A Deep Study of Erosion

Unit II students are learning all about erosion. Their dynamic study includes research on the Grand Canyon, the Southwest region of the United States, and the utility of natural and man-made dams. “We learned about how the Grand Canyon was formed from the process of erosion and learned about the four states in the Southwest region—Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico,” said Unit II teacher Sherri Linville. The research also included art projects, in which the students painted pictures of Texas’ state flower, bluebonnets, and crafted coil pots as they learned about the Pueblo tribe of indigenous people. To further understand the formation of the Grand Canyon, the students poured dirt in aluminum pans, shaped the dirt into a small mound on one side of the pan, and watched the movement of the dirt settle into a flat surface in the pan. On a second try, the students reshaped the dirt into a mound, this time adding sticks, pinecones, and rocks. “After pouring water onto the mound that had vegetation and rocks, the students were able to observe how these things combat erosion and help the environment,” said Linville.