OMatter and Measurement: : Washing Rocks
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Vocabulary: Wash, Break Apart, Clean, Clear, Dirty, Cloudy, Sand, Sediment, Wear Apart, Erode
Materials: Rocks, Jar of water
Activity: Look at and feel rocks and water. Describe rocks and water before washing, just after washing and half an hour after washing. Describe what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Measurement: Measure how far the water level rises, after adding rocks.
Resource: Williams, R. Author of Preschool Scientist (2010) and Science Adventures (2008) (Buy on Amazon)
oBig Ideas from Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines
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Properties of Matter: How does the texture of a rock affect how much you can wash away?
Force and Motion: How does the size of a rock affect how far you can shove it?
Earth Science: How does water erosion affect rocks? (Surface runoff, rivers and streams, coastal erosion, glaciers, floods, freezing and thawing; Wikipedia: Erosion)
Characteristics of Organisms: How are a variety of pumpkins similar and how are they different?
Life Cycles of Organisms: How does the size of a pumpkin change over time (measured by how much water it displaces)?
How Organisms Interact with the Environment: How does temperature affect pumpkin decay? Compare storing a pumpkin at room temperature, outside, and in a refrigerator.
Tools and Measurement: How do the sizes of rocks, added to water, affect the rise in water level?
oAdditional Photos
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Before Washing
Just After Washing
Later, After Washing
