Engineering Erosion
Rhonda Hawley, Educator, MathScience Innovation Center
Developed with funding from the MathScience Innovation Center
Major
Understanding
Civil engineers understand that erosion can cause a great deal of damage if it is
not dealt with before a structure is built; therefore, they need to carefully study
the environment and the soil. Erosion is defined as the movement of soil from
one place to another. The basic agents of erosion are: gravity, wind, water, ice,
and temperature. Soil is an important natural resource that needs to be
conserved.
Grade/Subject
Grade 2; Science
Objectives
Observe, predict, and draw conclusions using basic methodology of
scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic.
Investigate the relationship of weather and soil erosion.
Identify ways to reduce soil erosion.
Identify through experimentation the agents of erosion: gravity, wind,
water, ice, and temperature.
Identify soil as a natural resource.
Time
Materials
Anticipatory Set
Overview of Erosion/Weathering
Experiment!
Closure PowerPoint
Practice
Assessments
For the class:
PowerPoint Presentation
Cooler
Ice
Water
Squirt bottle
Pitcher
Large rock
Clear, round, flat dish filled with water
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
5 min
15 min
25 min
15 min
Variable
Variable
For each group of students:
Engineering Erosion Worksheet
Paper towels
Modeling clay
Ice
Model of mountain
Rain cup (9 oz.)
Solo cup (9 oz.)
Ruler
Newspapers
Frisbee®
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
Flat glass disc cracked and uncracked
Limestone
Sandstone
State and National
Correlations
Virginia Standards of Learning: Science (2.1, 2.3, 2.6, 2.7)
National Science Education Standards: Observe, predict, infer, and draw
conclusions; Properties of earth materials; Weathering and erosion; Human
impact on the Earth
Instructional
Strategies
1. Anticipatory Set
1.1. Present PowerPoint, starting with the question, “What material makes
up most of the Earth?” The answer we are looking for is rocks. Display
a large rock sample. Ask students to imagine this rock in an outdoor
setting. Will the rock continue to look as it does or will it change?
How will it change? (Wind, water, ice, gravity, and temperature will
change the rock.) These are the agents of weathering and erosion.
Show video clip of agents. Follow through with PowerPoint and ask
students, “What is the difference between weathering and erosion?”
Movement! Make the distinction that weathering is a slow process that
takes place over long periods of time and causes materials to
wear/break down, but erosion can be a fast or slow process that
wears/breaks down material and moves it away. Movement is the key
difference between the two.
1.2. View video clip of a model neighborhood that demonstrates what
happens when the soil/rock start to shift or move. Buried under the
model neighborhood in the soil is a balloon. When the balloon is
popped, it will clearly demonstrate what occurs when the soil/rock
moves.
2. Overview of Engineers’ Job with Erosion/Weathering
2.1. Using the Discovery Education streaming™ video clip on “Erosion
and Weathering” embedded in the PowerPoint, students will view the
agents of erosion and weathering in a real world setting. Explain to
students that today we will get a hands–on look at how each of these
agents of erosion work via experimentation. Explain to students that it
is the job of the civil engineer to plan and even stop the soil from
moving in areas where people live and work.
3. Experiment!
3.1. Divide the class into 5 or 6 groups, with four students in each group. A
quick way to do this is by numbering their worksheet before passing it
out to the students. Tell students that they will work as a team. Each
team will complete each experiment at the same time, following my
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
lead. Briefly go over the rules/directions for all of the experiments. At
the end of each experiment, students will need to answer some
questions found on the worksheet that you have provided. Students
will be given only 3-4 minutes to complete their answers for each
experiment. They may work together to complete the worksheet, but
everyone must complete their own sheet.
3.2. Each experiment will demonstrate one of the agents of weathering and
erosion. Experiment #1 focuses on glacier erosion (clay and ice);
Experiment #2 focuses on wave erosion (wave simulation in a clear
dish on the overhead projector); Experiment #3 focuses on water
erosion (model of a mountainside and rain eroding away the earth);
Experiment #4 focuses on temperature and uses a video clip to show
what happens to earth materials when temperatures go from one
extreme to another extreme (cracked and uncracked glass discs);
Experiment #5 focuses on wind erosion and how the wind can break
down rocks (Frisbee®, sandstone, limestone); and Experiment #6
focuses on gravity (a round rock rolling from a desk and breaking into
pieces).
Practice
Inform students that engineers are on both ends of the erosion problem.
Sometimes they must plan for the clean-up of earth materials after erosion has
occurred. Provide each group of 4 students a bag of trail mix or some similar
concoction of materials as a model of a contaminated soil sample from a nearby construction site and have them separate the materials out. Discuss how the
materials can be physically separated and contaminates removed. If time
permits, materials can be weighed to discover the mass of and the sum of its
parts, and then create a graph that displays the data. Real-world connections
should be made following experiment in which students discuss watersheds
and the fact that some contaminates cannot be removed from soils. What do we
do with these soils?
Closure
Discuss as a group, at the conclusion of all experiments, their answers on the
worksheet. Ask the question, “Was this an example of weathering or erosion?”
Discuss any questions or observations they may have. Conclude the lesson in
game show format by viewing PowerPoint pictures of weathering and erosion.
Have students identify which force of weathering/erosion caused the break
down in each picture and offer suggestions for how a civil engineer might
solve this problem.
Extensions
1. Ask students this question, “Does soil play an important role in your life?”
Have them write 2-3 sentences to tell how soil is part of their everyday life.
Share these sentences with the whole class by creating a VENN diagram
with male students’ answers in one circle and female students’ answers in
the other. Duplicate answers may be recorded in the intersection of the two
circles.
2. Take an erosion field trip where as a class you go out around your school
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
and make note of all the areas of erosion. Students should take a clipboard
and record each example, either in drawing or written explanation. When
you return to the class, post all of the observations that they made and
discuss solutions in how to solve these erosion examples.
3. Have students investigate the change in a mound of dirt on the school
grounds. Begin by measuring the height and width of the mound of dirt.
Then have students brainstorm and predict how the mound of dirt will
change in height and width over a one-week period; two-week period; fourweek period; twelve-week period. Record predictions and monitor mound
of dirt. Evaluate what actually happened as compared to what the students
predicted would happen.
4. Have students become “erosion detectives” and develop a list of things in
their area (school, home, park) that show erosion at work.
5. Check out the two handouts that address How Do Plants Help Soil? and
What is Soil?
Assessment
Sample items are provided for use in checking students’ understanding or may
be used as a paper-pencil test.
Paper-Pencil Test: Engineering Erosion
Paper-Pencil Test: Answer Key
The following table shows how the assessment items are related to specific
objectives.
Objective
PaperPencil
Test
Observe, predict, and draw conclusions using
basic methodology of scientific investigation,
reasoning, and logic.
8, 10
Investigate the relationship of weather and
soil erosion.
Identify ways to reduce soil erosion.
Identify through experimentation the agents
of erosion: gravity, wind, water, ice, and
temperature.
Identify soil as a natural resource.
Major Understanding: Civil engineers
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
Product/
Performance
1
3, 9
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
7
Student Project
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
understand that erosion can cause a great
deal of damage if it is not dealt with before a
structure is built; therefore, they need to
carefully study the environment and the soil.
Erosion is defined as the movement of soil
from one place to another. The basic agents
of erosion are: gravity, wind, water, ice, and
temperature. Soil is an important natural
resource that needs to be conserved.
Teaching Tips
and Rubric

