Exploring the Earth

 

During this week’s activities, Girlstart students learned about skills used by geomorphologists, who study geological processes and resulting landforms. Students brushed up on vocabulary that included “deposition,” “erosion,” and “weathering,” then got to work forming their own canyon models!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small groups were given different colors of sand, a tupperware box, and a cup of water to create their miniature canyons. Girls emptied out their first bag of sand in the tupperware box to represent a sea floor. Next, each bag of colored sand was laid carefully on top of another. Finally, girls had a visual demonstration of sediment layers throughout history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students used their water cups to create a “river” that eroded the sediments and cut through the many layers. Girls were excited to point out the different colors that were now exposed in the deep canyon, due to the weathering of the rock surface over time.