To demonstrate how rain effects topsoil at Faulker’s Island, in Connecticut
Materials:
Dirt, red powdered tempers paint, measuring spoon, teaspoon (5 ml), funnel, coffee filter paper, wide-mouthed jar, 1 qt (1 liter) measuring cup (250 ml), stirring spoon.
Procedure:
Add 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) of red tempera paint to 1/4 cup (75 ml) of dirt. Mix
Set the funnel in the jar
Place the coffee filter inside the funnel
Pour the colored sand into the paper filter
Add 1/4 cup (75 ml) of water to the funnel
Observe the water dripping into the jar
Pour this water out of the jar and add another 1/4 (75 ml) of water to the funnel
Results:
The liquid dripping from the funnel is red.
The red paint represents nutrients in topsoil that is soluble in water. Nutrients dissolve in rain water and feed the plants growing in the soil. If the rain is too heavy, the water runs across the soil, taking the dissolved nutrients with it. Excessive rains can leave the topsoil lacking in necessary nutrients.
This lesson is user friendly and interactive. It keeps students involved by asking questions as a concept is being developed. In addition, these questions provide an ongoing assessment of students’ understanding. When appropriate, this section may also contain one or more worked out examples to which students can refer when they on their own.
Assessment:
This lesson allow students to solve problems independently and to gauge their own understanding of the concepts learned in the lesson.
Open-ended problems require students to write clear, organized solutions to complex, multi-step problems. Students must explain how they arrive at conclusions and may receive full or partial credit based on the quality of their response.