Background Information
Soil is made of rocks, sand, plants and animals, all of which are broken
down. Plants and animals that die and break down are called humus.
Humus is the organic component of soil. The rocks and sand are weathered
to become new soil. It takes 500-1000 years to make one inch of soil! Soil
is a very valuable natural resource.

Purchasing Materials
Model of Mountain is made from gray powdered clay and finely grained
sand particles which can be purchased from Delta Education “Landforms”
replacement parts http://www.delta-education.com/index.html product
#PT032-3168 and #192-7859. The clay is sold in one pound bags and the
sand is sold in 1.35 kg bags. Mix one bag of clay with half a bag of sand.
Add ½ liter of water to the dry materials in the bag and mix thoroughly. If
you are interested in doing a full stream table, Delta has assembled a
stream table erosion kit, product # WW110-0373. This provides for a larger
scale demonstration than the one we present in this lesson.
Flat glass marbles are available from www.RainbowTurtle.com. There is
no product number, as such, but a description: crystal clear jumbo gems
(25-38 mm) or 1 – 1 ½ inch, and they come in bags of 100.
Rock samples are available from WARD’S™ Natural Science
Establishment www.wardsci.com grey limestone product #47-4602 and red
sandstone product #47-7057.
Experiment plates are actually Frisbees® made from heavy duty plastic
and are available from Oriental Trading Company product #RR-12/365
http://www.orientaltrading.com/.
Resources
Wikipedia®
Check out the articles in Wikipedia® on the five agents of erosion; this is a
great source of background information for teachers.
Erosion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MathScience Innovation Center
Information on educational programs available to students, teachers, and
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
school divisions, and procedures for registering for programs.
http://msinnovation.info
MathScience Innovation Center: On-Line Educational Programs
Learn through on-line virtual classrooms, web-based lessons, and on-line
courses. Access proven lesson plans and instructional modules.
http://mathinscience.info
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand.
This site includes basic information on soil erosion.
http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/sustainable-resource-use/landmanagement/erosion-risks/
National Association of Conservation Districts
P.O. Box 855
League City, TX 77574-08
National Resources Conservation Service page.
This site contains maps and data on soil erosion in the United States.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/maps/erosion.html
National Resources Conservation Service page.
This site contains interactive maps, soil surveys, and data on soil erosion in the
United States.
http://soils.usda.gov/
Discovery Education
Discovery Education is a digital video-on-demand and on-line teaching service
to help improve students' retention and test scores; it is aligned to U.S. state
and provincial standards.
http://discoveryeducation.com/
Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation
Division of Soil & Water Conservation
203 Governor Street, Suite 206
Richmond, Virginia 23219-2094
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
o Experiment One: Chemical Erosion
o Rock samples labeled A-D (calcite and limestone respectively) and an eyedropper with
vinegar; using paper towels and a Petri dish
o Experiment Two: Water Erosion
o Model of a mountain and a watering can
o Experiment Three: Wave Erosion
o Wave Simulation in a pyrex pan on the overhead projector; could add sand to dish to show
movement of earth materials
o Experiment Four: Wind Erosion
o Plate of sand and a straw/fan
o Experiment Five: Ice/Glacier Erosion
o Clay, sand, and ice; I am thinking about using the student’s forearm for the land and then
rubbing an icecube across it and then adding a few grains of sand between the ice and the
forearm to “feel” the erosion
Version II:

