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The bridge that connects students school with their homes has collapsed due to extreme weathering and erosion. Students will create a bridge that can withstand weathering and erosion so that they will be able to get home from school. There will be  reading, science, and math content within this STEM lesson. Students will also be able to test the strength of their bridges using water and wind.

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Weathering and Erosion Video Lesson for Kids | Science Grades 3-5 | Mini-Clip

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Erosion is the process of constant disintegration of rocks and surfaces due to physical factors like wind, ice, water, and climate change. Thus it is just the opposite of deposition, a process by which particles get deposited at a place by some physical factors. Erosion is also the opposite process of siltation.

Weathering, on the other hand, is the constant decaying of rocks and surfaces due to various climatic changes that affect their chemical composition. In geological terms, weathering can be defined as the process where rocks and soil are dissolved away and worn into smaller pieces due to environmental factors. Let us now discuss the four different types of weathering. While weathering involves chemical disintegration, erosion is just a physical procedure.

Moreover, erosion involves the movement and relocation of particles, but weathering doesn't do so. While weathering causes a permanent change in the color and texture of rocks, erosion never changes the composition of the same. Eroded loose soil leads to dust storms sometimes, but weathering doesn't possess the same threat.

Types and Examples of Weathering

Well, we have discussed so far that the natural phenomenon that aids in constant decaying of rocks, soils, and minerals to change their structure is known as weathering. But there are several factors like biological activity, extremes of weather, water, wind, ice, and other environmental causes that also loosen the rocks and soils through the process of weathering.

Let us now try to understand the different types of weathering with suitable examples.

The disintegration of rocks into smaller pieces is known as physical weathering. When water enters the pores of rocks, cracks and then freezes, they are forced to breakdown, which generally happens because of mechanical weathering. Frost weathering, frost wedging, ice wedging, and cryofracturing are common causes of mechanical weathering.

Water once frozen inside the rocks expands by 10%, thereby forcing the rocks to crack open. The pressure acting over the rocks along with climate change is the reason because of which rocks are broken into fragments.

Organic or biological weathering refers to the disintegration of rocks by the action of living organisms. Trees and plants creep into rocks while growing in size, thereby exerting pressure over the rocks. As a result, the cracks force open the rocks and widen the fissures.

Micro-organisms like moss, algae, lichens grow over the rocks and produce chemicals that have the potential of breaking the outer part of the rocks. Moreover, burrowing animals like moles, squirrels, and rabbits can speed up the process of development of fissures and eventually lead to the breakdown of rocks and surfaces.

3. Chemical Weathering

Chemical weathering occurs when the rocks are broken down by chemical agents. This process is gradual and ongoing, which changes the mineralogy of the rocks and makes them disintegrate and finally dissolve.

When water and oxygen interact with minerals, a chemical reaction occurs, and rocks change in composition over time. Hydrolysis and oxidation occur, and the result is they lead to a new compound formation.

Acid rain makes the rocks to disintegrate and dissolve the rock grain. However, chemical weathering depends on the texture of the rocks. For instance, limestone is more prone to chemical disintegration compared to metamorphic rocks.

Different Types of Erosion

There are various types of erosion, namely physical erosion, water erosion, wind erosion, ice erosion, and erosion by other forces.

1. Physical Erosion

Physical erosion of land occurs when the land gets continuously eroded by various factors without the chemical composition being changed. The rocks reduce in dimension and become smaller. Following that, they get eroded through physical erosion and then form clastic sedimentary rocks. The growth of plants also contributes to physical erosion, and the phenomenon is called bioerosion. The plant growth extends to the crevices and rocks. Ice formation also causes the rocks to break and erode.

2. Erosion by Water

Water erosion is very significant. River, flood, lakes, rain, and ocean wash away all the sediments that are accumulated. Rainfall is responsible for four types of erosion - splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. Coastal erosion has a huge influence on human settlement. Houses and infrastructures built on the eroded regions always possess a threat of being crumbled down.

