This video and accompanying article demonstrates how different types of ground cover (specifically grass, dead leaves, or bare soil) affect the process of erosion.
Students will learn what erosion is, how water runoff is affected by different types of ground cover, what roots do underground, and the best way to prevent erosion.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video provides a straightforward and engaging demonstration of how erosion works.
This resource provides links to additional resources and provides an example of an experiment that students could easily do in their classroom.
Additional Prerequisites
It may be helpful for students to have a basic understanding of the concept of erosion and how plants "drink" water.
The PBS link in the article is broken.
Differentiation
This experiment could be replicated in a classroom or teachers might choose to use the link to other Fun Science Demos referenced in the article.
The article provides a link to 14 other videos about erosion that could be used for extension activities.
Language arts classes could write a few sentences that compare and contrast the water runoff from the three containers, being sure to explain why the process works differently.
Science classes could work in groups to research how human activities are impacting the land, rates of erosion, and our Earth.
Other resources on this topic include this video about slowing coastal erosion and this video which provides an overview of soil science.
Scientist Notes
This resource is an 8-minute video with an accompanying website that demonstrates the ways in which ground cover can affect water runoff and water retention. Bare soil is compared to soil with leaf litter and soil with grass. This is a very clear and interesting demonstration. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS2: Earth's Systems
2-ESS2-1 Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
K-ESS3-3 Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
PS1: Matter and its Interactions
2-PS1-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
