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Lesson 41 of 84 ยท Earth Systems

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ŸŒ‹ Rock Realm

Types of Rocks: Sedimentary (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #41

Earth Systems.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

โšก The twist

Weather isn't random โ€” it's just complicated.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒŠ The deepest part of the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Before you observe: what shape will it leave?

What You'll Learn

Groundwater fills spaces between rocks and soil underground. Aquifers are underground layers of rock that hold and transmit water. Many communities depend on wells that tap into aquifers.

Key Words

  • condensation
  • precipitation
  • weathering

Materials Needed

  • cotton balls
  • food coloring
  • clear container
  • rocks
  • sand
  • clay

Safety First

  • Be careful with scissors โ€” ask an adult for help if needed.
  • Do not look directly at the sun or bright lights.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Earth Systems and write down three key facts.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Model plate tectonics using graham crackers on frosting. Push them together, pull them apart, and slide them past each other to show convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What are tectonic plates?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

Today's weather, tomorrow's beach, next century's coastline โ€” all this.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Look at the sky for 5 minutes and try to predict tomorrow's weather.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the slowest change you can think of?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐ŸชจShare card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

Checkout complete lesson on Earth Systems for 3rd Grade

Get the full Earth Systems track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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Types of Rocks: Sedimentary (Part 2) โ€” Earth Systems | 3rd Grade Science | LittleActivity | LittleActivity