3. Wind Erosion

Wind, a powerful agent of erosion, continuously transports sand, ash dust from one place to another. Ventifacts are a special category of rocks that are essentially shaped by wind erosion. A most devastating example of wind erosion is a dust bowl. Valuable topsoil eroded by strong winds is called as 'Black Blizzard.'

4. Erosion by Ice

Ice, which is essentially present in the form of glaciers, creates dramatic landscapes. As the glaciers move downwards, they carry the eroded soil along. The eroded sediment called moraine usually is visible around the glaciers.

5. Erosion by Other Factors

Thermal erosion can shape up to be a significant cause of erosion. Mass wasting incidents, which include rockslides, landslides, and avalanches, erodes and transports lands that reshape hills and mountains.

10 Amazing Facts About Erosion

Fact 1: Flash floods, streams, and rivers are responsible for eroding away the rocks, crevices, and caves. The minerals in the water are like sandpaper, and they get slowly scoured away. Erosion removes rock or earth particles from one side, and the same gets deposited to another side. The latter process is known as siltation, which is just the opposite of erosion.

Bits of rock which are small pass into the rivers. While moving downstream, the rocks are scraped, and the larger rocks are softened. These are again broken down into smaller pieces known as silt.

While in the Fact 3: desert, high winds enable the tiny rocks to hurl through the air. The particles change and shape the rocks into the landscape. Sometimes this type of erosion results in dust storms.

Fact 4: Glaciers, while moving across the earth, can rip away through the fragments. They are also responsible for carving valleys into the land. Ice or glaciers are responsible for eroding particles from one side and depositing the same to the other.

The deserts along the beaches usually get eroded while the wind blows over the Fact 5: sand dunes or even the hills.

Fact 6: Erosion comes from the Latin word 'erosionem,' which means gnawing away. The term is, therefore, quite appropriate.

Fact 7: The Great Colorado River is said to have eroded the Grand Canyon, for millions of years till it took the modern shape.

Dust storms seen in cities and villages can very well be caused due to soil erosion. In the Fact 8: Sahara desert, a sandstorm occurs where tiny particles remain suspended in air, which appears like a blanket of dust. The phenomenon is called Harmattan, which occurs in West Africa during the dry season. This is also a result of erosion by wind.

Fact 9: The fastest of all glaciers move just 11 kilometers in three months.

Sometimes, Fact 10: sedimentary rocks and fossils are uncovered by erosion. So, erosion can do some good as well as unfavorable things for us.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to erosion. Due to erosion, valleys get a layer of new fertile soil, which is beneficial for agriculture and farming. But the farmlands, if eroded, create a lot of difficulties as the topsoil is the most essential component as far as farming is concerned.
References: https://www.britannica.com/science/erosion-geology https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/erosion/ https://sciencing.com/difference-between-weathering-erosion-kids-8627014.html

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What is Weathering and Erosion (For Kids)? Types of Weathering and Erosion | Earth Eclipse

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Erosion is the process of constant disintegration of rocks and surfaces due to physical factors like wind, ice, water, and climate change. Weathering, on the other hand, is the constant decaying of rocks and surfaces due to various climatic changes that affect their chemical composition.

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kbfAKVDCXk_zcEiT8KHB0GuRYwrH6x_cRshQ4EUCR8M/edit?usp=sharing

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kbfAKVDCXk_zcEiT8KHB0GuRYwrH6x_cRshQ4EUCR8M/edit?usp=sharing

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Doodles and Digits | Educational Math Videos 

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How To Measure Using a Protractor | Educational Kids Math Video

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Watch the weathering and erosion generation genius video and read the article on weathering and erosion.

Provide the students with the made up scenario. (The bridge that connects their school and home has collapsed, they will need to build a bridge in order to get home, but not just any bridge, a bridge that can withstand extreme weathering and erosion so that their bridge will not collapse too.)