Experiment One: Ice/Glacier Erosion
o Clay, sand, and ice block; have student 1 roll out the clay and rub it with the ice block;
then have them add a pinch of sand to the clay and rub the ice block again over the clay;
Compare/contrast.

Experiment Two: Demo Wave Erosion
o Wave Simulation in a circular dish on the overhead projector; could add sand to dish to
show movement of earth materials

Experiment Three: Water Erosion
o Model of a mountain made of diatomaceous earth, ruler, and rain cloud; have student 2
rain on the landform; discuss erosion.

Experiment Four: Demo Temperature
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
o From start of class heat the marble and at this point remove marble from heat and dump
into ice water; observe cracking

Experiment Five: Wind Erosion
o Frisbee, 2 limestone and 2 sandstone rocks; have student 3 rub limestone together over
the Frisbee and then rub sandstone together over the Frisbee; discuss that some rocks
wear down more quickly than other rocks; add a bit more sand to the Frisbee and have
student 4 blow on the sand with a straw; try to stop the erosion using poker chips and
pennies.

Experiment Six: Demo Gravity Erosion
o Using a book and a rock, tilt the book and the rock rolls down hill.
Version III:
 Experiment One: Ice/Glacier Erosion
o Clay and ice block; have student A roll out the clay and rub it with the ice block; compare
to a real glacier.

Experiment Two: Demo Wave Erosion
o Wave Simulation in a circular dish on the overhead projector.

Experiment Three: Water Erosion
o Model of a mountain made of diatomaceous earth, ruler, and rain cloud; have student B
rain on the landform; discuss erosion.

Experiment Four: Demo Temperature
o Using a video clip to show what happens to earth materials when temperatures go from
one extreme to another extreme, illustrate by sharing glass discs that are cracked and
uncracked from heating and cooling.

Experiment Five: Wind Erosion
o Frisbee, 2 limestone and 2 sandstone rocks; have student C rub limestone together over
the Frisbee and have student D rub sandstone together over the Frisbee; discuss that some
rocks wear down more quickly than other rocks.

Experiment Six: Demo Gravity Erosion
o Using a book and a rock, tilt the book and the rock rolls down hill.
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007
What’s the difference between weathering and
erosion?
Weathering involves two processes that often work in concert to decompose
rocks. Both processes occur in place. No movement is involved in weathering.
Chemical weathering involves a chemical change in at least some of the minerals
within a rock. Mechanical weathering involves physically breaking rocks into
fragments without changing the chemical make-up of the minerals within it. It’s
important to keep in mind that weathering is a surface or near-surface process. As
you know, metamorphism also produces chemical changes in rocks, but
metamorphic chemical changes occur at depth where either the temperature and/or
pressure are significantly higher than conditions found on the Earth’s surface.
As soon as a rock particle (loosened by one of the two weathering processes)
moves, we call it erosion or mass wasting. Mass wasting is simply movement
down slope due to gravity. Rock falls, slumps, and debris flows are all examples
of mass wasting. We call it erosion if the rock particle is moved by some flowing
agent such as air, water or ice.
So, here it is: if a particle is loosened, chemically or mechanically, but stays put,
call it weathering. Once the particle starts moving, call it erosion.
http://www2.nature.nps.gov/GEOLOGY/usgsnps/misc/gweaero.html
what they think will happen if the soil in the model were to move; what would happen to the
neighborhood? Then demonstrate what happens when this occurs. Buried under the neighborhood and in
the soil is a balloon; when the balloon is popped it will clearly demonstrate what occurs when the soil
moves. Explain to students that it is the job of a civil engineer to plan and even stop the soil from
moving in areas where people live and work.
Engineering Erosion
http://MathInScience.info
©MathScience Innovation Center, 2007