Layers Tell a Story

Lab Brief #13

🎯 Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

⚡ The twist

Today's mountain was yesterday's ocean floor.

What you'll learn

Sediment settles in layers, so in undisturbed rock the deepest layer is the oldest. Reading the order of layers and the fossils inside them is how geologists work out the sequence of events without knowing exact dates.

Key words

superposition
The rule that in undisturbed layers, the lowest is the oldest.
strata
The visible layers of sedimentary rock.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: where will the water go first?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

clear jar
sand
gravel
soil
small objects

Get ready

⚠️ Safety first

Wash hands after handling soil.
Small objects are a choking hazard for young children.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Think about what you just learned: say what "superposition" and "strata" mean in your own words before you start.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Build layered strata in a clear jar with sand, gravel and soil, pressing a different small object into each layer. Swap jars with a partner and put their objects in age order.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Question 1 of 2

In undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layer is:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Layers of sedimentary rock are called:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🌋 There are 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth right now.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 2 right.

All lessons

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

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

✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's the slowest change you can think of?”

🌎Share card

Share this experiment

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

Layers Tell a Story

Next Smart Experiment

Share this experiment

Layers Tell a Story

Done with science? Try something else

Your Cart (0)