of water.
C.
Steeper angles make oxbow lakes
D.
Steeper angles decrease the energy of water.
Reasoning: (Circle 1)
A.
When the angle is steeper, the greater flow of water carries more sediment from the surrounding landscape, forming a straighter river. When the river angle decreases, the water slows down and begins to meanders.
B.
When the angle is steeper, the energy created moves less sediment from the surrounding landscape. This makes a slow meandering river.
C.
With a steeper angle the amount of water absorbed into the soil increases resulting in a slower river.