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Have students research bridges and what is required in order for bridges to stay standing. Students will do this to get inspiration and utilize technology for this lesson. By researching different bridges, students will be able to explore the many different designs of bridges all over the world.

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Students will use the "Planning" worksheets to identify the problem, the materials they will use, and plan and design a bridge that they will try to create. Students will also have to identify two angles that they will include on their bridge. This will satisfy the math standard.

Students will work in groups to create a bridge. They will discuss with their group members what they think will work and then the groups will take parts from each persons idea to create the bridge.

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Students will have 25 minutes to create the bridge. They will create the bridge using the materials provided to them in their groups.

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Students will test their bridges using wind and water as weathering and erosion. Once they test their bridges using these things, they will have time to quickly fix their bridge while others are still testing. Once everyone is finished, students will complete there reflection worksheet. They will answer questions such as did your bridge withstand weathering and erosion, and wart worked well and what didn't?

One finished with this, students will then discuss in their groups using grade-level academic vocabulary. They will talk about their answers on the reflection worksheet and answer the questions from the slideshow.

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Math: MAFS.4.MD.3.6 Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure

Science: SC.4.E.6.4 Describe the basic differences between physical weathering (breaking down of rock by wind, water, ice, temperature change, and plants) and erosion (movement of rock by gravity, wind, water, and ice)

Reading: ELA.4.V.1.1 Use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing.

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Students will discuss how they could have made their bridge better in order for it to withstand weathering and erosion if it fell. Students could also determine what they could have added to their bridge to make it more different than others for even cooler, if it withstood weathering and erosion already.

Part of the make it better phase is integrated in the try it out phase. Students have time in the try it out phase to change things if the wind or water made it fall.

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Overall, I really liked the resources I found and chose, however, I wish I would have found a cool bridge book to read with students about how to build bridges and the requirements for building a bridge. I wold have liked to read about how to build a bridge so that students did not have to watch so many videos. I also wished I would have found a resource that discussed how the materials the students were provided with could be used to build a bridge.

Weathering and Erosion Youtube Video:
This resource provided a could explanation of how weathering and erosion works and how they cause things to break down. This was perfect for this STEM lesson because students were having to recreate a bridge that had collapsed because of continuous extreme weathering and erosion.

Article On Weathering and Erosion:
This resource provided students with an extension of weathering and erosion. It contained lots of information and examples. I think this resource contained a little too much information for what students needed. I would change this resource to a shorter, more simpler article for students to read.

Materials:
I think the materials I picked for this STEM lesson were effective for students to create their bridges. Something the students might not end up using that I would take out for next time was the string. I would replace the string with lincoln logs.

Planning and Reflection Worksheet:
I created these worksheets to create a STEM lesson packet. I really like these worksheets because they provide the perfect space for students to plan and reflect on the lesson. They also provide students with talking points for when they need to discuss in their groups.

How to use a Protractor YouTube Video:
This video is perfect for giving students a refresher on how to use a protractor. Students need to use the protractor in order to measure the two angles they include on their bridges.

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Introduction:
Introduce the STEM lesson to students. Explain to them that we will be doing a bridge STEM challenge.

Play the video about weathering and erosion for students. Open the floor for any questions the students may have about weathering and erosion.

Read the article on weathering and erosion to further expand students knowledge of weathering and erosion and how it effects things.

Watch the video on how to use a protractor. Demonstrate how to use the protractor for students and allow students to practice at their desk with the protractor as well before starting the STEM challenge.

Start the slideshow and go through the slideshow until the STEM lesson is complete. The slideshow also provides students with the materials list and additional, more specific directions.

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I created this slideshow to go along with the lesson. It will be used after we have gone through the resources, listed in the collection phase. The slideshow includes timers on the slides to allow students to see how much time they have left and plan accordingly. It also includes the step by step process for creating the bridges and testing it from the beginning.